WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE FELLOWSHIP?

By Charles N. Spence, Jr.

"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" (1 John 1:3).

Most of what the Bible says concerning fellowship is used to convey a spiritual connection. Such is used in the passage cited from 1 John 1:3. The reason for the fellowship between the believer and God was the common participation they had together. The believer shares in God's will by doing it at the expense of his own will. The word fellowship is the English translation of the Greek word KOINONIA. The word literally means sharing in common, communion, and communication. The word also means the outcome of participation. Such is seen in the contribution (1 Cor. 16:1-2), and the relief of needy saints (Rom. 15:26 and 2 Cor. 8:4). The relief of the needy saints became the responsibility of able congregations (Rom 15:26-27) and individual Christians (Gal. 6:10). When congregations took from their treasuries to send relief to needy saints, they called it fellowship.

The Bible uses the word in the restricted sense as it applies to congregations of God’s people. Congregations were able to share with needy saints strictly because of the common bond that united them in Jesus Christ.

Because of what we have previously learned, congregations would be restricted from engaging in such relief efforts toward unbelievers. This is especially true since unbelievers do not have all things in common and are not in one accord with Christians (Acts 2:44-46). For congregations to engage in the relief of unbelievers would be to engage in the wrong kind of fellowship. "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with Idols?" (2 Cor. 6:14-16).

Another misconception about fellowship is that it comes about when a group partakes of a common meal for social or recreational purposes. This led to the establishment of what is termed "Fellowship halls.” In these places, usually located in the congregation’s building, the church comes together to eat a common meal. There is not a passage in the New Testament that uses the word translated fellowship, communion, partaker, and sharer in this sense concerning the congregation. So, what authorizes this practice? Nothing but human tradition (Matt. 15:1-9). A child of God eating with another child of God makes them no more in spiritual fellowship than two unbelievers eating a meal together. If eating a common meal was “church fellowship,” why did Paul tell the Corinthians to eat at home? (1 Cor. 11:22, 34). If they were merely abusing a privilege why didn't Paul simply correct the abuse and allow them to continue coming together to eat? Otherwise, Paul would be hindering their fellowship. The problem was that they were not supposed to come together to eat a common meal in the meeting place. They had their homes or families.

Socialism and recreation are family matters not a church matters. Entertainment and recreation are carnal activities. Fellowship with God is a spiritual activity in keeping with how the Bible uses the word in the New Testament. "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God" (1 Pet. 4:11).

Bible fellowship is with the Father and The Son. It comes by (1) sharing in a common faith (Tit. 1:4), (2) sharing in a common salvation (Jude 3), (3) sharing in a common love (John 13:34), and (4) sharing a common Father and a common Savior (1 John 1:3). This fellowship is kept constant when a believer continues to walk in the light (1 John 1:6-7). There is no other basis of spiritual fellowship given other than "The tie that binds the hearts of God's children in Christian Love; the fellowship of kindred minds is liken to that above" (John Fawcett).