THE RIGHT HANDS
OF
FELLOWSHIP
BY
Shelby G.
Floyd
April, 2008
PART
FELLOWSHIP WITH THE DIVINE NATURE
LESSON TWO
FELLOWSHIP WITH
CHRIST
Many persons do not have an accurate understanding of what is involved in fellowship with God and with one another. About the only idea that some have concerning fellowship is a sign over a door in some church building which says, “Fellowship Room.” This lesson is designed to enlighten our understanding concerning our fellowship with Jesus Christ the Son of God.
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.
KJV
That which John declared to his readers was the gospel or doctrine of Christ. John declared these things in order that the people might understand what was involved in fellowship with the Father and the Son. In having fellowship with the Father and the Son, they would truly have fellowship with the apostles and one another.
The term fellowship, in the above scripture, is from koinonia--koinonia, and is defined as association, community, communion and joint participation (Thayer, p. 352). This definition reveals the intimate association that the child of God has in Christ Jesus. We have this relationship with Christ when he dwells in our hearts by faith (Colossians 1:27). To the Ephesians, Paul expressed this wonderful fellowship with Christ:
Ephesians
3: 17-19
That
Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in
love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and
length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
KJV
Since Christ dwells in us by faith, there can be no fellowship with him apart from believing and obeying the truth. All who are in fellowship with the Son of God are called into that fellowship. In the first letter to the Corinthians, Paul said, “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1: 9). God calls us into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ, but how does God do this? God does not call us by a direct and immediate call, but indirectly by the medium of the gospel: “Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 2: l4.) It is by the gospel that we partake of the dignity and blessings of Christ. No one should be ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the medium through which we are called into fellowship with Jesus Christ, and it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who will believe and obey it (Romans 1:16-17; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
One is also called by the gospel into the one body of Christ, which is his church: “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful” (Colossians 3: 15). No one has fellowship with Jesus Christ who is not in the body of Christ, the church; therefore, fellowship with Christ involves being a member of the church of Christ (Cf. Ephesians 1:22-23.) All who are outside of that spiritual body are outside of the fellowship of Jesus Christ, and everyone who enters the church does so by being baptized into Christ (Galatians 3: 26-27) and into his spiritual body (1 Corinthians 12:12-13).
There can be no unity of fellowship unless there is unity of doctrine and speech. Since the Corinthians had been called by the gospel into the fellowship of Jesus Christ, it was wrong for them to be divided, and Paul rebuked them severely for creating factions in the church (Cf. 1 Corinthians 1:10-16.) It is not enough to enter into fellowship with Christ; one must maintain that fellowship by faithful adherence to the doctrine of Christ. In the Hebrews letter we read, “For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end” (Hebrews 3: l4).
The word partakers is a translation
of the word metochos--metochos, and means to
share in, partake of, and is used in this passage with the genitive of the
thing in which one partakes of or shares in, which is Jesus Christ. We are
partakers of, or share in Christ, when we partake of his spiritual blessings
and the salvation procured by him (Cf. Thayer, p. 407). Many of the early
Christians were tempted to fall away from Christ and go back either to the
world or to a system of religion that could not save them. They had been made
partakers of Christ, but that partaking of Christ would continue only if they
held fast to the very end of life. In other words, they could not be partakers
of Christ if they were unfaithful in living the Christian life. Unto the angel
of the church in Smyrna, Christ said, “...Be thou faithful unto death, and I
will give thee a crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). And to the angel of the church in
Philadelphia, Jesus said, “...hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take
thy crown” (Revelation 3:11).
Our continued fellowship with Christ then is predicated upon our continued faithfulness to Christ. Some of the persons in the letter to the Hebrews were in danger of losing their fellowship with Christ: “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” (Hebrews 3: 12-13.) They could not continue to be partakers with Christ if they were hardened through the deceitfulness of sin and departed from the living God because of unbelief.
Fellowship with Christ can only be maintained by abiding in the doctrine of Christ. If one goes beyond what is written or endorses those who do, one severs his fellowship with Christ and becomes a partaker of evil. (Cf. 2 John 9-11; 1 Corinthians 4: 6.) One cannot be in fellowship with Christ while preaching doctrines and practicing deeds, which Christ hates. (Cf. Revelation 2: 6, 15.)
QUESTIONS ON THE LESSON
1. How could John’s readers have fellowship with the apostles and with the Father and the Son?
2. By what medium does Christ dwell in the heart of the Christian?
3. Can there be any fellowship with Christ apart from faith? Discuss.
4. Since we are called into fellowship with Christ, discuss how this is done.
5. Can there be any fellowship with Christ outside of his spiritual body, the church?
6. What part does unity of speech and doctrine play in fellowship with Christ?
7. Define and discuss the terms “fellowship” and “partaker?’ as used in this lesson.
8. Tell what is involved in maintaining fellowship with Christ.
9. Can one be a partaker with Christ and fall away from the faith?
10. What did the angels of the churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia say concerning the crown of life?
11. How can the deceitfulness of sin cause us to lose our fellowship with Christ?
12. Can fellowship with Christ be continued by one who goes beyond the doctrine of Christ or by one who endorses those who go 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 Indianapolis, Indiana, September 23,
1973—March 17, 1974. The lessons are now presented in a thirteen week class
format with questions for discussion.
Copyright © 2008
LESSON TEXTS
1 John 1:2-4
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.
NKJV
Eph 3:17-19
that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in
love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and
height--to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all
the fullness of God.
NKJV
1 Cor 1:9
God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
NKJV
2 Thess 2:13
He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
NIV
Col 3:15
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and
be thankful.
NKJV
1 Cor 1:10-16
Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the
same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in
the same mind and in the same judgment. For it has been declared to me concerning you, my
brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this,
that each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of
Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of
Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, lest anyone should
say that I had baptized in my own name. Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas.
Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other.
NKJV
Heb 3:14
We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.
NIV
Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in
prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of
death, and I will give you the crown of life.
NIV
Heb 3:12-13
Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the
living God; 13but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be
hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
NKJV
2 John 8-11
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. 10If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.
NKJV
MEMORY VERSE
Rev 3:10-12
Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.
NKJV
