Fellowship – – What Is It?

Words in our language today are often used in many different ways to mean many different things.  For example, if one says he was “dunked” in water, it might mean someone put him under water playing a water game with him, or it could mean he was baptized for the remission of sins – Acts 2:38.
The word FELLOWSHIP is found about 13 times in most Bibles, but it varies a little depending on the translation you use.  The Greek word translated fellowship (koinonia) is found 20 times and actually, another similar Greek word found several times is translated “fellowship” once.
Our less is, what does the word “FELLOWSHIP” mean in the Bible we read?  Bible usage determines meanings.  I Peter 4:11 states, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God…”  Old time preachers in the churches of Christ have often said, “We speak where the Bible speaks, and we are silent where the Bible is silent.”  We need Bible for all the church does, for our religious standard and for our moral conduct.
Below are all the places and ways the word fellowship is used in the Bible.

1. Acts 2:42 – “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayer.”  The apostles’ doctrine or teaching was religious, breaking of bread (Lord’s supper) was religious, prayers are religious.  Do you suppose the “fellowship” was also religious?  It seems to me that fellowship here are used was association in the doctrine, the Lord’s supper, and the prayers.  Some today might make that “fellowship” a big secular picnic!
2. I Corinthians 1:9 — “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Surely this is a SPIRITUAL relationship.  To be in fellowship with the Lord is to be in right relationship with Jesus.
3. I Corinthians 10:20 -- “But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.”  This plainly teaches that if Christians partake in the worship of false religions, they are having fellowship with false religious people, and that is a NO NO.
4. 2 Corinthians 6:14 -- “Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light and darkness?” To be unequally yoked might mean the unbeliever would control the believer.  It might come from a figure in Detu. 22:10, where in the Old Testament and Ox and an Ass were not to be yoked together.  God does not want His people yoked up with those in error.  Jesus said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  John 8:32.  TRUTH is the stand are of the Eagle Park church of Christ.  If anyone can show the church here is wrong in doctrine or practice, we would change in a heart beat.  We want to go to heaven, that’s what christianity is all about. j We love all people and want all to go to heaven.  We wish all the people in the world were in truth, but know the Bible states, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matt. 7:14
5. 2 Corinthians 8:4 “Praying us with much entreaty that we would recieve the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.”  I Cor 16:3 shows the church in Jerusalem was in need and would receive the gift.  In the Bible the only reason one church ever sent funds to antoher church was when the recieving church needed the funds to care for their own needy saints.  One church never sent funds to another church so that church could support their own preacher.  They always sent the funds TO the preacher.  ( 2 Cor. 11:8 is an example)
6. Gal 2:9 — “And when James, Cephas, and John who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.”  Here when they gave the “right hands of fellowship,” the idea is they gave thier religious approval to these gospel preachers.
7. Eph 3:9 — “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.” Mystery means something not revealed, there not known by man.  If you watch a mystery on TV or at a show, you often cannot figure it out at least until the very end.  That is what makes it a mystery.  Throughout the Old Testament there were prophecies referring to what would come, but few understood much about Jesus and the church He would purchase with His blood – Acts 20:28.  It was a great mystery.  Jesus came into the world at 30 (age they considered grown back then) He began His ministry.  Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross to purchase the church (Acts 20:28) with His blood and to make it possible for all to have the remission of sins – Acts 2:38;22:16.  The mystery is the gospel of Christ.  “Rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus.” 2 Thess. 1:8.
8. Eph 5:11 — “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”  Darkness has to do with what is wrong.  Christians should never have a part in what is wrong.  The Lord’s church cannot either.  We glorify God only when we stand for the truth in doctrine and in practice.
9. Phil 1:5 –  “For you fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,”  Fellowship means, “Greek koinonia — “Fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation….the share which one has in anything…” The idea is that several have a common effort to perform, associated in the effort, …” Brethren in Christ have common work, a common love and effort in somethin, etc.
10. Phil 2:1 –“If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies.”  Fellowship is joing participation in spiritual things, and the Holy Spirit through the Bible directs our efforts.  Saints have much fellowship of the Spirit in serving God.
11. Phil 3:10 – “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto death.”  What beauty”  The power of Jesus’ resurrection proves the dead will be raised.  We fellowship Christ in his sufferings when we suffer and are misrepresented like he was.  Some call people in the churches of Christ “Campbellites– often attributed (Alexander Campbell 1866), a preacher. : Disciple — often taken to be offensive.”  Webster’s Dictionary, some accuse us of teaching we are saved by works of merit, plus a lot of other things.  We follow the Bible and the Bible calls us CHRISTIANS. Acts 11:26; 26-28, I Peter 4:16 We claim to be in the “churches of Christ.”  Rom. 16:16.
12. I John 1:3 — “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.”

• Jon declared what he knew to others that they might have fellowship with him and others.
• Then John declares their fellowship was with the Father and Jesus Christ.  If is great to be in the fellowship with Christ, and it obtained only by obeying the gospel of Christ, the first principles and continued obedience unto death – Rev. 2:10.
• I John 1:6 “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and woalk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.”  Many walk in darkness yet say they are in the light.  The only way to walk in the light is to know the truth and be in the Lord’s church.  Jesus said, “I will build my church.” Mt. 16:18 — Eph. 4:3 states there is ONE body.
• I John 1:7 -- “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.”

Truth In Love, Vol 6, No. 7 ; July 2013