Genuine Christian Fellowship

Genuine Christian fellowship takes trust and courage.

You have to sort out over time if someone is really for you, or just fighting the latest internet controversy and you are their stand in adversary.  Are they just sounding off their own opinions, or are they truly concerned for your welfare?

Some are always keen to offer "faithful wounds from a friend."  Yet we need to offer positive and encouraging words to our Christian brothers and sisters.  Genuine fellowship isn't there with the mere presence of critique or rebuke.

But it should be present sometimes.  If you feel you can NEVER offer a word of concern or warning or disagreement to a church member, you haven't yet reached genuine fellowship.  (This is true in marriage, too, especially from wife to husband.)

The Spirit of Christ is bigger than the current "issue."  If you can't remain Christian brothers, and disagree about Ukraine, or eating out on Sundays, or whether homeschooling or a Christian school is preferable, then something is dreadfully wrong.

In our fellowship time at church today, I received and gave a mild criticism or two, and I noted there was a total lack of offense on my part and theirs.  It was wonderful to note a sense of trust and respect to be willing to say and hear such things without freaking out about it.

If you don't have that sense in your church and with your Christian friends, seek it out.  It is a deep blessing from the Lord.