Fellowship
Fellowship is spiritual in nature and elevates us above the rest of the animal kingdom. Fellowship is experienced only in the context of a covenant and is the joining together of two or more people in a bond that exceeds any other. Fellowship is the experience of love in its purest sense. It involves transparency and acceptance, without the normal conditions of mutuality or advantage. It is love that is unconditional and selfless. It is more than two fellows in the same ship, it is oneness. As John the apostle writes, fellowship happens when we walk in the light, (transparency), and when the blood of Jesus has cleansed us from all sin, (covenant).
As I have traveled to many different nations and have been in many different cultural environments, I am continually amazed that, in the Body of Christ, there is this sense of family and oneness. Even when we have nothing in common, in the natural, yet it is as if we have known each other all our lives. This is fellowship. Just the fact that we know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, that His blood has cleansed us from all sin, is enough to bridge the language, cultural or political gaps. John writes: “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 cleanses us from all sin.” (I John 1.7)
Fellowship can never be virtual, it must be personal. It is the coming together of people in the presence of God. The writer of the book of Hebrews exhorts the Church to not forsake their times of congregating. As the Church gathers together in one place and with one purpose, the power of God is poured out and each disciple is built up in their faith. Those that neglect this essential, spiritual discipline are often found to be shipwrecked in their faith. (Heb. 10.25) Fellowship is essential for spiritual health. It is not a religious ceremony or ritual, it is like breathing. We breathe in the presence of God and breathe out life and encouragement to others. Imagine trying to live without breathing.
Sin breaks fellowship. Over the years that I have pastored the Church, I have seen a pattern of behavior for those believers that fall into sin. Their first experience of the love of God through the forgiveness of sins restores them to fellowship with God and immediately they we loved by the Church and one with all believers. But, when they get their eyes off the Lord and begin to slide back into their former sin pattern, they lose their passion for God and the sense of closeness to the Body of Christ. Criticism sets in as they judge the Church for their lack of love and many failings. No longer do they feel connected and soon begin to find excuses to stay home. Fellowship is our spiritual connection with God and other believers, and when that is broken there is no reason or desire be together.
To understand this better, let us draw a triangle in which God is on top and two believers are at the bottom at opposite points. The closer one moves upward toward God the closer the two believers are to one another. This is the key to growing in unity and fellowship with one another; whether in a marriage, family or church. When you have fellowship with God and you will have fellowship with one another.
Scriptures to meditate on:
I John 1.5-7; Eph. 4.3, 17-32; Mat. 19.19; I Cor. 13; Heb. 10.19-25