True Biblical Fellowship
By Kato Mivule
February 1st 2007
Fellowship In Jesus Christ… Prologue
Below are scriptures that talk about
Fellowship and Assembly. I have been accused of not
"Fellowshipping" and “forsaking of the assembling together” by
some quarters simply because I did not attend their "church" or
submit to their "pastor", and that I no longer go to “Church”…
Placing the baseless accusations aside, it is
imperative that we look to scriptures in The Holy Bible
concerning...
-
Fellowship
-
Assembly
-
Church
-
Church Leadership
We will take a look at all the above topics
according to scriptures. The correct meaning of each of the
above topics is very important as concerns the last days in
which we live.
The Bible and the Whole Counsel of God's Word
is our guide in these matters. There is a lot of deception and
deceit concerning the above subjects that the current
"Organized" Church of today as we know it has DEPARTED from
Truth concerning these matters.
It is my prayer that everyone considers the
scriptures below prayerfully and examines oneself to see they
still stand in Faith...
I will embark first on ‘Fellowship’ and for
most part; I believe that ‘Fellowship’ is central to the
assembling of true believers in Christ Jesus. I will let the
scriptures speak for themselves... However, there are a few
points to make here...
Fellowship in Greek Language…
Strong's Number:
2842
Koinonia
Definition
1. fellowship, association, community,
communion, joint participation, intercourse
1. the share which one has in
anything, participation
2. intercourse, fellowship, intimacy
1. the right hand as a sign
and pledge of fellowship (in fulfilling the apostolic office)
3. a gift jointly contributed, a
collection, a contribution, as exhibiting an embodiment and
proof of fellowship
Strong's Number:
2844
Koinonos
1. a partner, associate, comrade,
companion
2. a partner, sharer, in anything
1. of the altar in Jerusalem on
which the sacrifices are offered
1. sharing in the worship of
the Jews
2. partakers of (or with) demons
1. brought into fellowship
with them, because they are the authors of heathen worship
Strong's Number:
3352
Metoche
a sharing, communion, fellowship
Strong's Number:
4790
Sugkoinoneo
to become a partaker together with others,
or to have fellowship with a thing
So, we see that fellowship has more to do
than just church meetings, singing songs, gathering money etc
but more of a communion and a partaker with others. So, this
raises a serious question who are you to commune and be a
partaker with?
Fellowship first with Jesus Christ…
Fellowship is a communion first between Jesus
Christ and the Christian on an individual basis, then when we
meet to commune together or fellowship together... Therefore
Fellowship is supposed to flow out of our Personal Relationship
and Fellowship with our Head, Jesus Christ and then we
fellowship with each other on that Basis...any other model is
False and from Satan in promotion of Man and Devil worship...
Fellowship has first and fore most to be at
an individual level...Between the saint and Jesus Christ. If
this personal fellowship does not exist, then all 'fellowships'
fail and simply become social clubs and meeting places to
socialize... Our fellowship is FIRST WITH JESUS CHRIST. This
calls for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and it is
here that may Christians have derailed their faith in Jesus
Christ by not having 'Fellowship with Jesus Christ'...that means
fellowship with His Word, and Doing His Commandments...
Then fellowship with True Saints of God…
Secondly, Fellowship then is between
Believers and Believers...You cannot have Fellowship between
None Believers and believers...this the bible refuses but many
Evangelical Churches are a den of false fellowships between None
Believers and Believers... That does not mean that heathens
cannot come to Christian assemblies and be in the meeting but
that is different from Fellowship cause if the heathen does not
repent how can then darkness fellowship with light...(2 Corinth
6:11-18)
Fellowship is walking in The Light – Abiding
in Jesus Christ…
Thirdly Fellowship has to do with walking in
The Light as Jesus Christ is the Light...if we walk in the Light
(The Whole Counsel of God's Word), then we have fellowship with
God and with one another...how many of today's so-called
Christians keep deliberately walking in the dark and hate any
challenge that comes from God's Holy Word yet want to
‘fellowship’ but refuse the sanctification process of The Lord?
Fellowship is really a very serious thing that even judgment
would come to those who want to 'fellowship' yet walk in
darkness, pleasures of this world, love of money and contrary to
the Whole Counsel of God's Holy Word...
