Fellowship
When we hear the word, “fellowship,” we often think about events where people spend time together and enjoy each others companionship. Many times these events are founded upon common interests, physical ties (like in a family), or local/regional church affiliation. Such an understanding of “fellowship” was completely foreign to the followers of Jesus in the New Testament.
Those brothers and sisters in Christ understood that they have fellowship on a horizontal plane (sharing life together) because they first of all have a vertical relationship with God through His Son, the Lord Jesus. Thus their earthly relationships are enriched because they share together in Christ’s life and hold His purposes in common (cf. 1 Cor. 1:9 with vs. 10f, then see 1 John 1:3). Interestingly, the New English Bible translates 1 John 1:3 thusly, “What we have seen and heard we declare to you, so that you and we together may share in a common life, that life which we share with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.”
New Testament fellowship is sharing together a common life (the life of the Savior) with other believers through our relationship with God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Fellowship is, therefore, first and foremost a relationship, rather than an activity. Any activity that follows is to flow out of this relationship. Here is the common ground, the core and the heart beat of all Christian fellowship that is truly biblical.
