1 Church Fellowship By Professor John F. Brug. 2 Church Fellowship The Practice of Fellowship I Guidelines and Basic Applications.

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Church FellowshipChurch Fellowship

By Professor John F. BrugBy Professor John F. Brug

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Church FellowshipChurch Fellowship

The Practice of Fellowship IThe Practice of Fellowship I

Guidelines and Basic Guidelines and Basic ApplicationsApplications

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GoalsGoals

1.1. Briefly Briefly review the principlesreview the principles of of church fellowship.church fellowship.

2.2. Study Study guidelines for applyingguidelines for applying church fellowship principles in church fellowship principles in an evangelical way.an evangelical way.

3.3. Examine some Examine some basic basic applicationsapplications of church fellowship of church fellowship principles.principles.

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Opening PrayerOpening Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for teaching us Thank you, Lord, for teaching us the principles of church fellowship the principles of church fellowship from your Word. Thanks also for from your Word. Thanks also for faithful confessors who practiced faithful confessors who practiced these principles throughout these principles throughout history. Grant us wisdom and history. Grant us wisdom and love to apply your Word-principles love to apply your Word-principles to our lives as individuals and as a to our lives as individuals and as a church. Amen.church. Amen.

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Review of church Review of church fellowship principlesfellowship principles What do we mean by What do we mean by

church fellowship?church fellowship?

Every activity in Every activity in which Christians which Christians give expression to give expression to a common faith a common faith and confession.and confession.

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Review of church Review of church fellowship principlesfellowship principles

How do we decide with whom we How do we decide with whom we may practice church fellowship?may practice church fellowship?

Compare confession with all Compare confession with all Scripture teachings .Scripture teachings .

Agreement Agreement practice. practice.No agreement No agreement no fellowship no fellowship with individual or group.with individual or group.

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Review of church Review of church fellowship principlesfellowship principles

In what two ways must church In what two ways must church fellowship be seen as a unit?fellowship be seen as a unit?

1.1.Churches, individuals must agree Churches, individuals must agree in in all doctrinesall doctrines of Scripture to of Scripture to practice church fellowship.practice church fellowship.

2.2.Complete agreement in doctrine Complete agreement in doctrine is required for is required for all expressionsall expressions of of church fellowship.church fellowship.

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Guidelines for applying Guidelines for applying church fellowship church fellowship principlesprinciples Why study Scriptural principles Why study Scriptural principles

before discussing situations?before discussing situations?– Practices need to be Word-based, Practices need to be Word-based,

not emotional, or societal.not emotional, or societal.– A clear understanding of general A clear understanding of general

principles and goals is needed to principles and goals is needed to evaluate specific cases.evaluate specific cases.

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Guidelines for applying Guidelines for applying church fellowship church fellowship principlesprinciples Why not rely on church rules, Why not rely on church rules,

common practices or precedents?common practices or precedents?– Circumstances, situations change.Circumstances, situations change.– Impression given by some Impression given by some

practices may change.practices may change.– We do not want to put human We do not want to put human

judgment above God’s principles.judgment above God’s principles.

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Guidelines for applying Guidelines for applying church fellowship church fellowship principlesprinciples What is a case of casuistry? What is a case of casuistry?

– Two equally valid principles Two equally valid principles may apply.may apply.

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Guidelines for applying Guidelines for applying church fellowship church fellowship principlesprinciples Why must we be careful in Why must we be careful in

judging cases of casuistry?judging cases of casuistry?– Sanctified human judgment is Sanctified human judgment is

needed for each situation.needed for each situation.– We should be careful about We should be careful about

condemning others who condemning others who reach a difference conclusion.reach a difference conclusion.

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Guidelines for applying Guidelines for applying church fellowship church fellowship principlesprinciples How do we face a difficult case?How do we face a difficult case?

– Study the principles and pray.Study the principles and pray.– Seek the advice of wise and Seek the advice of wise and

respected fellow Christians.respected fellow Christians.– Explain our actions.Explain our actions.– Don’t let exceptions determine Don’t let exceptions determine

practice or undermine principles.practice or undermine principles.

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What two responsibilities What two responsibilities do we need to keep in do we need to keep in balance?balance?

1.1. Patient Patient admonition admonition of the weakof the weak

2.2. Prompt Prompt separation separation from from persistent persistent erroristserrorists

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What attitudes are What attitudes are needed for this dual needed for this dual responsibility?responsibility?

– Patience with the weakPatience with the weak– Humility re. own weaknessesHumility re. own weaknesses– A loving, evangelical spiritA loving, evangelical spirit

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What attitudes are What attitudes are needed for this dual needed for this dual responsibility?responsibility? Openness Openness

about our about our effortsefforts

Willing Willing action: action: prompt, prompt, firmfirm

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More attitudes More attitudes needed:needed: Spirit of Spirit of

prayer for prayer for courage and courage and decisiveness. decisiveness.

