The Greek words translated ‘fellowship’ and
‘communion’ basically describe the state of having something in common:
common-union. ‘Communion’ is related to the word ‘communicate’. By reason of
knowing and practising God’s ways, we have fellowship with Him and with all
others who are doing the same through being “in Christ”. It is easy to
neglect the responsibilities which we have to fellowship with others: “...
do not forget to do good and to share (i.e. fellowship)” (Heb. 13:16). Phil.
1:5 speaks of our “fellowship in the Gospel”; the basis of our fellowship is
therefore the doctrines and way of life which comprise the true Gospel. For
this reason the fellowship enjoyed by true believers is far greater than in
any other organisation or church. Because of this fellowship they travel
great distances to be with each other and to visit isolated believers, and
should make good use of postal and telephone contact where possible. Paul
speaks of “fellowship of the Spirit” (Phil. 2:1), i.e. fellowship which is
based on our common following of the spirit/mind of God, as revealed in His
spirit-word.
One of the greatest expressions of our fellowship is through
keeping the breaking of bread service together. The early believers
“continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the
breaking of bread, and in prayers ... breaking bread ... with gladness and
simplicity of heart” (Acts 2:42,46). The emblems represent the central pivot
of our hope and sharing them together should bind us together in “simplicity
of heart”. “Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a
participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a
participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are
many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf”, i.e. Christ (1 Cor.
10:16,17 NIV). We therefore have an obligation to share the emblems of
Christ’s sacrifice with all those who benefit from his work, who are
“partakers of that one loaf”.
John recalls how he shared the Gospel of
eternal life with others “that you also may have fellowship with us; and
truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1
Jn. 1:2,3). This shows that fellowship is based around a common
understanding of the true Gospel, and that this brings us into fellowship
both with other true believers, and also with God and Jesus on a personal
level. The more we apply the Gospel to our lives, seeking to overcome our
sinful tendencies, and the deeper we progress in our living of God’s Word,
the deeper our fellowship will be with God and Christ.
Our fellowship
with God, Christ and other believers does not just depend on our common
assent to the truths which comprise the “one faith”. Our way of life must be
in accordance with the principles which are expressed in them. “... God is
light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship
with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practise the truth. But if
we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one
another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1
Jn. 1:5-7). Fellowship therefore occurs naturally between those who walk in
the light.
‘Walking in darkness’ must refer to a way of life which is
constantly and publicly at variance with the light of God’s Word (Ps.
119:105; Prov. 4:18); it does not refer to our occasional sins of weakness,
for the next verse continues, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth (i.e. God’s Word – Jn. 17:17; 3:21; Eph. 5:13) is
not in us” (1 Jn. 1:8).
From this it should be evident that in practice,
meaningful fellowship ceases when a believer starts to teach things, or
lives a way of life, which are openly opposed to clear Bible teaching: “Have
no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them”
(Eph. 5:11). Every effort should be made to win them back after the pattern
of the good shepherd seeking the lost sheep (Lk. 15:1-7).
One of the
clearest passages concerning fellowship is found in 2 Cor. 6:14-18: “Do not
be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has
righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness
... Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord ...
and I will receive you.’ ‘I will be a Father to you, and you shall be my
sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty’”.
We have shown how that the
Word of God is light. These verses explain why we should not fellowship with
religions which teach false things; why we should not marry those who aren’t
in Christ, and should shun the ways of the world. If we preach God’s truth
as we should, it is inevitable that communities which believe heresies like
the ‘trinity’ will themselves exclude us. Doctrine is important because it
controls how we live and behave; therefore we must be “pure in the doctrine”
if we are to attempt to live a pure life. Our way of life must “be worthy of
the gospel” -- a response to the basic Gospel we understand and believe
(Phil. 1:27). On account of our separation from the world we have the
breathtaking honour of becoming God’s very own sons and daughters, part of a
world-wide family of others who have this same relationship - our brothers
and sisters. There is only one “body”, i.e. one true church (Eph. 1:23),
which is based upon those who hold the one hope - one God, one baptism and
“one faith”, i.e. the one true set of doctrines which comprises the one
faith (Eph. 4:4-6).
If you have followed these studies carefully, it
will be evident by now that there can be no half-way position in our
relationship with God. We are either in Christ by baptism into him, or
outside of him. We are either in the light, or in darkness. One cannot have
a foot in both camps.
Our knowledge of these things gives us a certain
degree of responsibility towards God. We do not now walk the streets or go
about our daily lives like the average woman or man of the world. God is
intensely watching for our response. Both He, the Lord Jesus and all true
believers could almost ‘will’ you to make the right decision. But much as
God, Christ and ourselves will do all we can to help you - even in God’s
case to the extent of having given His only Son to die for us - ultimately
your salvation depends upon your own freewill decision to grasp hold of the
grace of God and the great Hope of eternity which has now been offered to
you.