Would you fellowship part three

What about all of the above?

 

I think I have probably worshiped with all these type people. Most of the time, I don't even need to know all about every person with whom I worship.

Hopefully I haven't been very many of these :saint:

 

When it comes to alcoholics, drug addicts, child abusers, etc.., they would have to be former or recovering whatever. I do not believe that true worship is possible when one has unconfessed, unforsaken sin in his/her life.
Ps 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: (KJV)
Pr 15:29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous. (KJV)

 

All Of The Above! Except For None Of The Above...that Is The Only One I Left Unchecked

 

So are we to simply forget these people? Are we not orderd to go into all nations?

 

I indicated none

I assumed from the poll that these folks are unsaved.

As unsaved people, I cannot biblically fellowship with them. We can only fellowship with those who are born again believers.

1Co 1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Phillipians 2:1 ¶ If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

1Jo 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

Fellowship is an intimate relationship, which a believer first has with God and Jesus Christ, and which then extends to each other. You have to be in Christ to have fellowship with other believers.

This relationship of fellowship does not and cannot extend to unbelievers.

2Co 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

Our relationships with unbelievers must have one goal and one goal alone, which is to help bring them into a relationship with the Father and the Son: a relationship which is formed when one comes to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

We should seek out unbelievers as opportunities present themselves and befriend them solely for this purpose.

Christ is our example in this....Mt 11:19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

Lu 7:34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!

 

In actuality we all worship with all of these groups regularaly. We may not know it, but if it is a large group each group is, in all probability, represented. Christ never said, "Worship with only your buddies or those who agree with you, or just with those with popular sins .......................... etc.."

Until we begin to take the teachings of Christ seriously the world will never come to Christ.:tonofbricks:

 

Thats funny, the last time I checked, sinful, mortal man could not determine who is saved and who is not. If you have learned that gift, please teach it to the rest of us.

 

I think you have misunderstood me

I believe you have misunderstood me....it is my understanding that those who have not put their faith in Jesus Christ are not saved.

I took the poll to mean those outside, not within the congregation. Naturally, within any particular congregation, there shall be a mix of folks...I was not addressing them, but those who have not as yet professed faith in Christ.

An example are my neighbors, Carol and Rick. They are not saved as yet, and are living together without the benefit of marriage vows. We welcomed them into the neighborhood with jellies and jams. We've gone over to say hi many times. I have had the opportunity to discuss the gospel with Carol...we haven't had the opp with Rick yet. These are the folks with whom we cannot have biblical fellowship with yet, but are praying that that will change someday, Lord willing!

 

Good for you. Keep up the good work, the good prayers, the showing of your faith by acting. :jesus:

 

I did misunderstand and sorry about that, chief. There have been so many post who claim to have divine knowledge about salvation, I am quick on the keyboard trigger.

Most of the time, if there are those who are members within a congregation, attending regularly even, who are doing some of the things on the list, most of the time, one would not know it. That is a case where even if I knew it, would not make a judgement of salvation. A lot of it has to do with a slip into temptation once, or a pattern of sin that shows no sign of conviction.

Again, sorry.

 

Thank you

We appreciate your prayers for this couple!

 

oh, don't worry about it!

Thank you and don't worry about it! You are right on, we are not to make a judgment of salvation on the part of someone who professes belief in Jesus Christ!

 

If these people came into a church I happen to be a pastor of, they're welcome to sit and listen as long as they don't make a commotion of any sort to deliberately disturb the church or any of its members.

If they do, they're outta there, till the next time.

They will be as welcome as the next clean-living, clean-looking, decently dressed individual or families and members of the church, they will be loved and treated with respect as human beings.

However, if I am not the pastor, it will be the call of whoever is pastor, but with Primitive Baptist churches, I have never heard of anyone to whom the doors of the church were slammed.

In Maryland, we have had a pair or two of practicing homosexuas come in to church several times, one obviously practicing lesbian, we definitely had our share of dysfunctional families, and so on come in on a Sunday, most unexpectedly.

They were all greeted with love, and treated with respect, and if the church happened to be having fellowship lunch, they were most welcome to stay.

However, if the message on that Sunday morning happened to be about homosexuality or sexual sins or anything that may happen to brush up against their lifestyles or current situation, the message remained the same, no apologies.

 

Wow! You just described our church. This week we had all of those. Well, except the IRS agent - we do have to draw the line somewhere :laugh: . And our homeless visitor wasn't "on-the-street" homeless, she had found a friend to stay with temporarily.

We have a couple who Human Services has taken thier child, but it was because of alcohol and stupidity than deliberate abuse. (Lesson: You probably can't outrun the cops if your sober, but it's pretty much a lock you can't do it drunk and carrying an 8 month old baby.) I got to lead both parents to Christ about 6 weeks ago. The mom has be sober and attending Celebrate Recovery, Sunday worship and Wednesday Bible study and has been sober all the way. The dad relapsed once and messed up pretty good. I'm still counseling with him (long story, he can't come to church when the mom is there) and other than that one relapse, he's been sober.

I don't know of any confessed porn addicts, but with a crowd of around 125 I think it's a given.

Lots of recovering meth addicts and their families there this week.

 

Lol!

LOL! I would have the same thoughts of that IRS guy, LOLOL!:smilewinkgrin:

 

As far as anyone supposedly having the super-human ability to discern who is a true believer or not.......Paul gives some pretty good advice to avoid this insanity.

He doesn't tell us to break fellowship by judging whether someone is a Christian or not. The rule of thumb given is that if that person calls himself a Christian and exhibits these visible sins, then stay away from them.

As far as unbelievers, of course, we are to be salt and light...something hard to do in a fortress of Christian-only fellowship. See the first paragraph below which is verses 9 and 10.

How many times did Jesus criticize all the oral law that the Pharisees had added to Mosaic law...don't associate with gentiles, Samaritans, sinners., etc.

 

Nice post

Very nice post.

 

I cannot fellowship with anyone who does not know Christ. However others can watch belivers worship.

Some of the most zealous I have encountered are those who come to Christ knowing their past was terribly wrong and know their need for Christ.