The Lines of Fellowship

by Owen McGee
via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 4, December 31, 1990

Among churches of Christ, there is a broad spectrum of ideas concerning the nature of faithfulness to God. The failure to understand God’s revealed will has resulted in people binding where God has not bound and loosing where He has not loosed (cf. Matthew 16:19; 18:18). Many have concluded the differences that exist are insurmountable, and well they may be. My objective is not to resolve the problem or settle the question. Brethren who are convinced they do not have the liberty to enjoy the benefit of having classes in which they may teach their different age groups have the right to function without those classes. But when they announce to the brotherhood that those who have classes are acting without scriptural authority, they are binding where God did not bind. Similarly, those brethren who are determined to couple the churches together in some denominational arrangement for the social benefit of mankind, surely have loosed where God did not.

This wide spectrum of ideas causes many to be confused about fellowship. The fellowship taught in the New Testament is local. It is restricted to the local congregation. Paul had no trouble telling the Corinthians to withdraw from the fornicator (I Corinthians 5:9-11), but there is never any indication that fellowship between churches could be broken, because there is no reference to its existing in the first place! In Revelation 2-3, Jesus warned five of the seven churches they were in danger of losing fellowship with God, but doesn’t even suggest that a fellowship existed between the churches, which might be broken. How could it be destroyed? Once this truth is understood, many problems are resolved, and we can get on with the church's work. Too many of us want to police the brotherhood. This, too, is a move in the direction of denominationalism. When we decide that those in other places do not understand (and will not understand) and are thus unworthy of our fellowship, we are getting into God’s business (Romans 14:4; James 4:12). When we have used all our vast knowledge to persuade them and we fail, what then? Indeed, we cannot withdraw that which does not exist (brotherhood fellowship). We may pray or call them names, but we should go on about our own business. Far too many are bogged down in their desire to convert the brotherhood. When brethren will not listen, we need to get on with the task of preaching "Jesus" in the communities where we live.

I suggest that those of us who are concerned with publicly preaching the gospel and enthusiastically exposing the obvious errors of the denominations are doing something that will draw the lines of separation.

Each church should publicly preach Christ’s gospel and vigorously expose denominational errors. By public, I mean in newspapers, on television, or the radio. What takes place in our buildings is not really public. This public teaching should be as provocative as possible. If we use the media as we should, four wonderful things will happen.

1. We will feel better about preaching in our buildings, for we will know we are putting out the same quality of truth to the public.
2. The brethren will be stronger as they see the denominational preachers shun opportunities to answer our accusations.
3. The public will become interested and learn more about God’s will. Many think this is the main objective. It is not.
4. Those churches that stand for nothing, made up of unlearned and unconverted people of the world, will hasten to disassociate themselves from us. If we keep up the pressure, I believe that within a few years, they will even change the name of their churches. Beloved, we do not need to draw any lines between churches. The truth, properly preached (publicly, clearly, and loudly), will cause others to draw the line between us and those who will not support or tolerate the truth.