Fellowship is fun!
Fellowship is fun! Hard to think of it as a “spiritual discipline.” Shouldn’t “disciplines” be difficult? No! Spiritual disciples are joyous things! A daily quiet time with one’s Maker, receiving the love and guidance of He Who loves you most. A time of personal study and application of His Word, the Holy Scriptures inspired and made fruitful by the Holy Spirit, Living, Powerful. Sharing your faith with others–the great privilege of being a co-labourer with God in bringing a lost soul to salvation in Christ! These are all great joys we are commanded to do, and fellowship also is among them.
Fellowship is not just for you. When you deprive yourself of fellowship with other believers, you also deprive other believers of fellowship with you! Nasty business! Shame is upon You. You don’t have that privilege! Doing so transgresses the command of God:
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Heb. 10:24-25).
Whether in large assemblies, house meetings, or coffee shop trysts, believers need times with likeminded other believers in order to grow and to nourish one another. In fact, scripture says much about our ministry to “one another” as a brief perusal of its pages soon proves:
“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” “Live in harmony with one another.” “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another…” “Accept one another…” “…instruct one another.” (Rom. 12:10, 16; 13:8; 15:7, 14)
“…agree with one another” (1 Cor. 1:10); “…serve one another humbly in love” (Gal. 5:13); “…bear with one another in love” “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other…” “speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs…” “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Eph. 4:2, 32; 5:19, 21); “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5); “Bear with each other and forgive one another…” “…teach and admonish one another” (Col. 3:13, 16)“
I don’t encourage this next one given our current cultural and Covid-19 climate, but it was indeed the practice of the early church to “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” (Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12).
Rather, our duties to encourage and to love one another appear primary: “…encourage one another” (2 Cor. 13:11; 1 Thess. 4:18; Heb. 10:25); “encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thess. 5:11); “encourage one another daily” (Heb. 3:13); “love one another” (1 Thess. 4:9); “Keep on loving one another” (Heb. 13:1); “…love one another deeply, from the heart” (1 Pet. 1:22).
Yes, fellowship is fun, and fellowship is commanded. You need others and others need you! Don’t let Covid-19 make you a hermit. Be creative… be obedient… with one another.
Press on…
thebrokenrunner 