Jesus Christ is Head of all fellowships of
Saints in Jesus Christ…
Fourth, the Head of Fellowship is Christ
Jesus Himself, that is why He says in His word that our
fellowship is first with Him - The Father and the Son and then
with each other...we don't attend fellowship so we fellowship to
get to The Father and The Son but we individually must first
fellowship with Jesus Christ and then with each other...this
order has been broken down because of the current apostasy in
the church today where men have become head of fellowships and
intermediaries between Jesus Christ and the Saints...this ought
not to be so…
Fellowships in Jesus Christ not bound to
Geography…
Fifth, is that Fellowshipping with each other
is not restricted to a particular geographical location, and or
Church, or assembly. We as the True Body of Jesus Christ are
FREE to fellowship and assemble anywhere with any one who is
called and Chosen, and saved by Jesus Christ – The True Saints
of God.
The Idea of partitioned Churches like Healing
Power Centre, Miracle Centre, Baptist, Methodist are all WORKS
OF THE FLESH and divisions in the Body caused by Men in greed
for gain...this is part of the end times apostasy, people who
claim that they are of Apollo, Cephas, Paul etc. All such are
works of the flesh...
Home Fellowships, a Book of Acts Model…
We are free to fellowship and assemble in
Jesus Christ Name in homes etc, however The First Church in the
Book of Acts assembled in Homes for most part and never
collected money to build a particular building. In Solomon’s
Porch, they gathered but were sent fleeing when persecutions
started and the bible never mentions that they bought Solomon’s
Porch or even rented it...they simply gathered there...by the
way Solomon’s Porch was a meeting centre kind of our market
places today...so it was not a particular building rented by the
church as the some would like to deceive us...
End Time Church returning to the Book of
Acts Fellowship Model…
In these last days the church is going back
to its roots and many fellowships, assemblies, and gatherings
will take place in the home...the mega church buildings of today
will become empty and a home of devils and demons...
Persecutions and Tribulations are coming and yes, your Church
Building and lovely pastor will cease to exist but the Body Of
Christ will continue to exist and will not be bound by
denominations, names, and affiliations of men...
As a matter of fact, according to Barna
Research, millions of Christians are leaving the organized
church and going back to the Book of Acts Model...they are
meeting in homes and not under the control or supervision of the
Organized Church But Jesus Christ.
True Church of Jesus Christ not tied to mega
buildings…
The True Church of Jesus Christ is not bound
and tied to mega church buildings and she is walking out of such
Babylonian Religious Systems... There has never been a season
like it is in the organized churches of today, with desiccation,
emptiness, apathy, lethargy, a spiritual drought, and forcing of
things to work in the flesh, worship of man, and hate for God's
Word as is in today’s churches...
The True Church of Jesus Christ is leaving
the ‘Organized Church’ in millions...it is a phenomenon that
even current pastors have failed to control in retention of the
True Saints of God in religious systems... This is a move by The
Holy Spirit in separating His True Saints from the false
Christian Religious system. Millions of Christians are now and
will continue fellowshipping and assembling outside the mega
apostate churches and the Head of these saints is none other
than Jesus Christ...amen.
Without Jesus Christ, there can be no
fellowship…
Matthew 18:20
20 For where two or three are gathered
together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
>>Geographical locations are not a
restriction for fellowship. Jesus Christ is central to all
fellowships. When two or three are gathered in Jesus Christ
Name, He will be there in the midst of them. This is not
gathering at Healing Joy Centre Church or Baptist Free Church,
this gathering could be in a home or any where…Church Buildings,
Mega Church Building Projects, are all deceptive and a waste of
money as they have nothing to do with the above scripture being
fulfilled…
Fellowship and Second Coming of Jesus Christ…
Hebrews 10:25
25 Not forsaking
the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is;
but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the
day approaching.
>>Again the assembling of ourselves in this
above scripture has nothing to do with a particular church
location or geographical location…the historical context of the
above scriptures is that early saints always gathered in
homes…yes, they fellowshipped at home… This scripture also gives
the reason why saints should assemble...as they see the day
approaching...it has to do with the end times and the second
return of Jesus Christ. This means that saints would have the
correct Bible teachings concerning the end times. Sadly this is
not so today. What we have is Christians who never assemble
because they see the day approaching but for other reasons...
So, the second coming of Jesus Christ is supposed to me a main
topic of study in the assemblies...
Continuing in the Apostles Doctrine central
to fellowship…
Acts 2:41-43
41Then they that gladly received his word
were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about
three thousand souls.
42And they continued stedfastly in the
apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and
in prayers.
43And fear came upon every soul: and many
wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
>>Notice that the scripture above states how
they Continued Steadfastly in the Apostles Doctrine...and
fellowship...The Whole Counsel of God's Word is key to
Fellowship...sadly this is not happening in many churches
today...Is your current church continuing steadfastly in the
Apostles Doctrine or are they preaching doctrines of devils and
demons, materialism, riches, and how to make it big in this
world?
