What common ground serves as the basis of our fellowship as followers of Jesus? An encounter this past week prompted me to spend some time reflecting on this question once again.
Some Christians seem to base their fellowship on their understanding of certain doctrines. For them, it works like this: If I answer a question about the faith and you answer it in the same way, then we can walk and work together in the same church. But if you see the issue differently than I do, then we’d better find separate churches.
The Bible is clear about many core teachings—such as salvation by faith in Christ and his finished work, Jesus’ bodily resurrection and the fact that Jesus Christ is the God-Man. But there are other areas in which the Bible does not answer all the questions we might want to ask. For example, when will the “rapture” of the church occur? (The “rapture” is when Christians meet the Lord in the air.) Some say it will happen before the tribulation. Some say it will happen midway through the tribulation. And others say it will happen after the tribulation. You can find sincere, fruit-bearing Christians on all three sides of that issue.
It’s right and good to do our best to understand what God has revealed about such questions. At the same time, though, we need to remember—with Paul—that during this earthly life, “we know in part” (I Cor. 13:9). Even our best knowledge of a subject is only partial. And that’s okay. Even Paul, a man God used to write a major part of our New Testament, included himself among the partial knowers.
The problem comes when we begin to make our interpretation of debatable issues the litmus test for fellowship with others. When we do that, we divide the body of Christ, doing what Scripture itself clearly warns us not to do.
Can you imagine Jesus, in the last day, rejecting someone because they didn’t have quite the right take on the timing of his return for the church? No way! Our salvation hinges on our trusting relationship with Jesus—not on the way we understand Scripture on this or that secondary issue.
If Jesus is willing to spend eternity with people whose understanding is less-than-perfect, who are we to refuse to fellowship with them here on earth?
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