Scripture Reading: 1 Cor. 10:16-17; 2 Cor. 13:14; Acts 2:42; 1 John 1:3
Ⅰ
We need to have a complete, thorough knowledge concerning the fellowship of the Body of Christ—1 Cor. 10:16-17:
A
The Body of Christ is uniquely one universally, and the fellowship of the Body of Christ is also uniquely one universally—Eph. 4:4-6.
B
Fellowship is the issue of the eternal life and is actually the flow of the eternal life within all the believers, who have received and possess the divine life— 1 John 1:3.
C
This fellowship is illustrated by the flow of the water of life in the New Jerusalem—Rev. 22:1.
D
This fellowship is carried on by the Spirit in our regenerated spirit; hence it is called the "fellowship of the Holy Spirit" (2 Cor. 13:14) and "fellowship of [our] spirit" (Phil. 2:1).
E
The circulation of blood in our physical body is also a good picture of the fellowship, the flow of the divine life, in the Body of Christ—cf. Rom. 12:4-5:
１
Just as the health of our physical body depends on the circulation of our blood, so the health of the Body of Christ depends on the fellowship of the Spirit.
２
The fellowship of the Body of Christ is simply the circulation, the current, of the Spirit.
３
The Spirit today is the "blood" in Christ's Body; if Christ's Body did not have the Spirit, it would be like a corpse—Eph. 4:4a.
４
When this all-inclusive Spirit is circulating within the Body of Christ, divinity, humanity, Christ's person, Christ's death, and Christ's resurrection all are circulating—Phil. 1:19.
５
Calling on the name of the Lord causes the Spirit to circulate within us so that we enjoy all of Christ's riches—Rom. 10:12; Neh. 8:10.
Ⅱ
The fellowship of the Body of Christ is the fellowship of the apostles—the divine fellowship between all the believers and the Triune God—Acts 2:42; 1 John 1:3:
A
The fellowship of the apostles is based upon the apostles' teaching; the teaching is the element and the realm of the fellowship.
B
Teaching is the unveiling of God's New Testament economy concerning Christ and the church; fellowship is the communion and communication between the believers in their communion and communication with God the Father and Christ the Son.
C
To be in the fellowship of the apostles is to put aside our private interests and join with the apostles and the Triune God for the carrying out of God's purpose.
D
The fellowship of the apostles is the fellowship for the Lord's unique recovery:
１
The Lord desires to recover Christ as everything to us—1 Cor. 1:9.
２
The Lord desires to recover the oneness of the Body of Christ—John 17:11, 21-23; Eph. 4:3.
３
The Lord desires to recover the functioning of all the members of the Body of Christ—Eph. 4:16; 1 Cor. 14:4b, 26, 31.
Ⅲ
There is the need today for the fellowship among the churches; this fellowship is to keep the universal oneness of the Body of Christ—John 17:11b, 20-23; Eph. 4:3-6:
A
The trouble in the churches today is due to the shortage of the fellowship, the circulation of the blood; this lack of fellowship gives the enemy the opportunity to come in.
B
If any part of the Body of Christ is separate, that part will eventually die; the best way to stay healthy is to "receive more blood and to give more blood," that is, to stay in the fellowship, the circulation of life:
１
The circulation of blood within our body carries nourishment to every part of our body and also causes our body to be cherished; in like manner, the fellowship in the Body nourishes us with the riches of Christ and cherishes us with the presence of Christ as the Spirit.
２
The circulation of blood within our body is like a river that always carries away the waste in our being so that it can be discharged; in like manner, the fellowship in the Body carries away all the negative things.
C
The local churches are many in different localities; the Body of Christ as the church, the unique universal church, is expressed through the local churches— Rev. 1:11.
D
The local churches are locally kept away from one another by their being in different localities, but they are not divided universally.
E
The local churches should fellowship with all the genuine local churches on the whole earth to keep the universal fellowship of the Body of Christ:
１
Any local church that does not keep this universal fellowship of the Body of Christ is divisive and becomes a local sect.
２
A church is one that remains in the Body; a sect is a group of believers who divide themselves from the Body.
F
Every local church should receive all kinds of genuine believers in Christ— Rom. 14:1-6; 15:1-7.
G
A believer can be kept away from the fellowship of a local church, that is, the fellowship of the Body of Christ, because of only three things:
１
The first thing is being divisive, making divisions and causes of stumbling contrary to the apostles' teaching—Rom. 16:17; Titus 3:10.
２
The second thing is being heretical, denying that Christ came in the flesh (denying Christ's person in His humanity and denying His redemptive work)—2 John 7-11.
３
The third thing is the committing of gross sins and living in these sins, not being willing to repent of them and forsake them—1 Cor. 5:9-13; cf. 2 Cor. 2:5-11.