Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro: This issue is often misunderstood.

Who has fellowship with God, and with whom can we have fellowship?

We are accountable to God for the lines of fellowship that we draw.

Intro: This issue is often misunderstood.

Who has fellowship with God, and with whom can we have fellowship?

We are accountable to God for the lines of fellowship that we draw.

I) Definition

A) Fellowship comes from koinonia – communion, sharing in common – ;

B) Fellowship involves three components:

i) action – we can’t have fellowship with the inactive –

ii) common action – we can’t have fellowship with those who worship a different God –

iii) common motives – we can’t have fellowship with those who don’t love God –

II) Fellowship with God (eternal life) –

A) Broken by sin – ; ;

B) We can maintain fellowship with God by perfect (sinless) obedience to law – , – but none except Jesus qualify – ;

C) The law cannot give life – – a lesson many Jews did not understand – , ;

D) Or we can restore fellowship with God through perfect (complete) faith – , , – in Jesus – ; ;

E) Which will we choose?

I choose faith, which puts the emphasis on God.

III) Fellowship with man (local church)

A) Our goal in determining local fellowship is to maintain the same lines of fellowship as God, but we do not always meet that standard

B) We must draw lines of fellowship in the local church – ; – even those who claim not to (they don’t fellowship those who do)

C) Because we are human with imperfect knowledge, we can make mistakes, to accept the wrong – ; ; – and to reject one who shouldn’t be – – but we should correct those mistakes whenever we recognize them –

Concl: Judgment of fellowship with God is not our realm – – although we cannot ignore evil deeds – – our judgments of local fellowship are only indirectly related to one’s fellowship with God, they directly relate to our common worship.