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fellowship in the gospel.
fellowship in the gospel.
fellowship in the gospel.
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
confidencebecause of their
fellowship in the gospel.
Being confident of this very thing,
that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
fellowship in the gospel.
Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all,
because I have you in my heart;
inasmuch as both in my bonds,
and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel,
ye all are partakers of my grace.
There
is
no
doctrinal
correction
in
this
epistle.
It
basically
tells
the
spiritually
mature
saint
to
'Keep
on
Keeping
on!'
and
assures
these
spiritually
mature
gospel
workers
of
their
blessings
and
eternal
rewards.
It
wasn't
that
they
were
perfect
or
that
they
never
sinned
that
God
only
encouraged
them.
God
gave
only
encouragement
because
of
their
fellowship
in
the
gospel
.
After
his
opening
salutation
that
is
in
the
first
two
verses,
Paul
uses
the
first
sentence
of
the
body
of
this
epistle
(our
current
sentence)
to
thank
God
for
their
fellowship
in
the
Gospel
.
We
see
this
fact
in
this
sentence
outline.
Communism
was
popular
in
the
late
1800.
It
got
into
the
doctrine
of
the
church
with
beliefs
that
are
still
held
today
such
as:
'no
tears
in
Heaven'
and
'We're
all
going
to
have
a
mansion'
and
the
lie
that
the
judgment
seat
of
Christ
(Romans
14:10;
2Corinthians
5:10-11)
is
a
'bema
seat'
where
we
only
receive
or
lose
rewards
but
do
not
suffer
punishment.
The
people
of
this
church
understood
the
truth
that
the
Bible
teaches
about
Heaven
and
our
rewards
there.
That
truth
motivated
then
to
have
a
fellowship
in
the
Gospel
.
People
today
don't
have
that
fellowship
in
the
Gospel
because
they
believe
the
lie
that
they
are
going
to
a
Communistic
Heaven
where
they
will
receive
rewards
for
work
which
they
refused
to
do.
The
wise
saved
person
will
have
a
fellowship
in
the
Gospel
like
the
people
within
this
church
did.
Their
fellowship
in
the
Gospel
kept
God
from
criticizing
them
like
we
see
God
do
to
all
other
churches
which
were
devoting
their
lives
to
something
else.
Simply
put:
the
Bible
teaches
that
there
is
a
hieratical
structure
in
Heaven
with
God
the
Father
on
top,
God
the
Son
under
Him,
then
the
24
elders
,
12
for
the
Jews
and
12
for
the
church.
Below
them
are
more
layers
with
increasing
numbers
as
you
go
lower
and
less
power,
authority
and
rewards.
The
bottom
layer
will
have
the
greatest
number
of
people
in
Heaven
where
there
is
weeping
and
gnashing
of
teeth
(See
message
on
Pounds
and
Talents)
until
God
shall
wipe
away
all
tears
from
their
eyes;
at
the
great
white
throne
judgment
(Revelation
20:11),
which
is
1,000
years
after
the
judgment
seat
of
Christ
.
The
people
of
this
church
understood
this
Biblical
truth
and
acted
to
make
sure
that
they
were
not
in
the
lowest
level
of
Heaven's
hierarchy.
They
did
this
by
actively
participating
in
the
fellowship
in
the
Gospel
.
They
were
blessed
by
God
was
because
of
their
fellowship
in
the
Gospel
.
Their
personal
(ye
)
involvement
brought
them
the
thanks
and
the
promise
(he
which
hath
begun
a
good
work
in
you
will
perform
it
until
the
day
of
Jesus
Christ
)
of
this
sentence.
God
rewards
His
people
for
their
participation
in
the
gospel.
The
fellowship
in
the
Gospel
is
more
than
just
telling
people
how
to
be
saved.
It
includes
Teaching
them
to
observe
all
things
whatsoever
I
have
commanded
you
(Matthew
28:20).
This
church
had
the
presence
and
power
of
the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
because
of
their
fellowship
in
the
gospel
(of
the
Lord
Jesus
Christ)
from
the
first
day
until
now
,
which
included
inasmuch
as
both
in
my
bonds,
and
in
the
defence
and
confirmation
of
the
gospel,
ye
all
are
partakers
of
my
grace.
That
is;
they
were
willing
willing
to
suffer
all
things
in
order
to
participate
in
all
parts
of
the
gospel
including
the
parts
which
required
people
to
grow
up
spiritually
and
take
on
the
responsibilities
of
a
worker
within
the
gospel
.
