Fellowship

“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. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that 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.”
(1 Jn 1:3-7)

What a marvelous concept to know that as Christians we have a powerful and unique relationship with the Creator which we call fellowship; a relationship once hidden but now available to all through Christ; a relationship extended through and to that body we call the church – and to it only; that relationship which is part of the unsearchable riches of Christ (Eph 3:8-10). 

But what exactly is fellowship?  We often use this term but do we really understand its meaning? Evidence in modern writing suggests strongly that the meaning of this term has been long forgotten and replaced with a much inferior concept than was originally meant. 

Fellowship is not just association. We speak of a fellowship dinner or fellowship trip or fellowship meeting. This conveys a distorted or confusing picture of what true fellowship is all about. Fellowship is not just association. 

In Scripture we are taught to have some association with the worldly. First, we are taught is impossible to live in this world and not associate with them (1 Cor 5:9-10). Second, we must associate with them at some level to be able to teach them (1 Cor 9:19-22). Jesus gives us in His life some examples of how we might associate with the worldly (Jn 4; Lk 15). Fellowship, then, is not the same as association. 

So then, what is fellowship? The principle word used for fellowship is koinonia. The simple meaning of the word is a partnership, a sharing, or joint participation. It suggests intimacy and self attachment. Fellowship is where all involved have a common goal or purpose. 

A good way to understand this partnership is to look at a modern partnership in today’s business world. Whenever a group of people form a business concept, goals are set, rules are laid down, and agreements are signed.  The venture is underway. Let’s say that Bob, Dick, and Jill form a company. Bob is good advertising, Dick at operations, and Jill at sewing. We’ll call our company “Fashions” by Jill. From the very beginning of this partnership and continuing forever, everything done by its members will be for the good of the corporation. Everything this partnership does as a partnership will be for the purpose of nurturing the corporation so that it can grow and flourish. No one can use the corporation to further their own personal cause; no one can use the corporation funds for their own purposes; no one may act in a way that injures the corporation or violates its rules of conduct. Everything done by the partnership is for the good of the corporation.

With this in mind, let’s look at Christian fellowship. We have already seen in First John that the Christian partnership is between God, Christ, and all that are walking in the light. Our corporation we call the church. In this partnership, all that God has done has been for its creation, nurture, and growth (Eph 1:11-12). There is not one single act of God that has ever in any way injured or threatened the church. God’s plan of redemption, His directions for worship, and His rules concerning personal conduct are all designed for the benefit and growth of the church. His system of church government and discipline is designed to keep her strong, pure, and on track. Everything God has done has been for the good of the church. God has been faithful to the partnership in all things.

In this partnership, all that Christ has done has also been solely for the good of the church. Giving up for a time the glories of heaven, He came to the earth, suffered the heat of summer, the cold of winter, the soreness of labor, and the other trials of daily human life. He struggled to teach a rebellious people. He suffered affliction, rejection, and finally death so that the church could live. He even carried our sinful guilt on His sinless shoulders, suffering separation for a time from God so that, through the church, we might escape this terrible experience ourselves. Everything Jesus has done has been for the good of the church. Jesus has been faithful to the partnership in all things.

When one becomes a Christian he becomes a member of this partnership, receiving all the rights and responsibilities due therein. This means everything the Christian does must be for the good of the church. As a partner, he is expected to defend her, guide her, teach her, encourage her in any authorized way possible. He is to promote her in her purpose and not cause her to lose her focus on her God assigned goals. He is to defend her against error and strengthen her towards good. Anyone who injures the church, misleads her, brings reproach upon her, supports or endorses false teachings or false teachers, or does anything to cause her to fail, has broken fellowship with God, Christ, and all others who are walking in the light. Anyone who encourages or supports anyone who injures the church, misleads her, brings reproach upon her, supports or endorses false teachings or false teachers, or does anything to cause her to fail, also has broken fellowship with God, Christ, and all others who are walking in the light. One will break the partnership by doing wrong or by supporting other “partners” who do wrong.  Scripture teaches us not to associate with these who violate this partnership.

All that we do should be for the good of the church. If we want to remain faithful partners with God, Christ, and all others in the light, we must in all things strive to uphold the church by doing only the will of God.