The New Testament, written in Greek, contains some words that are difficult to translate and for which there are no exact English equivalents. This language barrier creates challenges for Christians who want to think and live biblically.

The Greek word that is commonly translated "fellowship" (koinonia- see Acts 4:42 and 1 John 1:3) is perhaps the best example of this. Koinonia implies far more than socializing at church potlucks or chatting on the church's front lawn after Sunday service. The word means "holding our lives in common," a meaning that first-century Christians demonstrated through spiritual, social, and material generosity toward one another. I will use fellowship in this article to mean a "common sharing of the grace and of the blessings of God," a definition that comes close to the biblical idea of koinonia.

The biblical concept of fellowship is important to understand and live out. In the early church there was a relationship between the warmth of heart toward God and generosity toward each other. So close were these relationships the early Christians did not see themselves as isolated individuals but as "members one of another," in "communities" where individuals grew to spiritual maturity and cooperated with each other in advancing God's kingdom. Within these communities they gained strength, support, and protection from the corroding influences of the world. Thus they were well prepared to face anything the devil might throw at them when they went out into the world.

This quality of relationship contrasts sharply with many modern Christians' faith, who narrow their relationship with God to individualistic concerns like repentance and conversion, prayer and Scripture study, personal righteousness and evangelism. But God has called us to grow to maturity in the body of Christ. We are called to "attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God," growing up "in every way into him who is the head, into God, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love" (Eph. 4:13, 15-16).

Relationship with Christ

Fellowship begins with a relationship with Jesus Christ. In John 14:615, Jesus says to the apostles, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, but through me." Most Christians, even baby Christians, are familiar with this passage of Scripture. In many instances this is the passage through which they were led to put their faith in Christ! "If you want to know the Father, "Jesus says, "you must know me."

But few Christians realize it is also a truth that informs us about the basis for our relationship with brothers and sisters. Philip is confused about what Jesus says. "Lord," Philip asks, "show us the Father and that will be enough for us." Jesus answers, "Don't you know me, Philip? . . . Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father."

This is one of the most profound and important teachings in Scripture. Jesus and the Father are one and always have been one. The theologians would say that they are one in nature, though they are two distinct persons. Jesus said only words that the Father told him to say; he did only deeds the Father told him to do; he performed only works that the Father performed.

The Father was so pleased with him that even before Jesus began his public ministry, at his baptism, he split the heavens and spoke saying, "This is my kid, and I really like him. I really approve of him. I am pleased with him."

And Jesus has invited us into this same quality of relationship. So the basis for knowing and experiencing fellowship with brothers and sisters is entering a relationship with the Father through the Son. Fellowship with brothers and sisters for early Christians was a result and an expression of their fellowship with God in Christ and in the Holy Spirit (see 1 Cor. 1:9; Phil. 2:1; 1 John 1:3).

Unity

Commitment to Christ is commitment to Christ's body. Years ago as a new Christian, I thought my personal pilgrimage with God was the essence of Christianity. I used to evaluate my maturity over and over again. "Am I growing, Lord." I remember when I was memorizing Scripture, eventually memorizing about a thousand verses. "Boy," I thought, "I must really be mature. I must really be growing. Look at all these verses that I have memorized." That was how the Bible memory course motivated me: You want to grow in Christ? Memorize his word. But in fact I was growing little. I was still biting my wife's head off, yelling at my kids, and doing a thousand things that hurt my relationships. I had lots of verses memorized, but few were worked out in my life.

When we make a commitment to Christ we make a commitment to his purpose in the world, which is to have a healthy, unified body, the people of God. A few years ago God showed me that I had sinned many times against the body of Christ. I had become judgmental of the larger body of Christ. I publicly repented of my judgmental and divisive attitude. God spoke to me about loving the things that he loves: he loves his church. He loves the whole church- Protestant and Catholic, Orthodox and Anabaptist.

Now by this I do not mean that he loves all the things different Christians believe and do. But in his heart Jesus deeply loves his body, those people who are born again of the Spirit of God and who know the Father.

We have been called to love the things that Jesus loves, so we have no choice but to love the whole church -even denominations whose beliefs we may not agree with or those parts we do not understand.

Community

We are also called to community, a sharing of help, gifts, resources, and problems. The early Christians often met in one another's homes, ate together, and took a practical concern for each other's material needs (Acts 4:32). They helped each other with life's many difficulties, "bearing each other's burdens and . . . fulfilling the law of Christ" (Gal. 6:2).

Because of this closeness the early church was careful about conversational patterns like slander and gossip, recognizing how dangerous out of control tongues can be. They also knew how to keep confidences and protect each other.

How were they able to live out this type of closeness? It appears they facilitated a common life through small groups, such as the churches that met in homes (Rom. 15:5,14- 15; 1 Thess. 5:27; Col. 4:15). Small groups are also the basis for Christian community today. Over the years I have observed that growing churches usually have well-developed small groups.

Paul, in Ephesians 4:2, says, "Be completely humble and gentle with one another in love." I have often thought, How can people love each other if they never relate personally? That is the point of small groups, they are where people can relate, can actually live out the gospel. In small groups we learn how to love the unlovely thus fulfilling the command of Christ. Sometimes we are the ones in need of special love and support to get us through difficult times.

Loving one another is not just another good idea; it is one of Christ's great blessings. Fellowship is the garden in which the fruits of the Spirit multiply, the place in which eternal life is lived out here on earth.

After he had been imprisoned by the Nazis, Dietrich Bonhoeffer reflected on missed fellowship and wrote: "It is easily forgotten that the fellowship of Christian brethren is a gift of grace, a gift of the kingdom of God that any day may be taken from us, that the time that still separates us from utter loneliness may be brief indeed. Therefore, let him who until now has had the privilege of living a common Christian life with other Christians praise God's grace from the bottom of his heart. Let him thank God on his knees and declare: It is grace, nothing but grace, that we are allowed to live in community with Christian brethren." 

Originally printed in Equipping The Saints, Vol. 1, No. 2 - March/April 1987. Used by permission.