Bible Study Fellowship with God

[charlesj]

Once we have settled upon the Bible as the only authoritative inspired message of God, then we can move forward into agreement with God. God has provided a way that we can have fellowship with Him… Jesus is the ONLY true and living way unto the Father! (John 14:6). The difference between Denominationalism and Christianity is the starting point. Christianity begins with our allegiance to God and fellowship with Him (as individuals) before we ever start thinking about a “group or an allegiance with a groupâ€Â… It is just the opposite with Denominationalism.

Fellowship with God

1. The Sin Problem.
 Sin (violation of God’s Law) Alienates us from God – Isaiah 59:1,2 Isaiah 59:1-2 NLT 1 Listen! The LORD is not too weak to save you, and he is not becoming deaf. He can hear you when you call. 2 But there is a problem -- your sins have cut you off from God. Because of your sin, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.
 The wages of sin is death (separation from God) -- Romans 6:23.
 All accountable people have sinned. –Romans 3:9,23
2. God’s Part. Before Creation God Planned to Save us in Christ – Ephesians 1:3,4
 Christ Purchased (redeemed) Believers by His Blood to God –Rev 5:9; 1 Peter 1:18-21
 Purchased Believers (when viewed as a group) are called “the churchâ€Â, or those in fellowship with God – Eph 1:10,11; Acts 20:28
3. Man’s Part. Accepting God’s Gracious Provision By Faith (trust) in Jesus Rom 3:21-26
 This “Faith†is an “Obedient Faith†(Trust) in Jesus – Rom 1:1-5; 16:25,26
 The “Obedient Faith†is from the Heart and finds it’s expression in “the form of Doctrine†(Baptism) –Rom 6:17,18; 6:3-11 Romans 6:17-18 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form (tupos)* of teaching to which you were entrusted. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

4. Who should be baptized?
 Believers in the Gospel Message – Mark 16:15,16 Mark 16:15-16 15 He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
 Those who have faith in the Working of God – Col 2:12 12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation (working) of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
 Penitent Believers – Acts 2:37, 38 - 37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission (pardon) of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

5. What is Baptism?
 Going into the water - Acts 8:38
 Much water – John 3:23
 A burial – Romans 6:3,4; Col 212 Romans 6:3-4 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (new birth)

6. Why be Baptized?
 Newness of Life – Rom 6:4
 Forgiven & Alive Col 2:13
 Remission of sins – Acts 2:38
 Sins Washed Away – Acts 22:16 16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
 Baptism (not the water) saves 1 Peter 3:21 21 The like figure (antitupos in Greek, We get our English word "antitype" from antitupos.) whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: (Tupos in Greek means “mold†or “mark.†The old typewriter has letters on each key… the key is a “type†and when it hits the ribbon, it leaves the mark. The flood was a ‘typeâ€Â… it wasn’t the real thing, but pointed to the real thing… it was an "type" to the real thing, the "antitype" is baptism.
This Greek word tupos is used again in Rom 6:17:18 and is translated “form†in the KJV. (A ‘form’ of doctrine, a tupos of doctrine, that is, a ‘mold’ of doctrine)

WE all know tha it is the BLOOD OF CHRIST that saves, but God chose to put us "into" Christ by baptism. According to the apostle Paul in Romans 6 when we are baptised, we immitate Christ, we go back in time and are buried WITH Christ and raised with Him to walk in NEWNESS (new birth) in life. This life is the Greek word "dzoe"... "God life." Praise His Name!
There are those (majority) that teach you are born again first, then buried(baptised). No, scripture (not me) teaches that you are buried (because you are dead) and then raised to life.
God allows Fellowship with Him Based completely on our confidence in Christ!!

Your servant in Christ,
charlesj

 

[stovebolts]

An excellent post Charlesj!

Since the topic is Fellowship, I’m hoping that my post will enhance yours. Please let me know as I do not want to hijack your thread (you really did a nice job)

Fellowship.
Strongs 2842. koinonia
from 2844; partnership, i.e. (literally) participation, or (social) intercourse, or (pecuniary) benefaction:--(to) communicate(-ation), communion, (contri-)distribution, fellowship.

Koinonia is generally translated as either communion or fellowship. I’ll post just a few verses below.

Strongs 3352. metoche
from 3348; participation, i.e. intercourse:--fellowship.

Lets look at the usage of 2842, Koinonia
Acts 2:42 deals with united baptized believersbreaking bread. (As set by example, Acts 20:7)
1 Corinthians 1:9 speaks to God’s faithfulness to those who have the testimony of Christ (1:6)
2 Corinthians 13:14 again speaks of fellowship (communion) with Christ.

