Is there a difference to preaching the Gospel to all and to fellowshipping with all, or is it all the same thing and should believers and unbelievers be fellowshipping together?
What about those who hold on to willful sin, those who lie, steal, cheat, covet, fornicate, etc. at will without showing shame or repentance for their sin, should we fellowship with willful sinners?
The tractor with a full load from the fields is arriving, so therefore get ready to unload the goodness of God’s truth, get ready to work as you have to test all against the Word of God and keep only the good. So in the “Churches” today and yes that is in inverted commas as to the fact that you are the church, go and read this and then return, but with that said “churches” today an open door policy exists. The sinner, saint and those willful sinners all congregate in fellowship on a Sunday and in some churches on Wednesday as well, and yes one big happy family praising God and feeling fine.
Many a preacher will say that we need to preach the Word of God to the fallen and in so doing bring them to Christ and salvation. When it comes to that brother or sister, and yes please take note this is not talking about backsliding or sinning due to a reaction, yes a metaphor meaning not sinning willfully, and that brings us to those saints that do willfully sin and then all we do is we pray for them while waiting for God to heal them. We all know the brother that gets drunk on Friday and Saturday, beats the wife black and blue and sits in the deacon’s bench on Sunday. Then there is the brother and sister that are both married, or one married and the other not or both single but fornicating or living in sin in plain sight but nothing is said or done.
So can this situation be correct, believers and unbelievers with willful sinners all worshipping the Lord God together, is this Biblical or not?
Do Not Partake of the World.
Many a believer today lives more in the world that in their belief, saying every ten seconds at the soccer game, praise the Lord, or while Suzie is trying out for the cheer leading squad in her skimpy outfit, fit for a brothel, mom is saying, Jesus is Lord! Guess what, no one there cares, it is the world sinful and content in their filth and you are partaking, eating at their table.
So what does the Bible say about the world, does it give us any advice, command that should be followed and the answer is yes, plenty!
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1Jo 2:15
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 1Jo 2:16
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 1Jo 2:17
The brother out on Saturday night or cavorting in a questionable way, well they are of the world and do not have the love of the Father in them, it is loud and clear.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Rom 12:2
Can you claim to be transformed but then continue on in the world and not just that but sacrifice your children to it, well?
Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Jam 4:4
So, you can be a friend to the world and serve God, well God says if you dare you are the enemy of God. Now I might not be the sharpest kitchen knife in the pack, but even I can understand that the love of the world means the loss of everlasting life.
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Mat 6:24
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. John 15:18
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. John 15:19
There you have it, if you still operate in the world and they love you, well then there is a bit of a problem and you should stop and take stock, immediately, for this is no light matter to be smirked at, it is life eternal or not.
The Fellowship of the Believer and Unbeliever is it Even Possible?
Please take care not to misunderstand that there is a vast difference between preaching the Gospel to the saved and fellowshipping between believers, it is night and day. Here we deal with the saved and unsaved that worship together, and the answer is in the Bible is clear and needs no other interpretation rather than read and obey.
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 2Co 6:14
And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 2Co 6:15
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 2Co 6:16
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 2Co 6:17
And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. 2Co 6:18
There are more verses but if this is not enough for you to understand then it is unfortunately impossible for me to give you anymore truth, only a hardened heart will reject what is written above and that from the Word of God.
Having Fellowship with Carnal Believers.
In the following verses we will see that Paul is very clear that he is referring to a brother, a fellow believer that is a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, and these persons you should have no fellowship with because that is what it says that you should not eat with such a person. Paul goes on to say that if we look without then surely we need to look within, well Paul is saying that if we look at the world for danger then we must look at our own to weed out those dangers amongst us. If this warning is so clear about a brother that is carnal and must be avoided then why would you believe that the world can attend fellowship with us before they have converted and we have tested their spirit against the word of God, have seen their fruit.
I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 1Co 5:9
Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 1Co 5:10
But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 1Co 5:11
For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 1Co 5:12
But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. 1Co 5:13
May the truth lead you into the light and set you free, for we are perchance to holy while rooted in our own sins, inspect your life and repent before those that love God deeply have to deal with you harshly before you realize your willful is unacceptable to God and places your brethren in danger of being disobedient to God!