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 Brethren
get disturbed over talk about “disfellowshipping” folk. This
usually amounts to nothing more than marking some names off the
directory. I doubt a church can “withdraw fellowship” — at
least from some of these brethren. Let me explain.
Fellowship
(koinonia) is joint participation, partnership, partaking. (See
Thayer or Vine) Thus, “withdrawing fellowship” would be
dissolving the partnership and terminating the participation
together.
Fellowship
with God (church universal 1 Jno. 1:1-7) is through obedience
— “walking in the light.” When a man does as God directs,
he is in fellowship; when he rebels, God severs relationship
with him (Jno. 15: 1-6). Some “brethren” couldn’t care
less what God says. Withdraw this fellowship from such people?
They have already broken fellowship with God.
Nevertheless remember, God never charged men with keeping his
roll book. He adds (Acts 2:47); he blots out (Ex. 32:33).
Doubtless, God has already pruned the trees of such rotten and
fruitless branches!
The
local church is a fellowship in things saints do together. The
Lord’s supper is fellowship (communion koinonia, 1 Cor. 10:16)
with the body and blood of Jesus, and it is observed together
with other Christians. Some never participate with other saints
in this memorial. Praying together is fellowship, but these folk
add no amen. Neither do they mingle their voices with other
saints in singing praise and thanksgiving — yet singing
together is fellowship. Class study,
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sharing the
fruit of our research, admonishing and correcting each other is
fellowship but many go fishing instead. Pooling our money to
provide for the work of the congregation is fellowship, but
their mite is not in the treasury. These “brethren” do not
attend, hence, they are not in this fellowship!
The
congregational fellowship is also the daily partnership of
saints in things of the kingdom. It is a man working together
with a preacher to convert a sinner (Gal. 6:6 — communicate
koinoneo). It is ministering to the sick, comforting the
distressed, supporting the weak, and supplying the needs of the
destitute. It is weeping with those that weep and rejoicing with
those that rejoice (Rom. 12:15). It is hands joined in the work
of God but many brethren never “soil their hands” in such
activities. Withdraw fellowship? How? There is no fellowship to
withdraw! Anyway, where in the Bible did we read about “withdrawing
fellowship”?
I
am not opposed to scriptural discipline; God demands it.
See Matt. 18: 15-17; Rom. 16:17; 1 Cor. 5:1-13; 1 Thes. 5:14; 2
Thes. 3: 6-15; 1 Tim. 6: 3-5; 2 Jno. 9-11. Plainer
commands can not be found, and we can do what they require —
”warn them” “mark them” “avoid them” “with such...
not to eat” “reject” “withdraw yourselves”. Yet all
this is NOT in order to disfellowship. But because man
through sin has already broken fellowship with God and his
saints. Such drastic measures are the last efforts aimed at restoring
fellowship — gaining a brother (Matt.
18:15). Joe Fitch.
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