1. Diane Avenue Church of Christ John 3:16 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

2. A Study of The Local Church Lesson 5 - The Fellowship of a Christian Introduction: What does your relationship with God mean to you? A. If someone wants to be right with God he must put Him first. (Matt 10:37-39) B. When compromise is made in your loyalty to God, He calls it adultery. C. 1. How would you like to share your mate with another? 2. This is how God views our loyalty to Him. (2 Cor 11:2-4)

3. A Study of The Local Church Lesson 5 - The Fellowship of a Christian 3. The nation of Israel heard their adultery described. (Jer 3:6- 10) a. Judah in Josiah’s day was doing many good things outwardly. Why? Because they followed a good king, Josiah. b. God said they were not true in their hearts. This is what God sees.

4. A Study of The Local Church Lesson 5 - The Fellowship of a Christian I. Two Kinds of Fellowship II. A. There is fellowship with God. (1 John 1:1-3) III. 1. What is fellowship? Koinonia - Communion, fellowship, sharing in common... 2. Fellowship always has an object! In this case it is fellowship with God! 3. God dwells in us as Christians. We share in eternal life which is from God. (Acts 2:38; 1 Cor 6:19-20)

5. A Study of The Local Church Lesson 5 - The Fellowship of a Christian B. There is our fellowship with other Christians. (2 Cor 6:14; Gal 2:9; 1 Cor 12:23-27) 1. This relationship has its foundation in an underlying fellowship with God. 2. Here we share with one another spiritual encouragement, we recognize one another as Christians, and we share together in things Christians are to do together. 3. Consider the spiritual fellowship we have as Christians. (Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 10:16-17, 21-22)

6. A Study of The Local Church Lesson 5 - The Fellowship of a Christian II. The Biblical Bounds of Fellowship A. Before we extend fellowship to others as Christians, we must make a judgment as to whether they are faithful to God. (1 John 1:5-7) 1. We need to ask: Is this one a Christian? (Acts 9:26) 2. We also need to ask: Is this one a faithful Christian? (1 John 3:4-10; Eph 5:11) 3. There are limits to this kind of judgment. We are no trying to take Gods place! (1 Cor. 4:2-4)

7. A Study of The Local Church Lesson 5 - The Fellowship of a Christian 4. Why does this church exist? What is the primary reason for our relationship with one another? It is not the restoration heritage but the cross of Christ! (Gal 6:14) 5. What is our attitude toward other brothers and sisters in Christ? Do we view them as one for whom Christ died? (Rom 14:15, 20)

8. A Study of The Local Church Lesson 5 - The Fellowship of a Christian B. We can be wrong in our judgment. 1. The Christians at Jerusalem were wrong at first about Paul. (Acts 9:26) a. They did discover their error and correct it! (Acts 9:27-28) b. We must never let the fear of: We could be wrong, keep us from doing what the Lord demands! b. 2. The church at Corinth refused, at first, to withdraw from one practicing sin. (1 Cor. 5:1-3)

9. A Study of The Local Church Lesson 5 - The Fellowship of a Christian C. There is a standard upon which fellowship is based. 1. The New Testament is our standard. (2 Thess 3:6, 14; Rom 16:17; 1 Jn 4:6) 2. Some have asked: What is the doctrine of Christ? (2 John 9) 3. The doctrine of Christ is what Christ taught. (John 12:48; Rev 2:14)

10. A Study of The Local Church Lesson 5 - The Fellowship of a Christian D. How do we extend fellowship? 1. By recognizing and greeting one as a faithful brother. (2 John 9-11) 2. By supporting one in their teaching. (3 John 5-8) 3. By associating with one because they are right with God. (1 Cor 5:9-11; 2 Thess 3:14-15)

11. A Study of The Local Church Lesson 5 - The Fellowship of a Christian The Bible informs us that there are two dimensions to the Christian life. There is first and foremost the vertical dimension, the relationship that has now been established between the believer and God by virtue of the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross of Calvary. Now the believer’s sins have been forgiven, divine justice has been satisfied, and he is received into fellowship with God whom he now knows as his heavenly Father.

