Based upon an overview of some key New Testament passages as found in the brief studies I presented last week, below is a list of reasons for withdrawing fellowship according to the Bible:

  1. When a person who has “sinned against a brother” is unrepentant after being admonished according to the process outlined in Matt. 18:15-17.
  2. Fellowship should be withdrawn from a teacher who is causing divisiveness and contention, according to Romans 16:17-18.
  3. In 1 Corinthians 5, a man was disfellowshipped due to his practice of gross sexual immorality. In the same context, Paul also said the church at Corinth should not keep company with–or even eat with–anyone named a brother who is sexually immoral, covetous, an idolater, a slanderer, a drunkard, or an extortioner.
  4. After having received a warning previously, the Thessalonians were commanded to withdraw from every brother who will not work for a living (2 Thess. 3:6).
  5. Rejecting faith and a good conscience and overthrowing the faith of others is a cause for withdrawing fellowship (1 Tim. 1:18-20). Paul specifically referred to the teaching that the resurrection had already happened (2 Tim. 2:18).
  6. First Timothy 6:3-5 teaches that anyone who “teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness,” should be withdrawn from.
  7. A divisive or factious man should be rejected after being warned twice (Titus 3:10).
  8. Those who have given up trying to walk in the light do not have fellowship with God (1 John 1:6-10), and therefore cannot be in fellowship with the church. See my article on this passage for a better explanation.
  9. A teacher who is teaching things contrary to the teachings of Christ cannot be fellowshipped by the church (2 John). See my article on this passage for more information and study.

Bottom line list of things warranting withdrawal:

  • refusal to repent after admonishment
  • divisiveness or contention
  • sexual immorality
  • idolatry
  • covetousness
  • extortion
  • slander
  • drunkenness
  • refusal to work for a living
  • rejecting faith
  • overthrowing the faith of others
  • teaching the resurrection has already happened
  • not consenting to the teachings of Christ
  • teaching that Christ did not come in the flesh
  • going beyond the doctrine taught by Christ

It should be noted that the idea seems to be sins that are willful or habitual, and withdrawal does not take place without warning. We can see from Gal. 6:1 and James 5:19-20 that efforts are to be made to correct the brother. Warning should take place (Matt. 18:15-17; Col. 1:28; Titus 3:10) before action is taken.

From this brief examination, we can see that there are times when fellowhsip is broken. Next, we must think about the application of these guidelines, and also how to apply consistently the “doctrine of Christ.”