A
simple
dictionary
definition
of
fellowship
is
'Companionship;
society;
consort;
mutual
association
of
persons
on
equal
and
friendly
terms;
familiar
intercourse'.
A
popular
religious
definition
of
fellowship
is
'two
fellows
in
a
ship'.
A
more
correct
Bible
definition
of
fellowship
is
'two
fellows
in
a
ship
taking
a
long
journey
with
both
having
the
same
goal
and
both
in
agreement
on
how
to
get
there
with
each
doing
all
that
is
his
part
of
the
work'.
With
that
in
mind,
we
can
say
that
this
epistle
tells
us
the
following
about
their
fellowship
in
the
gospel
:
fellowship in the gospelcaused others to thank God for them.
fellowship in the gospelcaused others to pray for them.
fellowship in the gospelbrought
joyto others.
fellowship in the gospelrequired them to continue in their
fellowship in the gospel. (Their
fellowship in the gospelwas
from the first day until now).
fellowship in the gospelbrought
confidenceto others.
fellowship in the gospelgot God to do a
good work inthem.
fellowship in the gospelgot them promises of ongoing work and blessings from God.
fellowship in the gospelgot them promises that would last until
the day of Jesus Christ.
fellowship in the gospelcaused others to take these people into their
heart.
fellowship in the gospelcaused them to participate in
bonds(be willing to go to jail for the
gospel).
fellowship in the gospelrequired them to be able to give a
defence...of the gospel.
fellowship in the gospelrequired them to live a life which gave a
confirmation of the gospel.
fellowship in the gospelenabled them to personally (
ye) be
partaker of my (Paul's) grace.
Remember
that
they
received
no
doctrinal
correction
because
of
their
fellowship
in
the
gospel
.
Instead,
they
received
an
epistle
which
told
them
to
'Keep
on
Keeping
on!'.
Returning
to
the
details
of
our
sentence,
we
know
that
the
use
of
the
word
you
indicates
the
entire
church.
The
use
of
ye
is
each
of
them
personally.
The
First
Step
of
the
First
Segment
is
what
the
church
did.
The
Second
Step
of
the
First
Segment
is
what
Jesus
Christ
did
in
response
to
what
they
did.
The
First
Step
of
the
Second
Segment
is
what
Paul
thought
of
the
testimony
of
the
church.
The
Second
Step
of
the
Second
Segment
is
what
they
each
personally
(ye
)
received
because
of
their
personal
fellowship
in
the
gospel
.
The
Second
Segment
tells
us
what
individuals
did
within
the
church.
The
word
even
means
'each
side
has
equal
weight'.
The
work
of
the
individuals
within
the
church
was
as
important
to
God
as
as
what
the
church
as
a
whole
did.
The
rewards
that
these
people
received
for
their
fellowship
in
the
gospel
is
participating
in
Paul's
grace
.
2Timothy
4:7-8
says
I
have
fought
a
good
fight,
I
have
finished
my
course,
I
have
kept
the
faith:
Henceforth
there
is
laid
up
for
me
a
crown
of
righteousness,
which
the
Lord,
the
righteous
judge,
shall
give
me
at
that
day:
and
not
to
me
only,
but
unto
all
them
also
that
love
his
appearing.
Thus
we
can
see
in
the
Bible
what
they
will
receive
and
what
we
can
receive
if
we
participate
in
the
fellowship
of
the
gospel
.
In
addition,
to
receiving
grace
,
we
see
that
there
was
a
cost.
Within
our
sentence,
Paul
says
inasmuch
as
both
in
my
bonds,
and
in
the
defence
and
confirmation
of
the
gospel,
ye
all
are
partakers
.
They
were
partakers
of
Paul's
bonds
and
in
the
defence
and
confirmation
of
the
gospel
.
Paul
was
in
bonds
because
of
his
defence
and
confirmation
of
the
gospel
.
He
literally
was
arrested
and
sent
on
a
journey
which
ended
in
his
imprisonment
and
beheading
because
of
his
defence
and
confirmation
of
the
gospel
against
the
saved
people
who
preached
the
doctrinal
error
of
'sanctification
by
works'.
This
is
seen
in
Acts
and
elsewhere.
Thus,
we
see
that
what
our
sentence
literally
says
was
literally
true.
