THE RIGHT HANDS OF FELLOWSHIP NO. 12

By

Shelby G. Floyd

 

And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.—Galatians 2:9 KJV

LESSON TWELVE

FELLOWSHIP WITH THE SUFFERING OF OTHERS

While the Christian life is predominately a life of joy and happiness, because of the salvation that one has in Christ Jesus, nevertheless, there must be times when there will be sickness and sorrow, crying and tears, pain and death. For these things will not pass away until we reach the heavenly state (cf. Revelation 21:4). Continue reading “THE RIGHT HANDS OF FELLOWSHIP NO. 12”

THE RIGHT HANDS OF FELLOWSHIP NO. 10

By

Shelby G. Floyd

And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.—Galatians 2:9 KJV

In this lesson we shall further examine the fellowship of both the Jew and the Gentile in spiritual things: “It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things” (Romans 15:27 NKJV). Continue reading “THE RIGHT HANDS OF FELLOWSHIP NO. 10”

THE RIGHT HANDS OF FELLOWSHIP NO. 9

By

Shelby G. Floyd

And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.—Galatians 2:9 KJV

FELLOWSHIP WITH THE HEAVENLY CALLING, THE OLIVE TREE, THE GOSPEL

“It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things” (Romans 15:27). In this statement Paul affirmed that the Gentiles had been made partakers of the spiritual things of the Jews. In previous articles, several of these spiritual things of which both Jew and. Gentile were made partakers have been mentioned; several more spiritual things concerning both the Jew and the Gentile will be examined in this essay. Continue reading “THE RIGHT HANDS OF FELLOWSHIP NO. 9”

THE RIGHT HANDS OF FELLOWSHIP NO. 7

By

Shelby G. Floyd

And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. –Galatians 2:9 KJV

PART FOUR

FELLOWSHIP WITH SPIRITUAL THINGS

LESSON SEVEN

FELLOWSHIP WITH THE BODY OF CHRIST

Near the end of the great letter, which Paul wrote to the Christians at Rome, he stated to them his desire to visit them on his way to Spain. But at the time he was writing the letter to them, he was on a trip to Jerusalem, to minister unto the saints in that area. He stated to them how the Christians at Macedonia and Achaia had been pleased to make a certain contribution for the poor saints, who were at Jerusalem, and then he added these significant words,

“It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things” (Romans 15: 27).

Often the subject of fellowship is treated in too general a way. It is the purpose of this essay and some which are to follow, to define Christian fellowship in more specific terms. In Romans 15: 27, we have a phrase that specifically defines Christian fellowship. Paul speaks of the Gentiles having been made “partakers of their spiritual things.” The word partakers, is from koinoneo, and is a first aorist indicative verb meaning, “to come into communion or fellowship, to become a sharer, to be made a partner” (Thayer, p. 351). Partaker is used in Rom. 15: 27, with the dative of the thing in which they shared and were made partners; therefore, the object of the verb partakers is the clause, “spiritual things.” Since the term partakers, is a verb, this implies certain acts were done in order to have and maintain fellowship with spiritual things. Continue reading “THE RIGHT HANDS OF FELLOWSHIP NO. 7”

THE RIGHT HANDS OF FELLOWSHIP

By

Shelby G. Floyd

 

And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. -Galatians 2:9 KJV

Continue reading “THE RIGHT HANDS OF FELLOWSHIP”