How Good And How Lovely! Text: Psalm 133 What Did John Teach About Fellowship? Best Treatise: I John “Fellowship”=Key Word… Four Times In First Chapter Alone…

“Degrees” Of Fellowship? No Such Thing Exists! Cannot Be “Sort Of” Or “Partly” In Fellowship Positive Fellowship— Acts 2.42 Negative Fellowship— Ephesians 5.11 Simple: Do Not Participate With Them!

John’s Portrayal Of Fellowship It Is Desirable It As Attainable

1. The Basis Of Fellowship I John 1.3 What Was Seen And Heard Similar To Acts 2.42 What The Apostles Saw And Heard They Taught

Hebrews 2.3,4 Who Are “Them That Heard”? The Apostles They Were The Witnesses What Was Their Qualification?

Acts 1.21,22  Compained With Us [Other Apostles]…  While The Lord Was Among Us…  From The Baptism Of John…  Till He [Jesus] Was Received Up What They Taught Was Confirmed Mark 16.20 Acts 14.3

This Was God Bearing Witness John 15.26 Thus: What The Apostles Did Was God Bearing Witness! John Refers To God Bearing Witness 7 Times In I John 5

The Apostles Didn’t Declare “Just Anything” But Certain Things The Truth! Were The Readers Supposed To Believe “Just Anything”? How Could There Be Fellowship And Yet Deny What The Apostles Bore Witness To?

First— They Taught An Eternal Christ “From The Beginning” John 1.1,2

Second— They Taught An Actual Christ “Seen…Looked Upon…Hands Handled” Is There A Problem With These Being “2nd Generation” Believers? Not If They Believed The Same Things!

“Fellowship With Us” I Peter 1.8,9 John 20.29 How Could They Have Fellowship And Not Believe The Same Things? Sadly, Some Attempt This… Claim Fellowship While Believing Or Practicing Something Else

What Is This? Ignoring Of The BASIS Of Fellowship!

2. The Boundary Of Fellowship John Never Suggests There Are No Limits To Fellowship Some Claim To Have Fellowship I John 1.6 “If We Say…” Does Everyone Who CLAIMS Fellowship HAVE Fellowship? NO!

Conclusion: Fellowship Has Limits/Boundaries There Is A Condition Of Fellowship— I John 1.7 “If We Walk…” Here Is An Important Contrast— Some Claim Fellowship… But They Walk In Darkness, Verse 6 Some Possess Fellowship… By Walking In Light

Compare Walking In The Light With… Walking In Truth, III John 4 Walking By Faith, II Corinthians 5.7 Walking As He Walked, I John 2.6

Who Sets The Boundaries? God & Christ By Inspiration [Holy Spirit]… Inspired Message From Apostles To Us Through Their Word Who May Change Or Remove The Boundaries? No One!

6 Prohibitions Against Moving Boundaries Set By God “But What If…” Forget It! There Are No Situation Ethics With God! Psalm 33.9! The Boundaries Are Not To Be Changed By Men!

3. The Barriers To Fellowship At Least Three Things— “Sin Does Not Matter” I John 1.6 “If We Say…And Yet Walk In Darkness” Same As Ephesians 2.2 Darkness Is Not Compatible With God… I John 1.5 Thus, How Could There Be Fellowship?

“Sin Does Not Exist” I John 1.8 “If We Say We Have No Sin…” This Is Deception God And Deception Are Not Compatible Thus, How Could There Be Fellowship?

Calling Sin Something Else… I John 1.10 “We Have Not Sinned” This Calls God A Liar! No Fellowship There! Those Who Call Sin By Something Else… Isaiah 5.20

An Illustration— The Elder Brother Of Luke 15.25-32 When He Came Home… He Refused To Go Into The House… Was He Not Thus Separated From Them… Did He Have Fellowship?

Why? What Was The Problem? He Claimed Fellowship… [He Belonged To The Household] He Claimed His Service To The Father… He Claimed To Be Without Fault [“I Never Transgressed A Commandment Of Thine…”] We Could Say His Anger Was “Righteous Indignation”

Nevertheless… He Had No Fellowship Why? His Own Attitudes And Concepts Of What Ought To Be If The Younger Brother Had Not Repented The Elder Brother Would Be Justified

The Real Problem Here: The Elder Brother Would Not Forgive The Younger

4. The Blessing Of Fellowship Why Is Fellowship Set Forth As Something To Be Desired? What Do We Have In John’s Prescription For Fellowship? A Father’s Love, I John 3.1 A Savior’s Leading, I John 1.7 Brethren’s Uplifting, I John 1.7

What Did The Prodigal Gain? The Love Of His Father… Willingness To Obey His Father’s Leadership… Fellowship With Those Of The Household

Are You In God’s Fellowship? End At The Beginning— Psalm 133.1 Are You In God’s Fellowship?