THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH AND THE DUTY THEREIN
Daniel Valles 11/6/06   www. informedchristians.com

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

As Christians, we share a special relationship and kinship that the world cannot comprehend. Just as in days of old, how there was the house of Jacob and the house of David, so today there is a present, physical house of God. Hebrews 3:6 says, “But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we…” Colossians 1:18 explains that Christ “is the head of the body, the church…” The church is not, and never will be, a building; it is a body – a group, an assembly. In Matthew 18:20 Christ says, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

As Christians, we have a special obligation to gather together about ‘family’ matters. Even the secular world recognizes that a family will not remain ‘nuclear’, firm, functional, or stable if they do not gather and commune with each other. Many times in the New Testament, God’s Word describes the church as an assembly which assembled together in a certain place (Hebrews 12:23, James 2:2, Philemon 1:2, etc.).

God does not consider ‘church’ as a place where people go – it is what his children do. I am convinced that many ‘churches’ and Christians do not fully enjoy the fellowship that God intended because they do not fully recognize that we are not part of a social club that meets every Sunday and pays ‘dues’. We are a family that gathers together as a family reunion to learn more about our Father!

It grieves me deeply when I visit with other Christians (whether at a church’s building, or elsewhere) and the conversation revolves around everything but why the church is gathered together in the first place! So many Christians confuse socializing as fellowship! God said that the requirement for His presence amongst an assembly is that they “are gathered together in my name”. He did not say if we are gathered together to talk about sports and hunting, work and chores, hobbies and coworkers, potluck and ice cream that He would be present! Do not get me wrong, though, there is nothing wrong with socializing as Christians. However, fellowship as the house of God, about the head of the house, is what we are called to. We short-shrift ourselves when we salve our spiritual hungerings with socializing! There are thousands of young Christians starving to hear something about God at ‘church’ meetings!

I think a good way to explain this is through example.
The following is a list of types of speech that should be common in true fellowship:

• Do you remember the verse that says…
• I just read the missionary biography about…
• You read in Hebrews this week, too? Did you see in chapter two, where it says…
• Where in the Bible is Paul asking about…
• What are you studying about this week?
• Have you finished that video set on Christian music/evangelism? So-and-so wants to see it with their family. I really liked his points about…
• Who was it in the Bible who…
• So, what do you do in your ministry at the nursing home?
• That situation reminds me of the passage…
• Regardless of what that writer thinks and feels, the Bible still says…
• Can you remember to pray for me about…
• Learn anything exciting from God’s Word today?
• Check out this great book I’m reading on prayer… It was written by a preacher from the Great Awakening…
• Have you ever heard of the missionary who went to…
• If I remember right, Paul includes several qualifiers and conditions when he said…
• Remember, God said…
• How are you doing? It is well with my soul.
• We’ve been praying as a family about this for several weeks now…
• It’s been rough going, but the Lord showed me this verse yesterday morning.
• This week, my family is memorizing chapter one of…
• My son is getting really good at Bible trivia…
• Can you recommend a good book that explains the false doctrine in the Purpose Driven…
• …so I explained to him that the wages of sin is death.
• I was brought to tears yesterday when I read chapter twelve… It was as though the Lord shown a giant spotlight on it to get my attention…
• That verse you wrote in that card was such a blessing yesterday…
• Daddy, here is the prayer card for the missionary so we can pray for him tonight…
• Do you know what this verse means?
• I feel like Paul when he said…
• Let me share with you a couple of verses about that subject that the Lord showed me…

Now, if would compare that list to a sampling of what is discussed at most Christian gatherings and interactions today, do you see the shallowness at which most Christians are content to remain?

The secular world has the saying, “It takes two to tango”, meaning there are certain things that cannot be accomplished without more than one person. The same is true in the Christian’s life. As a body, we depend on other members of that body to function as a body. If we continue the analogy of the body, we know that organs of the body communicate with each other. However, if they are not properly communicating the way that they should (especially though the brain), there can be problems. There are certain activities and functions that are self-regulating and do not require much communication with other members. However, for the body to grow and flourish requires a great deal of proper communication. The same is true for Christians as members in His body. True, socializing is communication. However, that is not the limit or primary purposes of communication within the body. There is a vast difference between going over to someone’s house for some ice cream, versus getting together for a Bible study. If we emphasize Christian fellowship in an assembly, make sure that people know what you are encouraging, so they don’t go off and suggest having another socializing potluck or T-ball game. Again, while there is nothing wrong with those activities, that is not the fellowship that God calls us to.

In Act 2:41-42, we find an interested use of the word ‘fellowship’. “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” I can guarantee you that these new converts, in fellowship with the apostles, were not engaged in fond retellings of the recent games and circuses, or the play-by-play of their latest hunting venture. True Christian fellowship is the discourse of edification!

