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.. . . 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. 1 John 1: 3,7
Do you have a church that you fellowship with? Do you struggle with participating with a church fellowship? Are you at odds with a church fellowship? To Jesus, a church was/is a vital, living, dynamic fellowship of believers. Let’s focus in on the word fellowship. Fellowship according to the online dictionary means a friendly association, especially with people who share one’s interests. The greek word for fellowship is koinonia. Koinonia is the best way to describe what the and how the church should be like. Koinonia is the fullest possible partnership and fellowship with God and with other believers. It is an intimate fellowship. In the church, it is based on a personal fellowship (koinonia) with God in Christ by individual believers. This type of koinonia with God comes from a real, personal encounter with Christ and our complete surrender to the Lord of life. This kind of fellowship is the intimate love relationship that God pursues to have with each believer.
How would you describe your relationship with God? Is it alive? Is it growing? Is it removed? Is it close? Is it intimate, personal, real or vibrant? Or Is it stagnant, uneasy, cold, or distant?
Read 1 John 1:1-7. Highlight all the words of fellowship. In verses 1-3, what are some words that indicate that John had a real, personal relationship with Jesus? Why did John write about what he had seen and heard? What are the two benefits of fellowship with God and with other believers? What is indicated when a person says they have fellowship with God, yet walk in sin and darkness (verse 6)? What is true of a person who walk in in the light as God is in the light (verse 7)? John had an experience with Jesus. He wanted others to believe in Jesus. He knew Jesus as eternal life. Eternal life means having knowing God by experience in real and personal way. This is koinonia with God. When we fellowship with God and other believers we have joy and the blood of Jesus is at cleansing work. When we have fellowship with each other we experience the forgiveness and cleansing of sin.
Our Koinonia is with God and with Jesus Christ. It is an intimate relationship. When we have this kind of relationship with God, we will have this kind of relationship with other believers. If we have this kind of relationship with God and Jesus, then we will have it with other believers. We cannot have one without the other. It is an expressions of our relationship with God.
If we love God then we love our fellow believers in Christ will show. We will be patient and kind with one another. We will not be envious, boastful, proud, rude, self-seeking, or easily angered. We won’t hold grudges. What are you thoughts about this so far? As I write this, I am like oh boy, I sometimes do feel these though. I think this is natural as we are humans. What I have learned is when the negative thoughts and actions and feelings come, it is a great temperature gage for me to know how close or not I am to God. So if you have are envious, or holding a grudge, etc. It may be time for you to go off alone and have some God time. As brothers and sisters in Christ, who have fellowship with God and Jesus, we will have fellowship with each other. We will love each other as God asks us to.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Wow, what a lesson today. I pray that each of us will desire and seek to have this kind of fellowship with you. And as this becomes apart of our daily life, I pray that you will lead us each to the fellowship with other believers. I pray that we be filled with you daily so we can love others as you love all of us. I pray that if we have any negative feelings, thoughts or actions towards our fellow brothers and sisters that you will bring it to our attention and help us to seek what is the source of these ways. I pray that we will seek you more so we can love better.
In Jesus Name
Amen
