Fellowship Word Study
The “Fellowship” family of words are legitimate words of significance. They include:
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Koinas
Koinonas
Koinonaeo
Koinonia
Translated “common” (Acts 2:41-47; 4:31-37)
Translated “partners” (I Cor. 1:9)
Translated “to share in” (Phil. 1:7; 4:14; Rom. 15:26-27)
Translated “communion,” “committed communication ,”
“fellowship” (I Cor. 10:16 and Philemon 6)
Fellowship, as seen biblically, is communion with one another on the basis of fellowship
with God. All words in the “fellowship” family are speaking noticeably of intense
involvement.
We can know God (have fellowship with) because He’s chosen to be a God that is
approachable. The fact that God has revealed Himself and what He has revealed, are
one and the same, i.e. Jesus the revealer of God—is God Himself. Consequently, you
can’t get to know God by mere comprehension of facts about Him, but only in personal
fellowship-communication directly with Him (see I John 1:7).
Humanity no longer is isolated from God. Jesus has revealed God (Hebrews 1:2-3);
therefore, humankind, if not isolated from God, must respond to each other with the
same communion-fellowship attitude with which he has approached God. Fellowship
among believers then is a picture to the world of what can happen when people’s lives
are penetrated by communion with God.
A far reaching conclusion must be reached: Communion with God without communion
between people is biblically and relationally off-center.
The purpose for which Christ comes is so that we may know and experience the true
meaning of fellowship: first with God and then with humankind.
Measurement of the depth God wishes fellowship between people occur, may be seen
in the level of commitment God has to humanity, (John 3:16) and the intimacy of
communion between the Father and the Son (John 6:47; 10:15; Matthew 11:27).
Church as Community
1. A community of eternal importance
2. A community that is charismatic in origin
3. A community that has visible-local expression
4. A community that is a steward of God’s grace
5. A Community that demonstrates in it’s life together the reality of what it proclaims
6. A community where our lives are planted and maturity takes place.
7. A community that gives visibility to the actual presence of Christ.