"Working Together for the Truth" -- The Biblical Concept of Fellowship

Abstract

John F. Brug’s essay explores the biblical doctrine of church fellowship, emphasizing its positive nature as “working together for the truth.” He outlines the “unit concept” of fellowship, which requires agreement in all doctrines of Scripture for any expression of fellowship—whether altar, pulpit, prayer, or cooperative work. Brug traces the scriptural foundation for this principle through the New Testament, especially the letters of John and Paul, and argues that all expressions of fellowship are acts of shared faith and must be treated as a unified whole. He then reviews the historical divergence between the Wisconsin Synod and the Missouri Synod, focusing on the breakdown of the Synodical Conference over differing fellowship practices. Brug critiques Missouri’s shift toward selective fellowship and cooperation in externals, warning that doctrinal pluralism undermines biblical fellowship. He concludes with a call to uphold confessional unity and continue testifying to the truth. Abstract prepared by Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4).