Living in Fellowship Makes us Like Christ

Phil. 2:1-4

Fellowship is vital to spiritual growth and development.

Fellowship to the growing believer is like water for fish, it’s air for birds.

Fellowship happens when Christians share their life with other believers in an atmosphere of love and respect.

Romans 15:7, “Wherefore receive ye one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God.”

We must accept the fact that we are different but one body in Christ.
  • Different personalities
  • Difference in appearance
  • Difference in our speech
  • Difference in our resources
  • Difference in our dress
  • Difference in our educational level
We cannot allow Satan to use those things to cause division in the body of Christ.

Our relationship with each other determines the value of our relationship with God.

The church at Philippi was a good church but God and Paul were not completely happy with how they treated each other and how they did not share theirs lives together in loving each other.

Paul urges them to “fulfill my joy that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being on one accord”- vs. 2.

A bible principle we need to be cognitive of is living in fellowship with one another makes us like Christ.

You cannot be a disciple of Christ not loving others like Christ loves you.

Fellowship and discipleship go hand in hand, you can’t have one without the other.
 
  1. Christ is our example of fellowship- vs. 1.
  2. Fellowship pleases God and makes us like Jesus- vs. 2
  3. Selfish pride destroys fellowship and Christlikeness- vs. 3-4

Communication is a vital aspect of fellowship that causes the body to grow spiritually mature.

Getting to know each other and being known by each other.
  • If we knew each other, we would not assume the worst of each other.

Fellowship occurs when everyone communicates in love with other believers and the whole church becomes strengthened as a result.
 
  1. Christ is our example of fellowship- vs. 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.”

         The if is actually since, it’s not a question as to if these virtues exist in Christ, they absolutely are.
  1. What Christ is to us we are to be to others.
  2. Fellowship is sharing God’s ministry to the body of Christ.
  3. Since these five virtues exist in Christ and since we are in Christ exercise these virtues toward each other.
  • Consolation is encouragement.
  • Comfort of love is tender affection.
  • Fellowship of the Spirit is sharing His presence and His power.
  • Bowels and mercies are affectionate compassion that bonds together.
 
  1. Fellowship pleases God and makes us like Jesus- vs. 2.
         “Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”
  1. Pleasing God in this life should be a high priority.
  2. God is pleased when we live in harmony with each other.
  • Psa. 133:1, “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.”
  • Unity, harmony, and fellowship is important to God.
 
  1. Fellowship that pleases God are these actions:
 
  1. Being like minded is thinking the same thing.
  • 2nd Cor. 13:11, “Finally, brethren farewell be perfect, be of good comfort, be one minded live in peace and the love of God and peace shall be with you.”
  1. Having the same love toward one another without partiality.
  • Unconditional love
  • John 15:12-13, “This is my commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
  1. Being on one accord is having your souls joined together, that is living as one soul and of one mind is to have the same goal.
  • The goal of this church is a spiritually healthy church where Christ is seen and heard.
  • If we think on this we will become this.
Let’s review, fellowship is:
  • Being likeminded.
  • Having the same love.
  • Being on one accord.

 
  1. Selfish pride destroys fellowship and Christlikeness- vs.3-4
         “Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.”
  1. Let nothing be done to cause division in the body of Christ.
  • Strife refers to selfish ambition of getting ahead of someone else.
  • Vain glory is steeping on others to make you look good.
  1. Humility builds fellowship whereas pride tears it down.
  2. A proud spirit will not allow you to grow spiritually mature.
  • Pride is only concerned about him or herself.
  • Churches are divided because of pride that lives in immature people.
         Look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others-vs. 4.

To be in fellowship with Christ is to be concerned people.

Being concerned is expressed through ministering to others.

We serve God through serving people!

We love God through loving people!

To have a right relationship with God is to have a right relationship with the saints of God.