Now, I’d like to point to a verse where both 2842 and 3352 are used together. It is not my intent to comment on this verse other than to show both greek words used in the same sentence. (BTW, not sure how many greek words translate at fellowship or communion, but there are a few and they each carry a different connotation)
KJV: 2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship (Strongs 3352 metoche) hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion (Strongs 2842 koinonia) hath light with darkness?

Focusing back to strongs 2842,
1 Corinthians 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion (Koinonia) of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion (Koinonia) of the body of Christ?

1 Corinthians 10:17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
See 1 Corinthians 12 speaking to the unity of the body of Christ and 1 Corinthians 11 for the instution of the Lords Supper (communion)

When we partake each first day of the week to in communion as set by example, we fellowship with the body of Christ (Church) through Christ and In Christ.

Charlesj, do you know of an instance where the First century church took communion whereas they weren’t professed baptized believers?

 

[charlesj]

Charlesj, do you know of an instance where the First century church took communion whereas they weren’t professed baptized believers?

Hello StoveBolts:

Loved it! (your post)

No, in my studies of the first century writers (some call them the 'church fathers'. They would turn over in their graves if they knew it.) I can't find where they allowed unbaptized persons to take the Lord's Supper.

We meet on the Lord's Day and partake of the Lord's Supper every week.
We don't question those who partake of the Lord's Supper. When a non-Christian partakes of the supper it's almost like baptizing a non believer, they just get wet. (That's my thoughts)

Albert Barnes, talking about Hebrews 13:10 says:

"Whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. A part of the meat offered in sacrifice among the Jews became the property of the priests and Levites, and they had, by the law, a right to this, as a part of their support. See Le 6:25,26; Nu 18:9,10. But the apostle says that there is a higher and more valuable sacrifice of which they have no right to partake while they remain in the service of the "tabernacle" or temple; that is, while they remain Jews. The participation in the great Christian sacrifice appertained only to those who were the friends of the Redeemer; sad however much they might value themselves on the privilege of partaking of the sacrifices offered under the Jewish law, that of partaking of the great sacrifice made by the Son of God was much greater."

Anyway, hope this helps in some way.

your servant in Messiah,
charlesj

 

[stovebolts]

Thanks Charlesj,

I liked how you brought Hebrews 13:10 into the equation as it wasn't even in my view. I'm not sure if you've heard of Coffman, but his commentaries can be found at Studylight.org. Here's what he had to say about that verse.

This is an astounding argument. Very well, he seems to say, "You people who want to eat according to the rules of the old order, hear this. Even the priests of that order could not partake of the bodies of the animals used in sin offerings, for they were burned without the camp. Very well, the true sin offering is Christ, who suffered without the camp, fulfilling the type; and they of the old order have no right whatsoever to partake of Christ, unless they shall repudiate the old order and identify themselves with him who suffered without the camp. Thus, the writer's argument is conclusive and overwhelming. Let his readers forget about keeping old rules and restrictions; to keep them is to make Christ unavailable to them. See under "Day of Atonement" (Hebrews 9:8).

You know what struck me though whith Albert Barnes comments is his usage of the tabernacle.

Just to pull this together, what do you think about adding this thought and how would you put this together? (don't mind me please, I'm just kind of thinking out loud)

<A-9,Verb,4637,skenoo>
"to pitch a tent" (skene), "to tabernacle," is translated "dwelt," in John 1:14, AV, RV marg., "tabernacled;" in Rev. 7:15, AV, "shall dwell," RV, "shall spread (His) tabernacle;" in Rev. 12:12; 13:6; 21:3, "dwell." See TABERNACLE.

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

I'm not sure if you've studied the tabernacle (Ex 25), but (with a broad stroke of the brush) that's where God camped with the Isrealites as you probably already know. Anyway, God basically pitched his "tent".

When we go through what your opening post stated, (and what this thread is about), God pitches his tent among us.

But what is our purpose? It's to give all praise, honor and glory to God. (honor and glory are the same greek word)

Anyway, sorry for this being so dispursed. It's a rough morning (yawn) and it's hard to put all of my thoughts together in a cohesive manner.

Thanks,
Jeff

Ohh, I've been struggling with open communion with non-baptised believers, but I've been leaning toward it being the opportunity to bring them closer to Christ.
Primarily I'm thinking that if a non baptised person comes to church and they want to partake in the fellowship of the body of Christ, then who am I to not allow them to partake since our journey through Christ is a maturing fellowship? Christ is not exclusive in that regard.

Just some more dispursed thoughts.