THE “IS” AND “IS NOT” OF FELLOWSHIP
by Dallas Burdette

We must distinguish between certain terms used by the Holy Spirit to communicate the thoughts of God to man. In not doing this we have brought about chaos in the ecclesia of God. One such distinction is between unity and fellowship. Fellowship is the result of unity, for we cannot have fellowship unless we are in the unity for which Jesus prayed in Jn. 17. I will say more about this in a few minutes.

We must distinguish between unity and conformity. Carl Ketcherside has expressed it this way: “We have sought to base a superstructure of religion upon attainment to knowledge and wisdom. We have predicated the idea that unity is based upon conformity. But conformity in the absolute demands equal ability of perception, simultaneous arrival at perfection in knowledge, and universality of wisdom. If we begin retrenchment from plenary conformity we surrender the whole system and acknowledge that it is fallacious. For if conformity must not be absolute, then who is to determine in how many things leniency may be shown, and which things fall in each category. The one who attempted such legislation would usurp the room of God.”

We must also distinguish between fellowship and agreement. Fellowship does not come as a result of our agreement upon matters of opinion and interpretation, but our ability to reach agreement upon these things may come as a result of our fellowship. We are not one in opinion; we are one in Christ. It is not our study, acquisition of knowledge, learning of the law, or ability as teachers or expounders which make us children of God. We become children by procreation not education.

Next, we need to distinguish between gospel and doctrine, a distinction drawn by the writers of the New Covenant Scriptures. There is as much difference between the gospel of Christ and the apostolic doctrine as there is between the sperm from which a child is begotten and the food which he eats after he is born. Paul knew the difference between the seed from which life came and the daily bread upon which the children fed. He knew the difference between gospel and doctrine, and between faith and knowledge. He knew that the gospel brought us into being while the doctrine was essential to our growth and well being, and he did not make a test of fellowship out of spiritual digestion. Those who confuse chastisement of a child with begettal and cannot distinguish between correction and conception are in a sad predicament.

We must distinguish between fellowship and endorsement, which is one of our major “hang ups” in the brotherhood today. We are under the impression that to have fellowship with one another is to endorse whatever each person believes, which cannot be true. We are in fellowship with God, but who is so foolish as to believe that God endorses everything we do or believe. In Paul’s letter to the Romans he said, “Welcome the man who is weak in the faith, but do not begin by introducing him to discussions about debatable matters.” (14:1, Barclay). “So, warmly welcome each other into the church, just as Christ has warmly welcomed you.” (15:7, Paraphrased). But someone may ask, “Are we in fellowship with error?” No, we are in fellowship with fellows. The question is often asked, “Are you in fellowship with brothers in error?” My answer is yes, because this is the only kind of brothers that I know about. All truth is true, but not all truth is essential to our salvation; all error is error, but not all error will condemn one’s soul. Absolute freedom from error is not a condition of salvation for all men would be damned. We are saved not by attainment to a certain degree of knowledge, but by faith in Christ Jesus. All truth is essential to our well-being, but some truth is essential to our being. Let us consider our physical body for an analogy. All the members of our body are for our well-being, but if we lost a leg, arm, or finger, we would be only handicapped or incapacitated. But if we lost our head, we would be dead. The same analogy may be applied to Jesus. We may be wrong about some doctrinal points and still be saved, but if we are wrong about Jesus, we will be lost.

In the New Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Stauffer said, “En Christoi” (in Christ) implies the unity of the people of God … This unity of the church does not imply uniformity. It is organic unity.” When we speak of keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, we are not speaking of having fellowship with those not in this unity. Those that are not in the unity for which Jesus prayed are not in Christ. Therefore, we cannot have fellowship with them. The following could not be in fellowship: atheists, infidels, those who deny the messiahship of Jesus, those who do not accept the Scriptures, those who say: I’m going to do my own thing.” These cannot be in the fellowship, because they are not in the unity for which Jesus prayed. Paul said to the Ephesians, “Spare no effort to make fast with bonds of peace the unity which the Spirit gives.” —The New English Bible. He says that we should “spare no effort.” To what end? Not to produce a unity, not to create a unity, not to try to arrive at a unity, but to “keep the unity.” The unity is already in existence. It is unity of all those who have believed the message expounded in chapters 1-3 of Ephesians.

Jesus prayed, “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are” (Jn. 17:11). The unity that Jesus speaks of is the unity of those who, in contradistinction to all others, have believed the truth concerning Him and His work. In God’s plan there is but one fact which must be performed, to bring one into that glorious fellowship of the redeemed. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians he said, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” (1 Cor. 12:13).

Jesus mentions the nature of this unity: “that they may be one, as we are.” In verses 20-23 of the same chapter of John our Lord elaborates on this subject further: “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be one, even as we are: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.”

We notice at once that the essential character of the unity about which our Lord is speaking is that it is comparable to the unity that exists between the Father and the Son. It is also comparable to the unity between the Son and the people for whom He is praying. It is the highest mystery of the Christian faith. This unity for which Jesus prayed is not external organizational unity. This unity is the unity of persons. It is a fellowship of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit with all of us who believe.

This means that the unity in the ecclesia of God involves this fellowship of being. When we are born again, born of the Spirit, or become partakers of the divine nature, we all share in this unity for which Jesus prayed. And so He calls us into the fellowship.

There can be no unity at all in our Lord’s sense apart from the operation of the Holy Spirit who creates within the believer this new nature. Paul said, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13).

This unity is not a matter of friendship. It is deeper than that. It is like a family relationship. You are born into a family. You may disagree with members of your family, but you cannot get rid of the relationship. —2428 Elsmeade Dr., Montgomery, Al. 36111