Friday, June 19, 2009

Biblical Fellowship: Live Together or Die Alone (4)

Live Together or Die Alone

In Hebrews the stakes are high. Read Hebrews 3 and 4 carefully and see that it is so (see also Hebrews 10:26-31 and 12:25-29). Sin takes no prisoners. It deceives, then debilitates, then damns. “When sin is fully grown it brings forth death” (James 1:15).

John Owen used to say, “Be killing sin or sin will be killing you.” Hebrews would indicate that this mortification of sin is a community project;* a matter best handled by something akin to a wartime band of brothers, rather than by a loose association of lone rangers. We either live together or we die alone.**

Do We Save Each Other?

We are not redeemed by each other’s ministry, but we cannot stay redeemed or endure in faith without it.*** Passages like Hebrews 3:12, 13 indicate that if we do not encourage/exhort each other daily, people will be hardened and will fall away from the living God. The redeeming and meritorious means by which we are saved is the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ alone (that’s what Hebrews 5-10 are all about). But the human and here-and-now means by which we are kept saved is the fellowship of other believers. Elsewhere, Paul says that through his life and teaching, Timothy would “save” both himself and those who heard him (1 Timothy 4:16). That’s a startling statement, but a true one.

The role that the church plays in the salvation of each member is similar to that played by parents in their children’s lives. Parents are not the ultimate life-giver or provider for children; God is. But God gives and preserves life in a child by means of the care and provision of parents. He is the Ultimate means of our children’s safety; we are the secondary means.

Likewise as God gives and preserves life in a child by means of the care and provision of parents, so He saves and preserves the salvation of the believer by means of the care and provision of fellowship within the body of Christ. God saves people, but He keeps them saved through us.


* I must be clear to say that the Bible doesn’t endorse an intrusive community approach to every sin in every believer’s life. There are many sins that Christians commit that are occasional and episodic rather than habitual and enslaving. These occasional sins need only be confessed to God, and, if one desires, to others for additional care and prayer. What the community of faith must be attentive to in one another has more to do with habits of sin—sin patterns that threaten to harden a brother or sister in a way of disobedience and unbelief, or harm another person in any way. As a means of grace for one another we must care enough to step into each other’s lives and to invite one another in, so that we can help keep each other from the deadening effects of sin habits and patterns.

** “Perseverance of the saints is a community project. Being together in smaller settings, exhorting one another day in and day out over the phone, in person, face to face, in notes, in e-mails. This is not the icing on the cake! We won’t survive and go to heaven without it” (John Piper).

*** I would want this statement to be nuanced carefully. Fellowship is one of God’s normal means for keeping people in the faith. Of course there are unusual circumstances in which people are isolated from other believers through no fault of their own, and there may be individuals whose view of the church is so distorted that they neglect seriously the biblical call to fellowship, whom God, in His mercy will preserve in faith anyway. Still, Hebrews and other scriptures make it plain that fellowship is one of God’s normal means to keep believers persevering in faith, without which perseverance they will not be saved (Matthew 24:10-12). They would also make clear that when believers neglect such fellowship they will be unfruitful and unblessed, even if saved in the end.

4 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

PETER WRITES:

Tim, this is good material you have here. The analogy of the parent/child relationship is helpful... I never considered that before.

Let me say here and now, that I am open to pastoral correction, or any word from a number of the men (and women) we fellowship with there at Trinity. I'd be a fool not to be open to it. Of course, there is a part of me that will want to deflect such challenges, or at least try to defend against them. But I know that what you are talking about in these posts is necessary and LIFE GIVING.

So, Tim, Steve, Bruce, JR, Scott, Tim, Theresa, Gayline, Frank and Cealy, etc., etc. Do me a favor, and offer me your insight and wisdom, and lovingly judge me, so that I will not be judged later.

Petros

June 19, 2009 at 8:22 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Objectivity regarding others is always easy. Objectivity about ourselves is quite another story. What the old writers called "remaining corruption" in the believers heart will always inhibit a proper view of our own lives. As Peter said, please judge me here and now. I don't want any surprises in the "last day". Amen & Amen
JR

June 19, 2009 at 1:57 PM  
Blogger Tom Coughlin said...

This is good, really good...good like looking forward to having your arm cut off by your friend while your out in the woods with a bad case of gangrene on your forearm! It has to be done, or we die. Church life doesn't usually practice this most important care for one another in a healthy manner. The hatchet is used instead of the scalpel, and too often the one who does the amputating doesn't consider that he might be under the knife soon himself. "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him GENTLY...".
By the way, I too, like Peter, and Anonymous(Greek fellow in the church?)want my fellow brothers to watch out for sinful habits that shade the reflection of Jesus Christ in my life, or worse, rule my life, taking the place of my Savior Jesus.

June 20, 2009 at 7:10 AM  
Blogger Petros said...

JR and Tom, I appreciate your wise words, and the sincere heart from which they come... This is what I call Friendship!

Thank you.

June 22, 2009 at 11:31 AM  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home