THE RIGHT HANDS
OF
FELLOWSHIP
BY
Shelby G. Floyd
March, 2008
PART
FELLOWSHIP WITH THE DIVINE NATURE
LESSON
FELLOWSHIP WITH THE FATHER
Christian fellowship is a subject about which there
has been much misunderstanding; yet, it is a subject taught and explained in
the New Testament, and capable of being understood by those who love the truth
and will take the time to investigate what God has said. It is our aim in
dealing with this subject to speak of fellowship generically, and. then define
that fellowship in more particular terms; that is, we shall outline fellowship
as a state or relationship of Christians, one with another, and with the divine
Godhead, and. then specify the acts necessary to put one into that state and to
maintain that relationship.
Our attention must first be focused upon the
fellowship of the divine nature. It is obvious, if one does not have fellowship
with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one certainly cannot have fellowship with
God’s children. Concerning the fellowship with the divine nature, the apostle
Peter said,
“According as his divine Power
hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the
knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and. virtue: Whereby are given
unto us exceeding great and. precious promises: that by these ye might be
partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the
world through lust.” (2 Peter 1: 3-4.)
According
to this statement, Christians are partakers of the divine nature when they
receive and practice the things pertaining to life and godliness, given to them
by the divine power, and. received by them through the knowledge of the scriptures.
The word partakers as used above,
is from a word, which means to be a partaker or a sharer in a thing. Christians
then have a fellowship of the divine nature because they partake or share in
the divine nature of God Almighty. To be more particular, one has fellowship
with the divine nature by having fellowship with the Father, the Son Jesus
Christ and the Holy Spirit, which compose the Godhead. (Cf. Acts 17: 29; Col.
2: 9.) For instance, late in his life, the apostle John said,
1 John 1:
3
That which
we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with
us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus
Christ.
The word fellowship is found
twice in this verse in connection with our relationship to the Father and his
Son Jesus Christ; it is from a word that means association, community,
communion, joint participation, and. points to the very close relationship that
should exist between the Father and Son and his spiritual children. In commenting
upon the use of the word fellowship in this verse, one Greek authority has
written,
“...of the fellowship of
Christians with God and Christ. (Which fellowship, according to John’s teaching, consists in the fact
that Christians are partakers in common of the same mind as God and Christ, and
of the blessings arising there from.)” (Thayer, p. 352.)
A Christian then has fellowship with God the
Father and his Son Jesus Christ when he is of the same mind as the Father and
the Son, and when he has partaken of the spiritual blessings, which are in
Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:3.)
This fellowship with the Father and the Son is
a conditional fellowship. It is both conditional as to entering into that state,
and it is conditional in maintaining that relationship. How, and upon what
conditions does one enter into a relationship with the Father and the Son? In
the great commission Jesus supplies the answer: “Go ye therefore, and. teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” (Matthew 28: 19.) Fellowship with
the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is contingent upon baptism and its antecedent
actions of faith, repentance and confession.
Having entered into fellowship with the divine
nature, there are certain conditions to maintain that fellowship.
“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto
you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we
have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.”
–1 John 1: 5-6
Light often figuratively stands for truth and
righteousness while darkness stands for error and unrighteousness. Since God is
truth and righteousness, one cannot be walking in error and unrighteousness and
maintain fellowship with the Father. If one avows that he is in fellowship with
the Father while at the same time walking in error and evil, he lies and speaks
not the truth; therefore, one can only maintain his fellowship with the Father
and the Son by continuing to live a life of truth and righteousness.
Our fellowship with the Father and the Son is
further maintained by abiding in the doctrine of Christ. John said,
“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He
that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both
the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this
doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he
that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil
deeds.” –2 John 9-11
One who progresses and goes beyond the doctrine
of Christ does not have God. One who does not have God is not in fellowship
with God; therefore, those today that are teaching that doctrine has nothing to
do with fellowship are absolutely wrong. If one has fellowship with a person
who is going beyond the doctrine of Christ, he has fellowship with one who is
out of fellowship with God. In contrast, a person who abides and stays within
the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son; that is, he maintains
his fellowship with the Father and the Son by continuing to abide in the
doctrine of Christ. Therefore, faithful children of God, in order to maintain
their fellowship with God, cannot partake of the evil deeds of those who go
beyond the doctrine of Christ or of those who bid such God speed.
QUESTIONS
ON THE CHAPTER
1. State and discuss the aim of this series of lessons on fellowship.
2. How many persons are involved in the fellowship of the divine nature? Name them.
3. Discuss how Christian people have fellowship with the divine nature.
4. Define and discuss the meaning of the term “fellowship” as used in 1 John 1:3.
5. How can one partake in common of the same mind as God and Christ?
6. What are the conditions of entering into fellowship with the divine nature?
7. Discuss
the conditions involved in continuing fellowship with the Father and the Son.
8. What does it mean to walk “in the light?” “In the darkness?”
9. Can one maintain fellowship with God while going beyond the doctrine of Christ?
10. Can one maintain fellowship with God while having fellowship with one who has gone beyond the doctrine of Christ? *
* Shelby G. Floyd
originally published The Right Hands of
Fellowship in The Informer,
bulletin of the Garfield Heights Church of Christ in
LESSON TEXTS
2 Peter 1:2-4
as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
NKJV
Acts
"Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising.
NKJV
Romans 1:19-20
because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
NKJV
1 John 1:3, 5, 6
that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
NKJV
2 John 9-11
Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.
NKJV
MEMORY VERSE
1 John 1:3
We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
NIV