Ezekiel 2:3-Ezekiel 2:3-7; 3:3-97; 3:3-9

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More attitudes More attitudes needed:needed: Indignation against Word- Indignation against Word-

twisters and false twisters and false teachers.teachers.

Psalm 119:129-144Psalm 119:129-144

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Comfort and Comfort and AssuranceAssurance

It’s God’s doctrine, not It’s God’s doctrine, not ours.ours.

““Hallowed by Thy name.”Hallowed by Thy name.” We thankfully obey the We thankfully obey the

Second Commandment.Second Commandment.

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Basic ApplicationsBasic Applications

What is wrong with terms like “altar What is wrong with terms like “altar fellowship” and “pulpit fellowship”?fellowship” and “pulpit fellowship”?– ““Altar fellowship” – Christians Altar fellowship” – Christians

worshiping, communing togetherworshiping, communing together– ““Pulpit…” – exchanging pastorsPulpit…” – exchanging pastors

Such terms may be used to divide Such terms may be used to divide the the unit conceptunit concept of “fellowship.” of “fellowship.”

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Why is giving money Why is giving money expressing church expressing church fellowship?fellowship? Scripture positively says so : Scripture positively says so :

Philippians 1:5; 4:15Philippians 1:5; 4:15

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But giving money to false But giving money to false teachers?teachers?

Sharing in “wicked work”: Sharing in “wicked work”: – 2 John 112 John 11

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Basic ApplicationsBasic Applications

Why not work together on Why not work together on doctrinal projects doctrinal projects (e.g., (e.g., videos, videos, Bible studies)Bible studies) with heterodox with heterodox churches?churches?– Writers who disagree on Writers who disagree on

doctrine cannot produce clear doctrine cannot produce clear materials on Scripture.materials on Scripture.

– Compromise causes confusion.Compromise causes confusion.

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Basic ApplicationsBasic Applications

What is one exception to this?What is one exception to this?– Doctrinal meetings with Doctrinal meetings with

false teachers when we are false teachers when we are trying to resolve differences trying to resolve differences with Scripture.with Scripture.

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Basic ApplicationsBasic Applications

Why can’t we agree to divide Why can’t we agree to divide mission fields with false mission fields with false teachers?teachers?– This would endanger new This would endanger new

Christians by exposing them Christians by exposing them to false teaching. to false teaching.

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Why not send greetings and Why not send greetings and congratulations to false, congratulations to false, i.e., heterodox churches?i.e., heterodox churches?

– accomplices in erroraccomplices in error– wrong impression as if error okaywrong impression as if error okay– congratulate doing wrong?congratulate doing wrong?

When may we attend their When may we attend their meetings? meetings? – to observe, testify against errorto observe, testify against error

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Joint Christian charity Joint Christian charity outside our fellowship?outside our fellowship?

Christian charity is an act Christian charity is an act of praising God by of praising God by expressing our Christian expressing our Christian love.love.

2 Corinthians 9:12f2 Corinthians 9:12f

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Why does joint prayer Why does joint prayer always require agreement always require agreement in doctrine?in doctrine? Prayer is always worship.Prayer is always worship. Worship requires doctrinal Worship requires doctrinal

agreement.agreement.

Romans 16:17Romans 16:17““Keep away from” false Keep away from” false teachers cannot mean teachers cannot mean “pray with them.”“pray with them.”

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What is the difference What is the difference between prayer between prayer for for someone and prayer someone and prayer with with someone?someone? 1 Timothy 2:1f1 Timothy 2:1f

– We should pray We should pray for for everyone in everyone in and out of our fellowship.and out of our fellowship.

– To join in prayer To join in prayer withwith someone, someone, however, is to express however, is to express agreement, i.e. fellowship.agreement, i.e. fellowship.

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SummarySummary

We reviewed guidelines for We reviewed guidelines for applying scriptural principles of applying scriptural principles of church fellowship. church fellowship.

We studied some applications We studied some applications – easily decided by NT easily decided by NT

principles principles – with close NT parallel with close NT parallel

applicationsapplications

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Closing PrayerClosing Prayer

Lord of the Church, graciously Lord of the Church, graciously grant us the knowledge and grant us the knowledge and wisdom to understand the wisdom to understand the principles of church fellowship, principles of church fellowship, the love and patience to apply the love and patience to apply them evangelically, and the them evangelically, and the courage to apply them firmly courage to apply them firmly and without compromise. and without compromise. Amen.Amen.