12. A Study of The Local Church Lesson 5 - The Fellowship of a Christian But as Christians we must not practice “elevator Christianity.” Just as a person gets into an elevator, pushes a button causing the doors to close and taking him to higher floors all by himself, so some Christians tend to focus only on the vertical dimension of the Christian life, their relationship with God.

13. A Study of The Local Church Lesson 5 - The Fellowship of a Christian  The Bible informs us that there is also a horizontal dimension to the Christian life, our relationship with fellow believers. The apostle John (in 1 John 1:3) tells us that when we receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior we are brought into fellowship not only with the Father, but also with all fellow believers who likewise belong to the family of God.  To better appreciate the “horizontal dimension” of the Christian life and how Christ expects us to interact with fellow believers, check out the Bible study courses on the topic, Christian Fellowship.

14. A Study of The Local Church Lesson 5 - The Fellowship of a Christian In the books of Acts we learn that the early church "continually" devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Today, as believers strive to follow the biblical example, it helps to understand what Christian fellowship means to the church today.fellowshipprayerChristian fellowship

15. A Study of The Local Church Lesson 5 - The Fellowship of a Christian  What the word fellowship means  In the original language, the word for fellowship in Acts 2:42 is koinonia. It means much more than attending a potluck dinner in the fellowship hall or even attending worship services with other believers. For a foundational and basic understanding it means a close association. This closeness goes beyond our earthly relationships. For a Christian, koinonia offers a multi-faceted application that encompasses our entire walk with Christ.koinoniaattending worship services

16. A Study of The Local Church Lesson 5 - The Fellowship of a Christian  Fellowship with JesusJesus  The closer we walk with Jesus the more we will experience fellowship with him. "If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth" (1 John 1:6) (NASB). In 1 Cor. 1:9 we see believers are "called into fellowship" with Jesus Christ.

17. A Study of The Local Church Lesson 5 - The Fellowship of a Christian  Fellowship with the Holy Spirit  The concept of fellowship with Jesus is easier to grasp for some because he became a man and lived on earth. Fellowship with Jesus is reflected in our walk with him. Christian fellowship also includes fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Jesus told his disciples that he had to go away and that he would send a helper (John 16:7), the Holy Spirit. 2 Cor. 13:14 points out we are to also have fellowship with the Holy Spirit, and Phil. 2:1 says that it will be evident in our life.

18. A Study of The Local Church Lesson 5 - The Fellowship of a Christian  Fellowship with the Father  Along with fellowship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, 1 John 1:3 also shows that our fellowship is with the Father. "…and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ" (NASB).

19. A Study of The Local Church Lesson 5 - The Fellowship of a Christian  Fellowship with other believers  Fellowship with Jesus, the Holy Spirit and with God the Father all have to do with our relationship with God. When we are devoted to this fellowship, it is reflected in our relationship with others and opens the way for the true Christian fellowship mentioned in Acts 2:42.

20. A Study of The Local Church Lesson 5 - The Fellowship of a Christian I John 1:7: " but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin" (NASB). Consider the verb walk. It is the process of putting one foot in front of the other to get from one place to another. Walking in fellowship in the Light will be reflected in our relationships on earth.

21. A Study of The Local Church Lesson 5 - The Fellowship of a Christian Philemon 1:6 "and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake" (NASB). Fellowship is more than sitting around and enjoying one another's company. Fellowship of your faith shows that true fellowship takes place on a spiritual level. This will be evident in conversations and actions.

22. A Study of The Local Church Lesson 5 - The Fellowship of a Christian  What Christian fellowship means  A good way to remember what Christian fellowship means is to think of the cross. A believer's relationship with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit can be compared to the vertical beam of the cross. Relationships with other believers are represented by the horizontal beam.

23. A Study of The Local Church Lesson 5 - The Fellowship of a Christian The word koinonia means to "share together, take part together." Believers are to be united in Christ as partners in the gospel. 1 Cor. 1:10 says, "Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment" (NASB)

24. A Study of The Local Church Lesson 5 - The Fellowship of a Christian Being united in this way will also result in sharing by giving to others. "And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need" (Acts 2:44-45) (NASB).