What exactly is fellowship....?

I think it's great that we have all been moving forward to establish better relationships within the class. We all seem to understand the importance of fellowship in the body of Christ, but have you ever looked at exactly what fellowship is from a biblical viewpoint? Does Christian fellowship have any parameters, any goals or any uniqueness that separates it from the social interaction that takes place between those outside the Church?

Here are a few points from an article that I thought answered some of the questions:

What fellowship is not. In its neglect, Christians have

redefined fellowship to mean any warm human interchange—

especially when we make connection with someone

and discover that we have common interests, experiences,

or viewpoints.

If I spend time with a brother in Christ playing volleyball,

talking about shared political views, or following the ups

and downs of an NFL franchise, we may have a wonderful

time and deepen a friendship. But in none of those things

will we have had fellowship.

Let me press the point further. Fellowship is not (at

least not necessarily) going to a Bible study with someone,

or sharing doctrinal commitments, or attending a Christian

men’s rally where emotions run deep and passions are high.

Fellowship is not found in a “group therapy” session where

participants reveal their darkest thoughts—even if everyone

in the group is a Christian and brings a Bible. In fact, two

Christians can be married to one another and still not

experience fellowship.

What fellowship is. Fellowship is a uniquely Christian

relational experience. No one but those born of the Spirit

of God can have fellowship—which makes its neglect all the

more tragic.

The word “fellowship,” as it is found in the English

Bible, is a translation of the Greek word koinonia. Saying

the word aloud brings to mind our word “community,”

and so it should, for koinonia is its root. But sadly,

politicians and sociologists have effectively redefined

“community” to mean “special-interest group,” so we

need additional words to get at its meaning. Here the

Revised Standard Version of the Scriptures can help. It

translates koinonia as “fellowship,” but also as “participation,”

and “sharing” (in the following verses, these words

are italicized for emphasis).

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching

and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the

prayers” (Ac 2:42).

“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any

incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any

affection and sympathy...”

(Php 2:1).

“...and I pray that the

sharing of your faith

may promote the

knowledge of all the

good that is ours in

Christ” (Phm 1:6).

What is fellowship as

defined in the New

Testament? Just this: participating

together in the life

and truth made possible by

the Holy Spirit through our

union with Christ. Fellowship

is sharing something in

common on the deepest possible

level of human relationship—

our experience of God

himself.

Participating together...

life and truth...sharing in

common...human relationship...experience of God—these

phrases capture the essence of the unique Christian experience

of fellowship.

Fellowship with God is the prerequisite to fellowship

with others. This is the explicit message of John in his

first biblical letter:

“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so

that you also may have fellowship with us. And our

fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus

Christ....If we claim to have fellowship with him yet

walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the

truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the

light, we have fellowship with one another, and the

blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin”

(1Jn 1:3, 6-7).

What can we do to posture

ourselves to experience fellowship?

The list is long:

• Worship God together.
• Pray for one another
• Utilize our spiritual gifts
• Carry one another’s burdens.
• Share about our spiritual experiences
• Confess our sins to one another
• Correct one another
• Serve one another in practical ways.

Each of us has family responsibilities in the church.

Fellowship encompasses a major responsibility to care for

another’s soul and to get help for our own so that together

we can be all that God intends us to be.

So what about you, are you willing and available to build a fellowship that gets under the surface--a fellowship that sees God honored, prayers answered, brothers and sisters growing, needs met and believers encouraged?