“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ....God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth; But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin” ( I John 1:3-7).

The basis of the fellowship of which John wrote is “That which we...declare...God is light...if we walk in light...” This is why the apostle said in II John 9-11, “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”

If what the apostles declared is the basis of all fellowship acceptable to God, then it follows that there are some things which are not the basis of such fellowship:

• the doctrines of men (Matthew 15:9)
• what the denominations do
• what brethren have done in the past
• some congregational decisions (I Corinthians 5)
• the consensus of prominent brethren
• the position of religious journals
• what Diotrephes, then or now, believes (II John 9)
• anything other than the teachings of the Holy Spirit-inspired word of God (II Timothy 3:16,17; Ephesians 5:11).

If the Divine word of God is the basis of fellowship pleasing to Him, can fallible men understand it? With a diversity of conclusions among children of God on such subjects as the Deity of Christ, fellowship, MDR, Romans 14, modesty, the AD 70 Doctrine, and the One Covenant Doctrine, one might think it impossible to understand the Bible. Yet, we have proclaimed to our religious neighbors that the word of God is understandable. This conviction has been reached as the result of studying such passages as Ephesians 3:1-6; Ephesians 5:17. Then, add the fact that God addressed the Bible to man. Yes, the Bible is understandable. It is not responsible for the divided state among men, hence it is not responsible for the divided state among brethren. Inspiration commands us to be of the same mind (I Corinthians 1:10). That says we can understand God’s will.

Let us keep in mind some principles we have taught our religious neighbors about doctrinal disagreements. When men disagree (1) one could be right, the other wrong, (2) both might be wrong, but (3) both cannot be right. This is just as true of differences among brethren as it is of differences with our religious neighbors.

Those who fervently desire to please God must, with one mind, strive “...together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27). It must be our intent to do only those things pleasing in His sight. We, like the great men of the restoration movement and prior times, must be willing to speak as the oracles of God (I Peter 4:11). That will produce unity in matters of faith and liberty in matters of opinion. And it will prevent the kind of thinking that leads one to believe we can have unity in diversity and God will be pleased. Scriptural fellowship is in the light. In that light there is no darkness.