FELLOWSHIP IN THE GOSPEL - By the late Pastor L. PETERSON

 In writing the church at PhiIippi Paul said, 'I thank my God .... for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.' Phil. 1:3,5. What does fellowship mean? Dr.Harry Ironside illustrated it by picturing a team of horses pulling together. The word itself means partnership. It implies working together with a common goal in mind. There are various aspects of fellowship. There is the possibility of sweet and wholesome communion while working together.

 When we were boys and working together in the field we didn't spend all  our time talking about the work we were doing. While we were doing that work we exchanged ideas, planned our recreation, told stories and debated. This was fun too; it helped us to pass the time as we labored and to make the burden of the day lighter. Fellowship is so important to all of us as Christians. We need to get together and have some of the other folk share life with us and we with them.

 Man in a sense is a triumvirate, that is, an association of three in the governing forces of life. Genesis 2:7 says, 'And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.' To me this is Body, Soul and Spirit. Dust of the ground---Body; Breath of Life--- Spirit; and living soul (union of body and spirit)---Soul. Daily we care for the body by feeding, washing and repairing it. The spirit is cared for too if we are right with God. This is done by the ministry through the Word of God. Jesus said 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. ' Matt. 4:4.

 What about the soul? Can its needs be met by physical culture or spiritual exercise? Indeed it cannot. There is therefore the need to care for the soul. In my way of thinking this is done by fellowship; the communion with fellow Christians. It does us all good to become acquainted with each other. The exchange of ideas, the expression of convictions concerning life, to get the other fellow's slant on life, the making known of burdens and problems, spiritual and economic, to gain the attention and sympathies of others. This is good and wholesome for us all. Do you want me to prove it to you? Doesn't it make you feel better to know your friends have problems financially as well as you do? Really now, wouldn't you hate to be the only person in your circle of friends having mortgage on your property? It may not really be right in a deeper sense to 'feel good' because your close friend is paying installments on his car, but it sure goes for encouragement. This may all seem trite but it is only to illustrate that we need fellowship as Christians in order to learn how goals are gained, problems are solved and trials are endured. We need one another more than we know. Should you be a person inclined to shut yourself off from the rest of the world, break the spell or habit. meet with fellow Christians for pure, good, clean and wholesome fellowship. The early Christians did, why not today? God forbid that we as a church should ever major, in socials.This is not our calling. We are called of the Lord to 'preach  the gospel'. However, in the preaching of the gospel there necessitates In our program a place for expression and communion relative to the soul.We can thus better pray for, sympathize with and encourage one another in our pulling together in the matters that are spiritual and eternal. Thus, should your class in Bible School or circle of friends in any auxiliary of the church meet for fellowship, be sure to meet with them. May God our Heavenly Father guide us in our spiritual programming that in all things we may please Him.

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