BIBLICAL BREAKING OF FELLOWSHIP
Joel Logan – Pastor, Sweet Springs Baptist Church, Ardmore, AL
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2 Thessalonians 3:6-7 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
“A man is known by the company that he keeps.”
Galatians 5:7, WHO did hinder you…
Luke 22:6, Judas sought opportunity to betray him in the absence of the multitude…
Reasons we break fellowship that are not biblical reasons:
· Position on some issue / pet-doctrine
· Getting offended
· Not getting what we want
“I can’t show you any of that in scripture, but I can show you that in the church!”
There ARE some biblical reasons to break fellowship:
1. Exercise discipline on those whose sins would harm the purity of the body, for the purpose of restoring them to fellowship (1 Corinthians 5:11).
2. Avoid those who cause division contrary to the doctrines you have learned (Romans 16:17-18) for the purpose of drawing away disciples after themselves (Acts 20:29-30).
3. Turn away from those who have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
4. Withdraw thyself from those who suppose that gain is godliness (1 Timothy 6:1-5).
5. Withdraw yourself from every brother that walketh disorderly – working not at all (2 Thessalonians 3:6-15).
We don’t believe that, because we don’t practice it.
There are also some that we know we should keep company with:
1. The one who led you to Christ, 1 Corinthians 4:15-16
2. Those who are following Jesus, 1 Corinthians 11:1
3. The faithful, Psalm 101:6; Ephesians 1:1