Called into fellowship with Jesus Christ…
1 Corinthians 1:9
God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto
the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
>>True Christians are called first and
foremost into fellowship with Jesus Christ...Jesus Christ and
your personal relationship with Him has to come first...I know
this will offend many but let it be so...you can go to your
church as much as you want but if you have no continuous
personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you are wasting your
time and energy…
No fellowship with devils and demons…
1 Corinthians 10:19-21
19What say I then? that the idol is any
thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any
thing?
20But I say, that the things which the
Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God:
and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
21Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and
the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table,
and of the table of devils.
>>Fellowship is intimate and pure between
Jesus Christ and the saints and then the saints with one
another... We cannot be fellowship with devils as many
Christians today do when they go to churches that they know
practice witchcraft or teach false doctrines and doctrines of
demons...
If your pastor teaches things contrary to
God's Word and will not repent, don't argue but leave that
Church so you don't be a partaker with demons and devils... The
Bible does not tell us to “change” and transform false churches
but to separate.
Teaching False Doctrines of devils and demons
is what has become the standard in many churches today...these
doctrines include the prosperity teachings, materialism, riches,
money, high mindedness, worship of man and many others...flee
such churches...seek those who will teach The Whole Counsel of
God's Word...
1 Timothy 4
1Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in
the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed
to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their
conscience seared with a hot iron;
Separate from false brethren and false
fellowships…
2 Corinthians 6:14-15
14Be ye not unequally yoked together with
unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with
unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15And what concord hath Christ with Belial?
or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16And what agreement hath the temple of God
with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath
said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be
their God, and they shall be my people.
17Wherefore come out from among them, and be
ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing;
and I will receive you.
18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall
be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
>>From the above scripture, we see that we
are called to separate from false brethren and all who partake
of uncleanness through false teachings, doctrine of demons,
false lifestyle and those who reject accountability to The Whole
Counsel of God's Word. Yes, the Bible teaches Separation, and we
are to separate from false churches and pastors who happen to be
very many today...
Paul and Barnabas welcomed into fellowship…
Galatians 2:9
And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed
to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they
gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we
should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
>>Paul and Barnabas welcomed into fellowship
with the apostles in Jerusalem…this shows us that they did not
just extend a hand of fellowship to those who did not love and
Obey Jesus Christ but they did so extend fellowship to the true
saints of God… Paul and Barnabas were to become partakers with
the apostles in Jerusalem…
Fellowship of the mystery…
Ephesians 3:9
And to make all men see what is the
fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world
hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
>>Context of fellowship is first and foremost
our communion and partaking with Jesus Christ – Fellowship with
The Son of God. I always wonder why Christians shun a Personal
fellowship with Jesus Christ? This is not even thought today but
Christians are forced to attend church meetings and gatherings…
No Fellowship with works of darkness…expose
them…
Ephesians 5:11
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful
works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
>>We are commanded not to have fellowship
with unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove or expose
them...these works of darkness include false Christian
lifestyles, false doctrines, works of the flesh, worship of man
and many other vices that constitute a walk away from God's Holy
Word. Sadly many pastors today engage in and foster such 'works
of darkness' but the Bible commands us not to fellowship with
such and to expose such false preachers and their works of
darkness…
Right Doctrine Central to Fellowship…
Philippians 1:5
For your fellowship in the gospel from the
first day until now;
>>Fellowship has to be in context with the
Gospel, Doctrine, and Teachings of Jesus Christ and of His Holy
Apostles...
The Fellowship of His Sufferings…
Philippians 3:10
That I may know him, and the power of his
resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made
conformable unto his death;
>>Our Fellowship with Jesus Christ means that
we also Fellowship in His Sufferings. All who love godliness
will suffer persecutions in Christ Jesus. Many Churches hate and
loathe and reject the sufferings of Jesus Christ. Yet the
Apostle Paul speaks about the Fellowship of Christ's
Sufferings...
Suffering in Christ Jesus should be part of our
Fellowship with Jesus Christ and with one another in Christ
Jesus... In these last days and Tribulation time, this will
become more apparent as persecutions intensify against the True
saints of Jesus Christ…
The True Testimony of Jesus Christ and
Fellowship…
1 John 1:3-4
(3)
That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye
also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship
is
with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
(4)
And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
>>Fellowships should be the first place to
bare True Witness to Jesus Christ... However, in this piece of
scripture we see it clearly that our fellowship is first with
the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ... Jesus Christ should
be Head of every True Fellowship...
Walking in The Light and Fellowship…
1 John 1:5-7
(5)
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare
unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
(6)
If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in
darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
(7)
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have
fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his
Son cleanseth us from all sin.
