Post by Les Brewer on Apr 18, 2020 16:51:33 GMT
Faith and Fellowship
When it comes to life there are a lot of guidelines and protocols we learn as we grow up in the natural. It is no different with our spiritual rebirth and growth. As we were growing up; we began developing our character; or becoming the person that our environment taught us. We formed beliefs and began to develop an idea of what we wanted to be and do in life. We had expectations based upon the education we received and developed a sense of what we liked and did not like. We are products of our environment! We engineer our lives according to those things which we’ve learned and received and experienced in our lives.
Spiritual development or growth taught at the beginning of a new believer’s life is so vital to the person they will become. Fellowship is an intricate part and essential to well-balanced spiritual growth. In the medical field there is a principle called wellness health; it is based upon an intricate look at a person’s existing health issues and prescribes the necessary elements and practices that will help them restore or sustain good health. Faith without fellowship usually causes unhealthy spirituality. The natural body is made up of the elements of the earth which is rich in minerals; if the body lacks even one mineral for a prolonged time; a disease will set in associated with the lack of that mineral. When a person is converted they require the minerals of the Spirit; fellowship with other brethren is a required mineral which helps to keep the new born spiritually healthy.
We conclude therefore that fellowship is essential to spiritual growth; yet that fellowship must be conducted in the right atmosphere of love, acceptance, forgiveness, and patience. I heard one evangelist say “you can’t force a green tree”. In other words; one cannot force maturity because maturity comes through experience. Chapter 14 of Romans deals with the spiritually strong and mature; and the spiritually weak and immature relationships in the body of Christ. God instructs us how to deal with each other according to our stages of spiritual development within the confines of the body and of congregating in fellowship. Why? The way we treat each other truly defines how mature or immature we are.
(16) Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
(17) For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
(18) For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
(19) Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. Romans 14:16-19 KJV
When we consider our younger more immature brethren do we consider them inferior to us? Do we have conflict, disputes, and opinions based upon the spirit of grace or the spirit of the letter of the law? If we say we have faith; doesn’t faith include fellowship based upon the law of love your neighbor as you love yourself?
Verse 16 instructs us: don’t let your good be spoken of as evil. Therefore we have a reputation which reflects who we are by the actions we take. The enemy of the church is ready to point the finger of accusation of evil toward the person whose actions are not Christ-like. Those who believe they’re mature should never be pompous or inflated in boasting about how spiritual they are to the detriment of a brother who is weak in faith and is offended by the faith of him who is more experienced and knowledgeable. This gives place to the devil and he will use it effectively to detour others from coming to the faith.
The issue which is being address is meat offered to idols. One man’s faith knows that idols are not Gods and that all things are made clean through thanksgiving and prayer. One man’s faith hasn’t developed to that point of understanding and sees it as an offence to God and would feel condemned if he partook of such meat especially at a temple of the idol where the meat was sold. Paul’s exhortation was this:
(20) Stop tearing down the work of God for the sake of food. Indeed all things are clean, but wrong for the man who by eating causes stumbling.
(21) It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything by which your brother stumbles.
(22) The faith you have, keep it to yourself before God. How fortunate is the one who does not condemn himself for what he approves.
(23) But the one who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because it is not of faith. And whatever is not of faith is sin. Romans 14:20-23 TLV
As living epistles of Christ we express the beauty of holiness that professes honor upon our Lord. Our faith and fellowship is a witness to the world around us; yet many are always contentious about what is and is not sin. When the world sees two or more Christians in a tumultuous argument that arises to the point of slander and separation it reflects badly upon Christ and Christianity. Paul admonished us to do and say things which result in peace. We therefore should pursue a peaceful temper; then take peaceful measures; using peaceful methods. For when we serve the Lord in righteousness, peace, and joy these are things which make us acceptable to God and approved by men.
Brethren; we are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven which has principles, precepts, and protocols which enhance our lives abundantly. Our faith is enforced by our fellowship when that fellowship is conducted in spirit and truth. When we forego fellowship it is to our own detriment spiritually; iron sharpens and iron and one man another’s countenance. The right kind of fellowship produces the right kind of results which bring glory, praise, and honor to our Lord. Keep the Faith and the Faith will keep You! Selah
Shalom, Agape, & Amen!
