Let's Forget Christian Fellowship

What do you think are foundational spiritual disciplines for a believer? Bible study? Prayer? Fellowship with other believers? Certainly these three are of prime importance. So, why the title, “Let’s Forget Christian Fellowship”? Simply, I think the term “fellowship” doesn’t properly convey the importance of this spiritual discipline. So, I’m going to replace “fellowship” with “interdependence”.

Christian Interdependence is the Most Important Discipline

Out of all three discipline, our connectedness to other believers is the most important. Some may argue for Bible study. After all, it’s God’s direct written message to us. Others may argue prayer is most important, because prayer is a direct link to God. What could be more important than God?

At times God’s word is confusing. It’s may be hard to read and understand. It’s a completely different world. The same is true of God. He’s on a completely different plane than we are. It’s easy to feel like he’s out there, disconnected, or beyond us. 

While we have a spiritual component, we live in a physical world and we most readily connect to the physical. The most immediate physical connection is with other believers. Healthy relationships to other believers will drive us to prayer and Bible study. But, the opposite isn’t always true. If we exist without other believers, prayer and Bible study will eventually slip. There will be things in the word we don’t understand and without the illumination of others, there will be a disconnect. Prayer may seem ineffectual or draining if not done with other believers. A healthy interconnectedness to other believers is most important, because it presses us towards the other disciplines. It’s the spark plug.

The Problem with Fellowship

There is nothing wrong with fellowship. It is healthy to believers. But, what do you think of with fellowship? The first thing that comes to mind is food. Certainly, I love food. I have a midsection that shows evidence of storing energy for future ministry. I also think of chatting with others and having fun. Again, nothing wrong with these.

But, to me the term “fellowship” conveys food, folks, and fun. These things are important, but they don’t really convey the interdependence believers have with other believers.

We’re a Body

Imagine for a moment that a terrible accident happened and your big toe was severed. Do you think it would do any good to put the bloody nub into your sock? Just let it have fellowship with the other toes? Obviously, you would run into some huge problems—rotting odors, infection, and the need to buy new socks. The only solution would be to immediately go to the emergency room and have the toe reattached. The toe depends on the rest of the body. And, the body depends on the toe. Without that big toe, you may quickly be given the nickname “Gimpy”.

So, with your toe, there’s a stronger connection to the body than merely fellowship. Consider 1 Corinthians 12, which talks about believers as a body. Verses 14-17 says:

For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked. That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Quite simply, a believer that is disconnected to other believers is a bloody nub. You need the body. And, the body needs you. Let’s look at a few elements of body life found in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12.

It Involves Baptism

1 Corinthians 12:13a proclaims, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body.” Baptized means immersed. Think about something that is immersed in water. That water completely surrounds. It gets into every crack and crevice.

Baptism is often viewed as a picture of God’s resurrection work in our life. We die to self, are buried, and then are resurrected into newness of life. Definitely this is true. It is a picture. We are baptized and that baptism is moving out of something—out of an old life and into a new life. And, what we are seeing in the physical is meant to be a picture of the spiritual.

But, baptism is more than a picture of us coming out of something—out of that old life. It’s also a picture of us coming into something—of joining a body of believers. It’s a union of all believers of all time with God. With this part of baptism, it’s not dip and done. We never come out of those waters. At least we’re not supposed to. Some believers do. They disconnect, but in so doing they put themselves in jeopardy. They become a severed nub, which needs reconnected in order to survive and thrive.

Many Bodies Become One Sacrifice

Romans 12 looks into our functioning as part of a body. What I want to focus in on are the first two verses. These verses help show the umbrella principles that illuminate body functioning. Verse one says, “I beseech you (plural) therefore, brethren (plural), by the mercies of God, that ye present your (plural) bodies (plural) a living sacrifice (singular), holy, acceptable unto God, which is your (plural) reasonable service.” I’ve pointed out in the passage distinctions between singular and plural.

It’s time to get a little grammar nerdy with the passage. I’m a writer and a bit of a nerd. In our modern day English, when we use the word “you” it can refer to singular or plural. In Greek, there is a clear distinction between the second person singular (you—in reference to one person I’m addressing) and the second person plural (you—in reference to a group of people, which is sometimes “all y’all” in the South).

Often, when people use this passage, they talk about an individual becoming a living sacrifice. But, the passage isn’t talking about an individual becoming a sacrifice. It’s talking about all y’all’s bodies becoming one sacrifice. It’s many people, many bodies, becoming a singular. We can’t become the sacrifice God wants as an individual. It’s a corporate thing.

It’s also important to note that we become a living sacrifice. In the Old Testament, the animal sacrifices died on the altar. But, not so with us. We are meant to be alive—vibrant, useful, and energetic. It is impossible if we are a disjointed individual singular sacrifice.

In 1 Corinthians Paul addresses sexual sins that have infested the group of believers. He declares they should take that member and remove him from the body. In 1 Corinthians 5:5 Paul gives the reasoning, “To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” If you study the book, you’ll find the ultimate purpose is hopefully restoration of the person, but Paul is saying to get rid of the person and let Satan deal with him. A believer detached from the body is fair game to Satanic attacks. It’s quite a dangerous position.

Let’s consider for a moment 1 Peter 5:5-9:

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Notice in this passage that the devil seeks to do harm to believers. So, we need to be in mutual submission to other believers. We need to fight the devil not as an individual, but as a body. We don’t like submission, do we?

I recently had a friend contact me about a post I had on social media. He didn’t feel it was proper for a believer to have made this post. Honestly, I’m not sure I agree with him, but he was concerned about it. So, I took the post down. I submitted to another believer, because I truly believe he had my best interest at heart. Maybe he sees or understands something I don’t see. Now, what would be the American way to handle such an issue? In our individualistic society, we would put forth our rights. We wouldn’t listen to a fellow believer. That attitude would not be wise. If someone shows a genuine concern for me and confronts me about something, I need to be humble enough to listen. And, I’ll be truthful. I was tempted to dismiss him, but I had to honestly admit to myself he had a point.

Many Share One Mind

Let’s get back to our passage in Romans 12. The second verse says, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye (plural) transformed by the renewing of your (plural) mind (singular), that ye (plural) may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Again, we have an all y’all becoming a singular. All y’all are supposed to share one mind. Obviously, that is supposed to be the mind of Christ. If everyone is just mindlessly following a man that’s a cult.

When we deal with believers, there’s going to be some disagreement. We will at times need to confront others, talk things through, and work through issues. This passage isn’t talking about being mindless. It’s talking about us putting our worldly attitudes and thinking to the side and coming together to function in unity. I put my social media post in the trash in deference to another believer. We will both be stronger because of that action. And, it may benefit me in ways I don’t fully comprehend.

But, why do we need to work together for unity of thought? Look at the little phrase, “that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” In order to figure out God’s will, I need to be connected to other believers. I need others to serve as a crucible to how I should be living. And, I need their help in making the best decisions in my life. There is wisdom is council. If you don’t believe me, read the book of Proverbs.

Conclusions

We should certainly fellowship with other believers. Food, folks, and fun is a joyous part of the Christian life. But, we need to extend beyond that and be interdependent with other believers. A strong connection to other believers allows us to be alive and vibrant. It helps to protect us from the attacks of the adversary. It also helps us to figure out God’s will. Without a proper interdependence on other believers, we become a severed nub. And, that’s one sock I don’t want to clean up.