The True Basis of Fellowship

"On the plane of Bible holiness, no outward observances are made a test, in fact nothing is made a test of fellowship. For holy men “judge not from appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” “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” I John 1:7. Fellowship is of the Spirit (Phil. 2:1), and exists where heart-purity exists. It is the conscious blending of hearts filled with the same Holy Spirit.

One may have been led into all truth, the other not. This does not interrupt fellowship. Nevertheless it is the duty of such as “know the truth,” in meekness to instruct others who do not. Ignorance of some truth does not destroy fellowship, but resisting the truth does, because it forfeits salvation. We must not sanction people’s errors, but if saved, show our love and fellowship to them, so long as they do not get the evidence that their wrong doctrines have become wilful, or they have in some way lost salvation. Then fellowship ends, but love and kindness still continue in faithful efforts for their salvation. To ignore fellowship simply because of some doctrinal error is bigotry. To agree to disagree, or to put on an equality truth and error, is babel confusion. To know the truth is our privilege; to teach the truth our duty; but to have fellowship with the pure and upright of heart is an involuntary and spontaneous fact."

 

Quote taken from: THE CHURCH OF GOD; What it is and What it is Not by D.S. Warner