Bishop D. Ray Ritchie (Faith Evangelistic Ministries Int.)
When it comes to life there are a lot of guidelines and protocols we learn as we grow up in the natural. It is no different with our spiritual rebirth and growth. As we were growing up; we began developing our character; or becoming the person that our environment taught us. We formed beliefs and began to develop an idea of what we wanted to be and do in life. We had expectations based upon the education we received and developed a sense of what we liked and did not like. We are products of our environment! We engineer our lives according to those things which we’ve learned and received and experienced in our lives.
Spiritual development or growth taught at the beginning of a new believer’s life is so vital to the person they will become. Fellowship is an intricate part and essential to well-balanced spiritual growth. In the medical field there is a principle called wellness health; it is based upon an intricate look at a person’s existing health issues and prescribes the necessary elements and practices that will help them restore or sustain good health. Faith without fellowship usually causes unhealthy spirituality. The natural body is made up of the elements of the earth which is rich in minerals; if the body lacks even one mineral for a prolonged time; a disease will set in associated with the lack of that mineral. When a person is converted they require the minerals of the Spirit; fellowship with other brethren is a required mineral which helps to keep the new born spiritually healthy.
We conclude therefore that fellowship is essential to spiritual growth; yet that fellowship must be conducted in the right atmosphere of love, acceptance, forgiveness, and patience. I heard one evangelist say “you can’t force a green tree”. In other words; one cannot force maturity because maturity comes through experience. Chapter 14 of Romans deals with the spiritually strong and mature; and the spiritually weak and immature relationships in the body of Christ. God instructs us how to deal with each other according to our stages of spiritual development within the confines of the body and of congregating in fellowship. Why? The way we treat each other truly defines how mature or immature we are.
(16) Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
(17) For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
(18) For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
(19) Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. Romans 14:16-19 KJV
When we consider our younger more immature brethren do we consider them inferior to us? Do we have conflict, disputes, and opinions based upon the spirit of grace or the spirit of the letter of the law? If we say we have faith; doesn’t faith include fellowship based upon the law of love your neighbor as you love yourself?
Verse 16 instructs us: don’t let your good be spoken of as evil. Therefore we have a reputation which reflects who we are by the actions we take. The enemy of the church is ready to point the finger of accusation of evil toward the person whose actions are not Christ-like. Those who believe they’re mature should never be pompous or inflated in boasting about how spiritual they are to the detriment of a brother who is weak in faith and is offended by the faith of him who is more experienced and knowledgeable. This gives place to the devil and he will use it effectively to detour others from coming to the faith.
The issue which is being address is meat offered to idols. One man’s faith knows that idols are not Gods and that all things are made clean through thanksgiving and prayer. One man’s faith hasn’t developed to that point of understanding and sees it as an offence to God and would feel condemned if he partook of such meat especially at a temple of the idol where the meat was sold. Paul’s exhortation was this:
(20) Stop tearing down the work of God for the sake of food. Indeed all things are clean, but wrong for the man who by eating causes stumbling.
(21) It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything by which your brother stumbles.
(22) The faith you have, keep it to yourself before God. How fortunate is the one who does not condemn himself for what he approves.
(23) But the one who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because it is not of faith. And whatever is not of faith is sin. Romans 14:20-23 TLV
As living epistles of Christ we express the beauty of holiness that professes honor upon our Lord. Our faith and fellowship is a witness to the world around us; yet many are always contentious about what is and is not sin. When the world sees two or more Christians in a tumultuous argument that arises to the point of slander and separation it reflects badly upon Christ and Christianity. Paul admonished us to do and say things which result in peace. We therefore should pursue a peaceful temper; then take peaceful measures; using peaceful methods. For when we serve the Lord in righteousness, peace, and joy these are things which make us acceptable to God and approved by men.
Brethren; we are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven which has principles, precepts, and protocols which enhance our lives abundantly. Our faith is enforced by our fellowship when that fellowship is conducted in spirit and truth. When we forego fellowship it is to our own detriment spiritually; iron sharpens and iron and one man another’s countenance. The right kind of fellowship produces the right kind of results which bring glory, praise, and honor to our Lord. Keep the Faith and the Faith will keep You! Selah
Shalom, Agape, & Amen!
Bishop D. Ray Ritchie (Faith Evangelistic Ministries Int.)