Is it no wonder, then, that the much-quoted verse on ‘church’ building attendance has an interesting qualifier in the verse right before it. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”  Notice the colon! Verse 25 is a continuation of the thought in 24. The assembling together and one-on-one encouragement and edification go together! That is the primary reason why we assemble together! The passage twice emphasizes “one another”. It is not just the pastor’s job to be the edifier. I see so many churches that think that the pastor’s message is the edification time, and they stick around hardly for five minutes when he is done. If that were the proper extent of our edification, we might as well just stay home and buy sermon tapes (which is how I feel sometimes after visiting some church buildings). There have been times that I wanted to tell someone “I just drove x miles to get here for Christian fellowship, burning x gallons of gasoline, and all you can talk about is sports?! I could have stayed home and read the Bible or studied!” Granted, many times the sermons are edifying. However, if I cannot share what was gleaned or edified by with my brethren, I am lacking true Christian fellowship.

Well, to get back on track, how should this household of believers behave toward each other? Fellow Christians are not merely likeminded club members. Fellow Christians are not even merely our neighbors. In a way, they are more than even just a brother and sister in Christ.

In Philippians 2:24-30, we find Paul describing an event which shows the heartbeat of the early church Christian: “But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly. Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation: Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.”

When we read Paul’s exhortation from verses three through five preceding that, we find the mind that Paul was encouraging for all believers, and then illustrated by Epaphroditus. “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”

This mind – which was also in Christ Jesus. That is the mindset on the Christian life that we are to emulate. We are not to fill our mind, time, and life with distractionary fluff that amounts to nothing in eternity! Our service, thoughts, motives, and drive should be the same as Christ – we are not here for ourselves, but for others. You see, the flesh consumes sports, activities, work, etc. It is something that we like to do. Christ said that He must be about the Father’s business. Even at a young age, his mindset was not for himself.

In Philippians 4:3, Paul warmly says, “And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.”  Who are you a yokefellow and fellowlabourer with? You see, when you get busy for God, you have something to talk about! When you sit at home on the couch and watch hellivision, you have something different to talk about! Our life should be completely for God and other people! Paul told the church that he would rather be in Heaven, but he remains on earth to accomplish the work that God gave him. Our employment here on earth is merely our side-job. Our top job is a ministry ministering! Retirement is not an option! I should be a candle, set on a hill, and burning at both ends!

Many times in the New Testament, God emphasizes that our obligation is to others.

• Luke 10:27 “…Thou shalt love …thy neighbour as thyself.”
• Mat 22:39 “… Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
• Mat 19:19 “…Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
• Mat 5:43 “…Thou shalt love thy neighbour...”
• Gal 5:14 “…Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

Mark 12:31 “ …Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”  None other! Not even what you want to do, where you want to go, what you want to pursue. The greatest commandments are to serve God and to serve others! Of course, the question came up, Who is my neighbor? Jesus answered that question by the parable of the Samaritan.  In Luke 10:36-37, He concluded by saying, “Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.”

Galatians 6:10 further explains, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” This is not a suggestion – this is a commandment. For sake of this article, we are just going to focus on those of the household of faith.

Perhaps one of the greatest ways in which a Christian can help a brother or sister in Christ is to be a refreshing. While we live in this world, our spirit should not be content to dwell here and be enthralled by its enticements. Our spirit should be refreshed in the presence and conversation of other Christians, yearning for a home we have never been to. What refreshing is it to the soul to get together with other Christians and talk animatedly about pursuits of the world? Paul frequently mentioned how that other Christians were a refreshing to him.

• II Corinthians 7:13  “Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.”
• 1 Corinthians 16:18  “For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such.”
• II Timothy 1:16  “The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain.”
• Philemon 1:7  “For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.”

Let us strive that each time we are with another brother or sister in Christ to be a spiritual refreshing to them – comforting, providing spiritual joy, consolation, love, and edification.

Romans 15:1-2 says, “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.”

In Romans 15:30-32, Paul again shows the spirit amongst believers: “Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints; That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.”  They were prayer warriors who prayed for each other, shared their heart and needs with one another, and (most importantly) were each dedicated to serving Christ as a faithful steward.

1 Peter 3:8 and Galatians 5:22-24 implore us to cultivate fruits of the spirit in our lives, not the fruits of the world. “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous.” “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”  Do you have an obvious love for God, or an obvious love for the world? What fruits are you cultivating in your life and also cultivating in the lives of others?

In II Corinthians 12:15, Paul promises, “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you…”  Paul recognized that fulfillment in life comes not in serving our self and flesh, but by serving God and serving others. Serving ourselves can be as simple as being selfish with our time, accruing much more than we need just for the sake of having it, or by gaining a thorough command of totally useless information (ie. sports, cars, arts and crafts, etc.)

Romans 8:12-14 reminds us, “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

Finally, in 1 Ti 3:14-15, Paul explains that, “these things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”

If you have trusting in Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, to take away your sin, you are part of the household of faith – the body of Christ, where He is the head. As a member of this family, as in any family, there are rules and expectations of its family members. Christ calls His children to live for Him, assemble as a church, edify one another, and to act in service to others.

May the Lord find the conversation of your walk and lips to edify, exhort, encourage, and refresh.