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Church Fellowship

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Scriptural Principles

The Unit Concept

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Opening Prayer

God of all truth, teach us that every Bible teaching is precious; not one can be surrendered. Every false teaching is dangerous poison; not one can be tolerated. Create in us obedient, submissive hearts to practice fellowship only with Christians who submit to all of your Word, neither adding to it nor subtracting from it. Amen.

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Introduction

Scripture teaches two principles:1.Agreement in all doctrines is

necessary for church fellowship.

2.Church fellowship includes all expressions of a shared faith.

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This Unit Concept stresses…

Bible doctrines cannot be divided into two categories:

1.those which require agreement

2.and those which do not.

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Unit also stresses… Fellowship activities cannot

be broken into categories:1. those we cannot practice outside

our fellowship

2. and those we can.

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Some errors the apostles saw as divisive of fellowship:

Galatians 1:6-8; 3:2

Rejecting justification by faith alone.

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Some errors the apostles saw as divisive of fellowship:

1 John 2:18,19; 4:2,3

Rejecting the human and divine nature of Christ.

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More errors the apostles saw as divisive of fellowship:

2 Timothy 2:16-18

Teaching error about the resurrection

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More errors the apostles saw as divisive of fellowship:

2 Timothy 2:16-18 (cont.)Claiming the message of

forgiveness allows for sinning. 1 Timothy 4:1-3

Forbidding people to marry.Ordering people to abstain

from foods God gave us to eat.

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More errors the apostles saw as divisive of fellowship:

Titus 3:8-11Foolishly quarreling in

controversies about genealogies and the law.

Being divisive.Not accepting admonition from

God’s Word.

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Divisive of fellowship according to the Lord’s apostles:

Rejecting… …justification by faith alone …the human nature of Christ …the resurrection

Claiming forgiveness okays sin.Forbidding people to marry.Condemning certain foods.

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Divisive of fellowship according to the Lord’s apostles:

Quarreling about genealogies and the law.

Being divisive.

Not accepting admonition from God’s Word.

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Clearly the Apostles Taught

The Unit Concept of Church Fellowship:

o Agreement in all doctrine is necessary for fellowship

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How much deviation from Scripture does God condemn?

Revelation 22:18,19

Adding or Subtracting

anything from God’s Word.

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Discuss from Church Fellowship (p.34):

“Just as some doses of poison are more deadly than others, the loss of certain doctrines, such as the doctrines of justification or the deity of Christ, is more deadly than the loss of other doctrines, such as a correct understanding of the doctrine of the Antichrist. But….

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Discuss from Church Fellowship (p.34):

“…But just as we want no poison in our food, not even the unintentional inclusion of small amounts of cancer-causing substances, so we can tolerate no poison in our spiritual food, that is, the teachings of Scripture that feed our faith.”

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Agreement in all doctrine is necessary for fellowship

Scripture makes no exceptions on doctrines.

In order to have fellowship together, God’s Word requires complete agreement in doctrine.

Unity of doctrine is necessary.

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Identify where God says complete unity of doctrine is necessary:

Matthew 28:20

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Identify where God says complete unity of doctrine is necessary:

Acts 20:27-31

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Identify where God says complete unity of doctrine is necessary:

1 Corinthians 1:10Romans 15:5,6Ephesians 4:3,

11-151 Timothy 1:3,41 Timothy 6:3-5

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Identify where God says complete unity of doctrine is necessary:

John 8:311 Peter 4:11Revelation 22:19

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In the light of the above passages discuss this quote:

“None of these passages nor any of the many other similar passages in the New Testament offers even a hint of support for the idea that any doctrine of Scripture can be dispensed with or that any doctrinal error can be accepted as harmless.” (Church Fellowship, p. 39)

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What about Adiaphora?

Romans 14:1-3 Adiaphora are things neither

forbidden / commanded by God: different liturgies moderate use of alcohol method of baptism

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Why are differences in adiaphora not divisive of church fellowship?

We are free wherever God has given us no command.

Adiaphora may become wrong… If someone is using them to

cover false doctrine. Example: “Baptism must be

by immersion.”

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Adiaphora?

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Agreement in all doctrine is necessary for fellowship

It is not necessary to use the exact words or terminology: 2 Thessalonians 2:3 1 John 4:3

Scripture’s same doctrine… “Antichrist” “man of lawlessness”

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For more study:

“the Anti-Christ”Concordia TriglottaHistorical Introductions

“Tract on the Power and Primacy of the Pope”

Smalcald Articles “Of the Mass” – “Of the Papacy” “Of the Power and Primacy of the

Pope”

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Mistakes: Doctrinal Terminology

1. Right doctrine – different words Wrong to deny fellowship for this

reason Same terms in a church body does

help to avoid confusion.2. Wrong doctrine – same words

Wrong to allow fellowship with different meaning

This is intentional confusion.

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Agreement in all doctrine is necessary for fellowship

Should not cause division in the church: Personalities Economics Race Culture

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Second PrincipleUnit Concept

All ways of expressing fellowship are a unit

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How are Christians expressing fellowship?

Hebrews 10:24f Colossians 3:16

WorshippingEncouraging

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Expressing Christian fellowship…

1 Corinthians 10:16f

Taking Lord’s Supper together

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Expressing Christian fellowship…

Galatians 6:6 1 Corinthians 9:11,14 Philippians 1:4f; 4:15

Supporting preachers Philippian “partners” ministry 2 John 10f – the negative side

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Expressing Christian fellowship…

Galatians 2:8fBrotherly

consultations to resolve doctrinal questions

Handshake of fellowship

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Expressing Christian fellowship…

Acts 15:1f Issuing joint doctrinal resolutions

Romans 16:16Ancient greeting: kiss, used by

Christian to express unity in faith

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All expressions of fellowship (Unit Concept)

Preaching…Worshiping …Communion together

Praying together Joint mission work Training, supporting pastors Transferring members Wishing success on ministry…

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In light of passages discuss:

“There is no scriptural basis for dividing the various expressions of fellowship into different levels that require different degrees of doctrinal agreement. Different forms of fellowship are simply different ways of expressing one and the same unity of faith.” (Church Fellowship, p. 49)

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Many churches deny the unit concept of church fellowship. Divide

fellowship activities into levels.

Some “require” doctrinal agreement, others not.

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Fellowship is a Unit

Scripture distinguishes no levels. All fellowship activities are on

the same level. All expressions of fellowship

require agreement in all teachings of Scripture.

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Summary

The unit concept of fellowship is the clear testimony of our Lord in the Bible. Therefore, we must agree in all doctrines of Scripture to have church fellowship. All expressions of church fellowship require complete doctrinal agreement.

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Closing Prayer

Lord of the Church, we wish we could see the true unity of your church in heaven. On earth you command us to separate from all false teaching. Give us zeal to work for doctrinal unity in your church. Grant us solid love to turn away from all error. Amen.