What a Fellowship

Today, we will examine Fellowship – what it is and why it is vital to life in the church of Jesus Christ.

Fellowship is a partnership, or a joint participation, a sharing with one another.

Fellowship involves us caring for one another – ministering to one another ---- and, by doing so, we are building up one another.

I want us to focus today on an aspect of fellowship that is essential for each of us to participate in if we are to build one another up and experience fellowship with one another.

Fellowship is a group of people who are of the same mind with one another.

1 Peter 3:8

Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; NKJV

I.             Peter says, “all of one mind” --- he means unity of mind and unity of purpose.

He means agreement in all the major details of the Christian life and the spiritual functions of the church.

What is the best way for us to be “all of one mind?”

Each individual Christian must strive to live in fellowship with the Spirit.

The more the Spirit of Christ dwells in all the members of the congregation, the nearer they will be drawn to one another, and to the Lord, who is the Head of the Body, which is the Church.

II.           Secondly, Paul reminds us of the fact that we are to be Like-minded.

This means that we, as the Body of Christ, have the same exalted opinion of Christ, and who He is --- and are in agreement that we are, as a Body, to proclaim Him as God’s Son, and as the Savior of the world.

People will say that there are many ways to God, to eternity.

But, if we are like-minded, we will agree that no one can come to know God and His saving power, except through coming to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior – as the Son of God.

John 20:30-31

Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

A vital, functioning church, then, is one that is of the same mind with one another.

One of the most vital outcomes of a vital, functioning, same-minded church is that a dynamic witness for Christ exists there.

Where there is no witness for Christ, there is a great opportunity for a dynamic witness for Satan exists – an opportunity for Satan to take a hold.

At that time, this attitude prevails: “You believe what you want to believe, and I will believe what I want to believe, and we will all make it to heaven, because, after all, we are all worshipping the same God.”

Bad theology there!

Jews worship God – the same God we worship. But---they don’t accept Jesus Christ as the Son of God.

Most people of the world are not atheists --- but they don’t accept Jesus Christ as God’s Son and as the Savior of all humanity.

On that basis --- can they be saved? Acts 4:12 answers that question for us:

“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

III.         Being of one mind is possible in the local church.

Each of us has a different personality. We each have different ways of thinking – and of processing information and facts.

But we can be drawn together as one heart and one soul.

To be of the same mind is practical among Christians.

But it is only practical when all follow the truths taught by our Lord.

When we try to change the things that God directs, or we attempt to add to Scripture truths that are not included in Scripture, we will differ and divide.

Being of one mind involves day by day – flesh and blood people – in relationship with one another – in one accord – based on the teachings of God’s Word.

IV.         The condition of like-mindedness in a local congregation is not automatic. It is like any endeavor – it takes some effort to accomplish.

Practical, visible oneness comes when every believer comes to agreement in the essentials.

Maintaining one-mindedness requires supernatural help through prayer to defeat Satan.

It requires effort to keep human factors from creating division. Satan loves it when trivial matters cause strife among Christians.

The key to one-mindedness is Christian maturity – reflecting love for one another.

Resentments, whims, whisperings, grudges, and alienations are all out of place in a company of true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.

There can be no headway made in sharing the Gospel with others if those who are trying are not of the same mind with one another.

Philippians 4:2 – Paul teaches – and he names names –

Euodia and Syntyche. Get along with each other – live in harmony.

These two women had caused some disturbance of the peace in the church. Paul pleads with them to be of the same mind in the Lord.

The Christian shows his selfishness and his disregard for God when he disturbs the body of Christ to gratify his own desires and to gain his own way.

More than “one mind” was being practiced by the Corinthians. They were saying: “I am of Paul; I am of Apollos, etc.

This is why Paul wrote this letter in the first place – there were divisions in the church.

We see those divisions today in the Church as a whole --- we are Christians.

But others identify as: Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, Presbyterians, and on and on they go.

Why are we not all identified as Christians?

Conclusions about the truth in Scripture must be based only upon what we are taught through the Scriptures.

That is why it is so vital that each of us searches the Scriptures to find the truth. In so many denominations the people are not taught to search the Scriptures, but to rely on the “clergy” to interpret it for them.

We must live in the Church of Jesus Christ in peace. Peace, preceded by purity in teaching and in conduct.

Our lives must be brought up to the standards of conduct which Jesus Christ has set for us – not those standards that today’s society has established for us.

Christians must be of the same mind with one another in the church, in the growth of the church – both spiritually and numerically – and in the purpose of the church.

Romans 15:5-6 –

“Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may, with one voice, glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

That is – that He was willing to suffer for, and to help men in sin and in ruin.

We must be of the same mind as He is – that we might suffer and help one another.

With one common voice – with one voice in agreement – we must glorify God.

Satan’s primary strategy involves destroying one-mindedness among Christians.

He knows that if he can destroy our one-mindedness, the witness of the Church to the world will become less effective.

Lost men and women will be won to him – and lost to Christ.

In closing, I want us to look again at Romans 15:6 to learn the key to glorifying Jesus Christ as Lord ---- glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ – with one voice.