FELLOWSHIP
Christians frequently speak of fellowship in the church, but few, including pastors and leaders, actually understand the purpose of Christian fellowship. Fellowship is a collective term for social interaction that gathers like-minded people together to pursue a common interest. It is the thrust of the socialization that merits the main purpose. We go to Hebrews 10:23-25. "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."
There is another section of scripture in Matt. 18:20, where Christ deals with the gathering together. "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them." Christ was making it clear that the importance of gathering together was for His purpose, understanding His directions. The number of people could be small, such as a single family. The really major ingredient of the people gathered was they needed to be saved, and applying His word. Some Christians equate a person's standing as a Christian with church attendance. Pastors stress the importance of church attendance for two reasons. If he is truly called to serve Christ, he needs to teach the word, not be a social director. If he is concerned with the money he is making and social popularity, he is not called. I realize I've probably lost some readers now, and I can hear the protests. "We have to make a living, too!" My answer is to agree, but if you're teaching faith as Christ did, you need to rely on God to provide if your congregation can't or doesn't.
One woman challenged a Christian, saying he couldn't be a real Christian if he didn't attend church. Obviously the woman doesn't know or understand scripture, or she'd be familiar with Matt. 18:20. Many Christians fail to understand the difference between a social organization and a working organization. The church is not just a building with a group of people. The church is a gathering of saved people. Most church buildings house many unsaved people; most of them don't realize they actually are not Christians. They may follow the traditional manner of the denomination's practice of service, but they are simply members of a social gathering. To put it in simple language, if you go to a garage, you are not a car or truck. You go there to receive professional knowledge and to get your vehicle in operating order. If you go to church, you should be learning God's word so you can actually behave like a Christian.
The purpose of Christian fellowship is explained well in Hebrews 10:23-25. One of the purposes is to consider one another to stir up love and good works. Praying together is an act of faith, believing in Christ's promise, the rapture and eternal life. Then we come to the word "exhorting" one another. This requires the pastor or the leader where two or three (or four or five) are gathered together to study and interpret scripture. The understanding of just the four gospels is the basis for all Christianity. When you hear the claim by so many prominent politicians and leaders that they have faith, it certainly can't be Christian faith. How can pastors and professing Christians accept these apostate people? We are warned about this in several of the Epistles. People refuse to believe the truth because they have unChristian personal agendas or they don't understand scripture.
We are told we attend church for the purpose of worship and praise. This is true, but this is not the main purpose. That purpose is to learn the word of God. Christ gave us directions in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. We need to understand His teaching in these four books before we delve into the Old Testament, the Acts, or Apostles. Without knowing the four gospels, it is difficult to understand the reasons for Acts and Epistles. The Old Testament gives us some background and understanding of God's judgement and punishment. Christ will be the eventual judge, but God does step in occasionally to take corrective action.
It is unfortunate that church leadership is frequently based on the wrong qualifications. Carnal church leaders and congregation members sometimes choose or elect leaders---including pastors, elders, and others, on the basis of secular education or profession. The criteria for leadership should be spiritual knowledge. In one church, the pastor opposed gay people so openly that some gay members left the congregation. Where else will they learn the word of God? Would Christ turn them away? In another church, some members of the congregation turned away a man with a prison record. Did Christ discriminate against anyone on any basis unless they rejected the word of God? He did not teach violence or any type of force. He taught truth as the Light of the World, and told us the
truth would set us free. Do you research the subjects presented to you, or do you accept an opinion?
One unbeliever told me he wouldn't vote for a woman because she
would require all men to be clean shaven. Many pastors and church members of some denominations refuse to place women in leadership
positions. This is true even though the woman is well educated and
professional. Women were very instrumental in the Old Testament, and
in helping to found the Christian churches. Many men still refuse to accept women in leadership positions, and are surprised when you show them the scripture recounting their works. There are way too many men who still go back to Adam and Eve, and use a few passages from Genesis, without accepting Ephesians 5:28. "So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself."
Our churches today are full of people with little knowledge or understanding of scripture. They don't study the bible, and prefer to watch video or rely on the pastor's message. Pastors know their attention span is very short, so there isn't that strong a message. It's give the congregation what they want. Many denominational leaders get hung up in their own rules and procedures. In one denomination, they teach church must be held on the Jewish Sabbath, Saturday. In another, church must be on Sunday. They seem to favor their personal interpretation over scripture. Mark 2:27 tells us in the words of Jesus, "And He said unto them, 'The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath. This clearly points out worship is not designated for a particular day of the week. Christ taught on Saturdays and Sundays. So did the disciples. If a priest or pastor teaches on the wrong day, is he sinning? There is no wrong day, as long as a day of rest and worship is observed in every week.
It cannot be stressed strongly enough that the main purpose of church attendance is to learn the word. If the word is known, good works will follow. Good works don't earn salvation, but are the evidence of salvation. Christianity today is suffering from self righteousness. These are church members who think they are more Christian than others, saved or unsaved. Many strict church members mistakenly equate salvation with conservatism. They are nowhere near the same. Christ taught compassion as you can see in the parable of the Good Samaritan. This is a lesson on sharing, which was originally taught by the disciples in Acts. Greed has enabled some church leaders and politicians to deliberately mislead church members by incorrectly defining the meaning of socialism. It does not mean everyone shares everything. It does not mean lazy people live the same lifestyle. It means compassion.
American leaders enacted a noble method of man's government when they adopted our Constitution. That was 240 years ago. Now some leaders want to change it. It took 75 years and a war to provide equality and freedom the document promised. It took 150 years to finally give women the vote, and 200 years to provide part of the civil rights promised in the Constitution. We are now nearing the 250 year mark. That just happens to be the average length of historic national domination by countries or cultures of the world. Our denominational church rules follow a pattern just like the government. When we don't want to follow something we disagree with, we change it. Church people, as well as Gentiles, are working to alter scripture to suit their personal agendas. Political leaders refuse to follow the constitution or want to change it.
You should know what happens when this takes place. Everything
crumbles and falls apart. When you review the previous paragraph, you
can see Americans have a poor record. Instead of being a Christian nation, we are a bigoted nation. Money controls our government and drives the tepid mega churches. Morality has fallen, and that includes within the church. Many churches have fallen for the get rich schemes
offered by slick con artists. Corporate headquarters are leaving the country. Jobs have been outsourced, manufacturing has gone to foreign
countries, wealthy people are stashing their money in off shore banks or "private" banks. We continue to rape the land, pollute the water, and practice discrimination of race, religion and nationality. In some instances, we do it in the Name of Christianity.
This is a pretty bleak picture, but it is reality. We can't continue to rely on misinformation, greed and hatred. The church and saved people have done little to rein in the growing destruction of our society. Lack of scripture knowledge--which is actually history--combined with false witness and greed will take its toll. The nation's idea of fellowship is a
social gathering. Fellowship should be the opportunity to provide learning and knowledge. You have fellowship in school, lodges, and other organizations. Each has a purpose, and follows guidelines and requires some knowledge. There is always a main purpose. Christians' main purpose is to learn the word. If you know the word, the other purposes will naturally fall into place. There is no shortcut.
Rev. Walbear
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