>>We can only have True Fellowship with Jesus
Christ when we walk in the Light that is in the Whole Counsel of
His Holy Word and put to death works of darkness. Holiness,
Purity, Sanctification, is all part of our daily relationship
with Jesus Christ.
Our fellowship with one another should come
out of our Fellowship with Jesus Christ. We are to fellowship
with Jesus Christ, and then out of that fellowship with one
another. Many Christians today don't want anything to do with
cultivating a deeper personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Called to fellowship with The Father and His
Son Jesus Christ…
Sadly though, that many current church
leaders discourage Christians from a personal relationship with
Jesus Christ. These false shepherds have usurped the position of
Jesus Christ and instead made the Christians in their churches
to depend and focus on them rather than on Christ Jesus.
Most
Christians have been conditioned to think likewise. They too
love to pay homage to the one-man pastor ministries and worship
of Man rather than Jesus Christ. The reason is they don't have
to work out their salvation in fear and trembling but have
outsourced their walk of faith to the pastor who also loves it.
We are called into fellowship with the Father
and His Son Jesus Christ and yes it is not easy, it is hard, it
involves walking along the narrow and difficult path but that is
what The Lord desires of us...it is His command that we abide in
Him and He alone, not abiding in Man and Man control
structures...
When we walk in The Light as He is in The
Light…
It is in this context that when we walk in
Him, in the Light as He is the Light, His Word is The Light, we
can then have fellowship with one another...If We Don't walk
with Him, in The Light, in His Word, we cannot have fellowship.
So, our fellowship with one another comes from our walking in
Him, in The Light...
This ‘walking in the light’ is not just
gathering to confess our sins more like in a catholic way but to
allow the sanctification process that comes from The Holy Spirit
and Jesus Christ for He promised to baptise us with The Holy
Spirit and Fire.
Fire symbolizing the purification process in
which our self and sinful nature is brought to death in Jesus
Christ and we are conformed to the Image and Likeness of Jesus
Christ our Lord and Saviour. There are no short cuts in this
process and all who desire to walk in the light but endure this
process…they must carry their cross daily and follow Jesus
Christ…
Fellowship is not just a meeting, building,
or a get together…
So, fellowship is not governed by
geographical location, Church denominations, Ministries etc as
we have been told today... Fellowship is first with Jesus Christ
them with each other in Christ Jesus.
So, from the above scriptures, I don't see
Church Buildings, Church names, Church ministries etc. There is
no thing such as 'This is my Church', 'This is my Pastor'...such
talk is unbiblical and falsehood. It is a talk of people who
worship Man and their ministries but denying Jesus Christ and
His Headship over His Body and over the Christian believer.
Jesus Christ wants no intermediaries, He
wants and desires us to fellowship with Him directly. Our
Personal Relationship with Him is paramount.
So, don't tell me that I don't believe in
Church Leadership, I do, but not as the current organized church
teaches, which is lies and deceit. True Christian Leaders point
and leads people to Jesus Christ and not themselves and their
ministries...
What you can begin to do?
-
Go
before Jesus Christ at the cross
-
Acknowledge you are a sinner (I am speaking to Christians
here)
-
Repent of all sin in your life
-
Examine your life according to God’s Word
-
Repent of all sin and doctrines not based on God’s word
-
Renew your commitment with Jesus Christ to hear and obey His
commands
-
Read
and study God’s Word daily…
-
Let
your Faith in Christ be based on God’s Holy Word
-
Remember Salvation is personal and not a ‘group thing’…
-
Work
out your Salvation in fear and trembling before a Holy God…
-
Walk
Holy before God
-
Be
filled with The Holy Spirit (You must be filled with the
Holy Spirit)
-
Obey
Jesus Christ and His Word regardless of the price, even unto
death
-
Seek
to please Christ Jesus Daily
-
Seek
out those True Christians of like mind who you can
fellowship…
-
Fix
your eyes on Jesus Christ the author and finisher of your
Faith in Him…
-
Forsake those churches, fellowships, pastors, so-called
Christians who walk contrary to God’s Holy Word and only
desire to be like the world, Christians who are
materialistic, scoff at God’s Word, seek to please the world
and Man…
-
Seek
likeminded Christians with whom you can fellowship and
encourage one another in God’s Word…remember we are in the
last days and deception is rampant and the devil is out
deceiving the world including Christians.
-
So,
seek out likeminded Christians who are focused on Jesus
Christ and you will grow together in Holiness, love for
Christ, Purity and encourage each other in Christ Jesus as
we endure sufferings and persecution for Jesus Christ,
because for sure it is coming…
In Christ Jesus
Kato Mivule
Uganda, Africa
www.yesumulungi.com
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