Edward Byrd

      It is not by getting all, or a majority, to agree with me. As desirable as that might be, it is not the way, even without any consideration as to whether my views are right or wrong. The goal must be that we all come to agree that Christ is the Head of the church and each of us is to surrender our hearts and lives to Him. All agree with me this far, I expect, but how do we come to such a state?
      I believe that a revival always has to begin in individual hearts. A church may vote to have a revival, and in their minds agree that this would be a wonderful goal, but we have to begin at the right place. I must come personally to the Lord with my cold heart and humble myself before Him if I am to have cleansing and refreshing. Doctrinal agreement is a good thing, of course, but first it is essential for hearts to be right with God. Yes, hearts must be in harmony with others, but this comes only as we are in harmony with Him. So much of the time individuals become so spiritually cold until they are not even aware of the sins in their lives!
      We attend the services, we hear the songs and the sermon, the Sunday School lessons, but we are not stirred. Can this happen to a person who has trusted Jesus as Savior, even one who belongs to the church? Yes, it does. There is a preponderance of influences through most of the hours of the week, so that the short services on Sunday, and even Wednesday night, do not stir us. Our hearts are hard. The news, the sports, the shows, the job, the problems, the habits of life, all combine to dull our spiritual sensibility and draw us away from God. We unconsciously compare ourselves with other believers and feel we add up pretty well. But have we given much thought to the way God feels?

There Are Two Elements in Revival

      First, possibly foremost, "Let it begin in me." My concern should be to see that I am personally surrendered to the Lord and aware that He is pleased with my desire to love and serve Him. That is not to say that I must feel that my life is all right, for it may be far from it, but I must be sure that I have put the matter into His hands. The second element is that the whole church needs to be revived. My repentance and my praying must be reflected in my concern.
      In this day of cold hearts there is entirely too much complacency. We will not say that we are all in good spiritual condition, but we are not willing to admit sin is sin, as God sees it. Here is a case in point when we think of sin: Heb 10:25: "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]: and so much more, as ye see the day approaching" (AV). Is it sin to forsake the assembly? Yes, but in our complacency it is so easy to excuse it, both in ourselves and in our homes and in our brethren. The children deserve some consideration so we let them go to games on Sunday and miss church, but we are responsible for them so we go with them. Good enough? Will the Lord say this should be an exception to the command to forsake not the assembling of yourselves together? I think not. My business requires my absence. It is a part of my making a living for my family. Good enough? Perhaps not. Are we honoring the Lord with that absence? About missing Sunday School regularly and coming in just in time for the sermon? Good enough? Very doubtful! Why? Because it is not obeying the gospel.
      Take a look at 1 Peter 4:1-19. Every facet of our lives must conform to the end of obeying the gospel of God (v. 17). This judgment is to begin in this life and will not wait until the next age. True we must judge ourselves (1 Cor. 11:31). Individually, first, then as a church. In fact, this judgment must begin at the house of God. We may find all sorts of faults in professing Christians and in the world, but it is the church that needs to be above reproach.
      Take those excuses for missing church. Do we agree that it is sin? So what do we do about it? Mt 18:15: "Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother" (KJV). "And if thy brother sin against thee, go, show him his fault between thee and him alone: if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother" (ASV). The verb "trespass" in the KJV is "sin" in the American Standard Version. "SIN" is correct. "Against you" is "eis se;" a word sometimes difficult to bring into English. This is not a sin "against" me,but one which extends to me (is unto me), that is, a sin which I know about. Nothing is said about how I learned it. Just take note of the fact that it is not something committed against me. After all, which is more serious, a sin against me individually, or a sin against the Lord? It is sin against the Lord and against His church which is intended.
      Can we not agree that forsaking the assembling is a sin against the Lord and against His church? Perhaps those so regularly forsaking the assembling, missing Sunday School every Sunday, or attending ball games, do not realize they are sinning against the Lord and His church.
      Peter tells us in the aforementioned chapter we shall give account to Him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead (v. 5). 1 Peter 4:6: "For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit" (AV). Here the gospel is said to be preached so that men who are dead (spiritually) can be judged, but live meantime "according to God in the spirit." This is the standard which the gospel sets. All sin, therefore, is against God and contrary to His gospel. We do not have to find an individual commandment other than Mt. 18:14-18 commanding us to deal with such a brother. Laziness is such a sin (2 Thes. 3:6 with verse 10). More specifically, it is gossip, being a busybody (1Peter 4:15). That is disorderly. The word is a term used in the military, meaning "out of step." There is an order of walk for men who believe the gospel. A primary principle of the order is devotion to Christ. Love of the brethren comes in here.
      Church discipline is a part of God's order. Jesus set it in the church (Mt. 18:14-19). As the Church Covenant states, we are to "watch over one another in brotherly love." This is the meaning of the last reference. Apart from the exercise of church discipline a membership becomes complacent, explaining sin away by one means or another. They judge God by themselves. Because they are willing to compromise or negotiate with differing views they feel that God will also. This is a great mistake!
      There is a better way than compromise. It is a humbling of one's self before God and coming to see issues as He sees them. It may call for some changing, but it will not be compromise; it will be repentance. Just remember, Prov. 29:25, "The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe" (AV).

