The Fellowship of Believers, 3 John 1:5CEV

3 John 1:5 CEV

[5] Dear friend, you have always been faithful in helping other followers of the Lord, even the ones you didn't know before. 

This scripture, right here! This scripture lets us know that we are supposed to operate as one body. Denominations mean nothing and have always meant nothing.  Even if you’re non denominational we are all one body.  We need to be helping one another and sticking together regardless of what we practice or don’t practice.  That means nothing.  If you allow that to separate us then there is no love in your heart.  It is the aspect of fellowshipping together that allows us to learn new things or teachings; and it allows us to see things in a different light.  It teaches us to respect each other's different doctrinal beliefs in some or many cases (Romans 14).  

The second part, “even the ones you didn’t know before”, is the clincher.  We don’t have to know, minister with, fellowship with or hang out with another believer to help them; or to interact with them. We don’t have to officially know them to fellowship with them.  A true, sincere follower of Christ should always be welcomed into your church or your home because they are a part of the body of Christ.  That is your brother or sister in the Lord.  Even if it is someone you rarely see, if they reach out to you, we should be ready to respond in kind.  We are called to love all people.  We are called to minister to all people.  We should always be working together regardless of our different ministries.  Remember, iron sharpens iron.  

I know that not everyone is into visiting other churches, however you can always learn something new from someone else.  You don’t know everything and you are not above learning new things.  YOU have not arrived. Again this is another opportunity to fellowship with your brothers and sisters in Christ.  Remember, God can speak to you no matter where you are and speak through whomever He chooses.  He is God.  If He can use a donkey, He can do anything and get a message or a word to you however He chooses.  Whether it’s within your home church or a bible study at a restaurant in TimbukTu.  

We are all family.  We are the church.  Stay in touch with those you don’t get to see all of the time.  It takes two seconds to send a four word text:  How are you today? Or, do you need prayer?  If we take the time to reach out to our genetic brothers and sisters, then we should also be reaching out to our siblings in Christ, too.  Those who follow the Lord, that we know and that we don’t know should always be on our radar.  Those that we see everyday and those that we don’t should be in our thoughts; and prayers.  Let us stay faithful to the “whole” body of Christ not just the ones we want to pick and choose.  Let us stay faithful to the fellowship of all believers.