Thus,
we
see
that
the
threat
to
the
members
of
this
church
was
literal
and
physical.
Yet,
they
continued
in
the
fellowship
in
the
gospel
.
These
people
can
honestly
say
'Been
there!
Done
That!
Going
on
for
the
prize
that
is
set
before
me'.
Experience
is
the
best
teacher
there
is
for
many
things.
Our
sentence
adds
the
defence
and
confirmation
of
of
the
gospel
to
in
my
bonds.
The
word
defence
means:
'
Any
thing
that
opposes
attack,
violence,
danger
or
injury;
any
thing
that
secures
the
person,
the
rights
or
the
possessions
of
men;
fortification;
guard;
protection;
security'.
The
word
confirmation
means:
'To
make
firm,
or
more
firm;
to
add
strength
to;
to
strengthen;
To
fix
more
firmly;
to
settle
or
establish;
to
give
new
assurance
of
truth
or
certainty;
to
put
past
doubt;
To
strengthen;
to
ratify'.
This
means
that
we
are
to
actively
fight
to
retain
the
true
Biblical
gospel
and
all
of
the
details
which
are
in
it
and
to
support
others
who
are
doing
the
same
thing.
Aquila
and
Priscilla
corrected
the
doctrine
of
a
world
traveling
preacher
in
Acts
18:26.
This
level
of
knowledge
in
Bible
doctrine,
and
other
things,
are
required
if
someone
truly
wants
to
be
in
the
top
10%
of
saved
people
and
want
to
hear
a
well
done
on
the
day
of
Jesus
Christ
.
Shadrach,
Meshach,
and
Abednego
did
not
have
their
claim
of
faith
confirmed
until
after
they
came
out
of
thefiery
furnace
in
Daniel
3.
Daniel
did
not
have
his
claim
of
faith
confirmed
until
after
he
came
out
of
the
den
of
lions
in
Daniel
6.
These
people
had
their
fellowship
in
the
gospel
confirmed.
The
'Great
Commission'
is
given
to
the
church
and
we
cannot
do
it
outside
of
the
church.
The
First
Equivalent
Section
of
this
sentence
is
telling
us
what
the
church
as
a
whole
did.
Good
is
defined
as
'that
which
comes
from
God'.
The
good
work
is
God
working
in
and
through
our
life.
Our
sentence
tells
us
thst
he
(God)
which
hath
begun
a
good
work
in
you
will
perform
it
until
the
day
of
Jesus
Christ
.
The
day
of
Jesus
Christ
is
the
day
that
we
personally
meet
Jesus
Christ
.
That
is
either
at
our
death
or
in
the
'Rapture'.
Thus,
our
sentence
is
telling
us
that
we
are
expected
to
participate
in
the
fellowship
of
the
gospel
and
to
have
God
do
a
good
work
in
us
so
long
as
we
are
in
this
physical
world.
The
First
Equivalent
Segment
of
this
sentence
can
be
reworded
as:
'Because
of
their
fellowship
in
the
gospel,
Paul
had
a
very
firm
belief
that
God
had
already
started
a
work
in
their
life
which
showed
the
results
that
only
God
can
produce
and
that
God
would
continue
to
do
this
good
godly
work
in
their
life
until
the
day
that
they
personally
faced
Jesus
Christ
'.
Confidence
is
not
guaranteed
but
requires
us
to
keep
doing
our
part.
Our
sentence
tells
us
that
we
are
to
be
confident
in
what
God
is
doing
and
that
God
will
continue
to
do
it
in
our
life
so
long
as
we
participate
in
the
fellowship
in
the
gospel
.
God
will
not
take
away
our
free
will.
He
will
provide
all
that
we
need
to
continue
His
good
work
,
but
we
must
continue
to
prove
our
willingness
for
Him
to
do
so.
We
do
this
by
our
life
and
walk
of
faith
even
while
faced
with
future
trials
and
persecutions.
The results of having God work in and through our life are cumulative.
In summary:
fellowship in the gospel.
fellowship in the gospelwas far more than just giving out the gospel. They had to maintain their ongoing personal relationship with God, pass the test of persecution, learn enough Bible to
defendthe gospel from any and all doctrinal error and live and walk by obedience to what the gospel said that their life
confirmedthe gospel that they preached.
good workof God in their life had to cause joy and thanks to God by other godly people.