Conclusion Regarding Fellowship

      That is real fellowship which is fellowship with Christ. Nothing else is true Fellowship! It may be friendship, social fraternizing, or some charitable activity. But Bible Fellowship must begin with and continue in agreement with Christ in heart and life. He loves that. He delights to walk in his gardens, enjoying the divine elements of His own fullness.
      Such fellowship cannot be imitated. It ceases to exist when it is imitated. It is forbidden with the world. That is, all agreeable unions, organizations, programs which assume to belong to heaven's pleasure but only serve the sin nature, cannot be brotherly fellowship in Christ (2 Cor. 4:4-6). Such is better understood when we understand that we were called to fellowship with Him. 1 Cor. 1:9 "God [is] faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord" (AV). This fellowship is larger that your personal relationship with Christ, for it includes the others who are in fellowship with Him. This the fellowship "of" Christ, also called "fellowship of the Spirit," this is "spiritual fellowship" (Php. 2:1). Such fellowship involves the apostles' doctrine, the breaking of bread, and prayers (Acts 2:42). The same word (Gk. Koi-nonia) is contribution (Rom. 15:26), communion (1Cor. 10:16), and other words descriptive of sharing (giving). The broad scope of this word is circumscribed by those spiritual factors which forbids a socialistic or communistic combination.
      A combination word (sugkoinonos, verb form sugkoinoeo) occurs about seven times. It simply describes a sharing together.
      Another word for relationship is consolation (paraklesis), Also rendered comfort, exhortation, entreaty (cf. 2 Cor. 1:4-6). This word describes the emotion of fellowship with Christ. I suggest that this consolation, including the exhortation, is sadly lacking in our fellowship today.
      If we begin with the apostles' doctrine and continue with fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers the soul will be satisfied with the sweetness, the blessedness, the grace, which should characterize believers in Christ.
      The joy of salvation depends on it. Psalm 51:12: "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me [with thy] free spirit" (AV). David lost the joy of his salvation because he had sinned and God's conviction caused the joy to be gone. Neh. 8:10: "For the joy of the LORD is your strength" (AV). Do we wonder why we, as a church, are so weak? True happiness can only be found in Him. Ps 73:26: "My flesh and my heart faileth: [but] God [is] the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever" (AV). Note how Jesus laid out the program for happiness in His Sermon on the Mount, Mt 5:3-12. See Psalm 128:2; Prov. 28:14. Thus does the fear of God produce genuine happiness on earth today.

      Job 5:17 "Behold, happy [is] the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty" (AV).

      James 5:11 "Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy" (AV).

      I yearn for more and better fellowship, spiritual fellowship, with my own church as well as with other brethren of the Lord's churches. We must have it now. The end-time situation will make it nearly impossible.

      May we pray for a revival now!