Fellowship
or Friendship?
Over and over the question
comes to us of fellowship (koinonia, Gemeinschaft) in
Christ. With whom shall we find our fellowship? With whom
dare we not have fellowship lest we become unequally yoked?
Paul and the first Christians already faced this question -
and answered it (2 Corinthians 14-18, Romans 16:17-19, 2
John 7-11, etc.). But the question comes to us from more
and more angles today.
Lavern, writing from a small church community in Poland
puts it into perspective:
We have certainly
learned what it means to struggle together as a team . . .
and are seriously interested in drawing together a body of
believers who live in commitment to the Lord and each
other. We have talked about the need in evangelical
churches around us for more accountability and brotherhood.
There are Bible study groups and small churches here and
there, but most of them don't have much of a sense of
commitment to the long haul. And it's certainly not only us
Anabaptists who have problems of pettiness and
narrow-mindedness! Many of these small groups have some
kind of doctrine or application they like to emphasize.
One question we are facing now that I would really
appreciate your insight on relates to our relationship with
some evangelicals here in our town. Sebastian and Dorota, a
Polish couple, arrived here in Minsk the same month we did,
also as missionaries. They put us to shame with their
earnest desire to see people brought to Christ. They take
prayer and fasting very seriously. While we really
appreciate their obvious dedication to spreading the simple
message of salvation, we don't understand their lack of
application of some principles like modest dress, covering
for women, and a simple, godly lifestyle.
The issue before us now is that Sebastian and Dorota are
planning to show the Jesus film at the town cinema, and
they want us to help. They'd like help in passing out
leaflets to every household in town (37,000 people)
announcing the film, and also to be at the cinema to help
organize things. We're finding it hard to decide what we
should do in this situation. I can see the value of getting
out the message, but we're not comfortable being identified
with this method that seems to endorse the entertainment
world, even if it is for a good purpose like evangelism. I
am interested in your and anyone else's frank opinion on
this issue, and I would value your input.
* * * * * *
At one time or another every one of us, no doubt, has felt
what Lavern describes: "With what, with whom, should we
identify ourselves?" Certainly we do not want to be
self-righteous, stand-offish Pharisees. At the same time we
cannot call everything okay. What did Jesus do in such
circumstances?
Curiously enough, we handled the issue in our open Bible
Study tonight. We had visitors from South Dakota,
Wisconsin, Canada, and other places over the weekend and
the same question comes up time after time.
Our simple conclusion was that we must identify with Jesus
Christ - the "real Jesus" of the Sermon on the Mount, of
Luke's gospel, and the man that now stands between us and
God - at all times. Then much of the rest falls into place.
If we stick to Jesus anything and everyone "on a different
wavelength" will probably not even want us involved and
save us the problem of making these tough decisions.
At the same time, we recognise different levels of
fellowship. Christ made friends with sincere men and women
everywhere (even with unwanted people and those with bad
reputations). We might call this the first degree of
fellowship.
Then there were people that professed to be followers of
Christ, although they did not belong to his immediate
circle (others casting out demons, for instance, in his
name). Jesus accepted these for what they were. We might
call this the second degree of fellowship.
And finally, Jesus and his disciples shared their daily
lives. With these he ate the last supper, broke bread and
drank wine together. This is the third, or highest degree
of fellowship on earth.
Even though we at Elmendorf have our order, rules, and
fellowship, we make no secret of the fact that we consider
it local. We will not condemn you, or "disfellowship" you
for not belonging to us. We want you to belong to Christ
and work things out locally as well. Then, to the degree
that we find ourselves "birds of a feather" we will flock
together.
We believe fellowship in Christ is a gift that comes to us
from heaven - never something we can bring about by
coercive argument. Christ wants us to speak the truth in
love, like he did.
* * * * *
Many of us, no doubt, use the term "fellowship" too loosely
- in ways the Apostle John would not have used it (see 1
John 1:7). To have real fellowship (Gemeinschaft) one with
another means we are prepared to break bread one with
another, to share all our possessions one with another, and
to have our children marry one another if they so choose.
Anything less than this may simply be called friendship.
* * * * *
In response to Lavern's letter from Poland, our brother
Jorge wrote from Sweden:
I think the main thing
is to be firmly rooted in the faith that was once and for
all delivered to the saints. This has been the faith of the
church throughout the centuries up to the present day. When
we are firmly rooted in that faith we are bold and full of
confidence and we seek to proclaim it to every heart that
is open to receive it. Among the evangelicals (and the same
could be actually said of any other group, whether
Catholic, Orthodox or Protestant) there are people who have
been confused by false shepherds and false doctrine, but
their hearts long for the truth. Those hearts will be open
to receive it once they hear it preached. That is why I
regard the churches here in Sweden as a mission field.
David Petander, who led believers into Christian community
in Sweden a hundred years ago, would go wherever there was
an open door (whether it was the Salvation Army, the
Baptists or any other group) to proclaim the truth. I
remember reading that on one occasion (I think it was at
the Salvation Army) a lady and another person shared a
message during an informal meeting. With sorrow in his
voice Petander said something like this after they had
talked: "Do not believe there is a single ounce of New
Testament faith in what has been said." Then he went on to
expose the truth.
I also think of the Swiss Anabaptist Georg Blaurock who
would walk into a church service and ask the priest: Are
you sure that what you are preaching is the word of God?
When the priest hesitated he would say: Come down now, and
I will proclaim the word of God. He did and people
responded by the thousands. This is what we need today,
brothers who are so firmly rooted in the word of God, in
the faith delivered to the saints, that they are not afraid
of proclaiming it.
* * * * *
From the Netherlands, our brother Klaas also responded to
Lavern's letter:
What a joy to hear of
your fellowship together. May holy love burn brightly in
your hearts and lives!
While reading Lavern's letter, I pondered over the life we
long to live for Christ. We in the Netherlands also face
struggles as to what we should, and what we should not do
in Christian activities organized by others. The easiest
response is to refrain from any contact with those who have
other practices or teaching. Christ, however, showed us his
warm, compassionate heart toward each individual, except
the critical and hypocritical scribes and Pharisees.
So must we go along with all activities?
A haughty 'better than thou' attitude will do nothing else
than cause heartache and a great distance to those who
organize things we do not feel happy with. Are we then
"forced" to participate? I don't think so. If our
apprehension stems from a true longing to glorify the Lord,
we should not go ahead.
On the other hand, we should not retreat from others, but
explain carefully why we feel we should not cooperate. I
remember hearing about a request from a big evangelistic
organisation holding a campaign in Switzerland quite some
time ago. All churches and fellowships were contacted with
the request to join hands. A group of believers did not
feel this would be the right thing to do, and wrote in
response. But in the same letter they mentioned prayer
meetings that would be held for the furthering of the
gospel during the campaign. A friendly thank-you from the
organisation was the result.
May the Lord give mercy and love in these difficult
decisions!