What Is Biblical Fellowship? Everyone Contributes!

If we ask ourselves the question “what does scripture say should happen when believers gather together” (i.e. the weekly service) we might be surprised. One thing that dominates the various passages (Rom. 12:6-10; I Cor. 11:17-24;I Cor. 14:26-33; Gal. 6:2; Eph. 5:19-21; Col. 3:16; Heb. 10:24-25; James 5:14-16) is that there should be the mutual exercise of gifts to edify one another. This may not seem radical at first, but it is rare and it is biblical fellowship. How many Sunday services have you been to where many different people exercise gifts to edify others in a mutual way? Usually the preacher does nearly all the ministry. Preaching is important but is this biblical fellowship? It is true that the worship time is a time when people other than the pastor exercise their gifts. But where are the different people exercising the various gifts in Romans 12 (e.g., exhorting, teaching, Continue Reading →

The Wonder Of Our Future Oneness With God

Last week we looked at the scriptural progression of vision, Christformation and “spiritual marriage” or oneness with God. This week we look at what our oneness with God will look like. We know that we will not be one essence with God – we are only created beings and God is uncreated. We also know that we don’t know a lot about the details of our final destiny. I John 3:2 explains that what we will be has not yet been revealed. With these thoughts in mind we can reflect on some of what we do know. Reflecting on the marriage analogy used in Ephesians 5 and Revelation 19 and 21 we understand that whatever our relationship to God will be, it will be an intimate one, for this is one of the essential features of marriage. We also understand that we will enjoy affectionate feelings for one another, analogous to Continue Reading →

Self-Rejection Keeps You From Connecting With Others

Shame can be described as a sense of embarrassment, dishonor, disgrace or inadequacy. These feelings come from something you did or thought that contradicts what you believe to be good or valuable (this is essentially guilt which is a precursor to shame). Just the fact that we fall short of our own standards of good produces shame in all of us. We want to hide our weakness from others because we want them to value us. This is why it is normal for people to display their best self to others, which probably helps society stay civilized. But we also naturally display a false self in many situations, which keeps us from truly connecting with others. We use our false self to cover up our shame, for example, pretending that we have our life all together when actually we are broken or struggling. It takes time, but we need to Continue Reading →

Are You Responsible For Others’ Happiness?

I know it’s popular for Christian and secular counselors to say that others aren’t responsible for our happiness. But the fact is, they are. Not completely, but partly. That’s why Jesus and His apostles taught us to live in community. We are all partly responsible for others’ happiness. Much, if not most, of the teachings on relationships in the New Testament begin with the assumption that we affect others’ happiness. Scripture instructs us to “encourage each other” (Heb. 10:25). 2 Corinthians 1:4 teaches: “Who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” We are responsible to bring comfort and encouragement to others, which are elements of happiness. Many other passages could be cited to support this. That is why the popular teaching about happiness is dangerously mistaken. Continue Reading →

One Person Sharpens Another

In a godly friendship we incorporate biblical fellowship and edifying words into our interactions with another. We go beyond encouraging and affirming one another in Christ which has a limited impact on our maturity. Since our top priority is pleasing God, we go further and consciously help each other to become like Christ. “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Prov. 27:17, NIV). Scripture instructs us to “Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives” (Col. 3:16, NLT). A “soul friend” is an advanced godly relationship in which two people are highly committed to being open to the influence and direction of each other in order to become like Christ. They practice quality biblical fellowship and develop interdependence; they are spiritual counselors for each other. Since we are secure in the friendship, we are free to direct each other to die to self. We gently Continue Reading →