FELLOWSHIP

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and FELLOWSHIP, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers – Acts 2:42

Fellowship is another fundamental, Kingdom priority. It has been God’s principle and practice from the very beginning: “And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day...” (Gen.3:8a). It was usual of God to fellowship with the first couple. Also in times past, God told His people to meet at certain times of the year (Dt.16:16).  Even now, He wants us to relate to other believers in vibrant fellowship and love and be a testimony to the world (Jh.13:34-35; Rom.12: 9-10). Have you noticed that the same kinds of animals move together? Also, plants of the same specie grow together. God wants Christians to move and grow together: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb.10:25).

The Church is the Body of Christ on earth through which He desires to continue His life and ministry. It is the worldwide body of born-again believers saved by the blood of Jesus, called out from the world, and joined to the Lord by the Holy Spirit (1Cor.12:12-14; 1Pet.2:9-10). God desires that His people work together as a body with many members and Jesus as the Head; and come together around His Word, to worship and praise His Name (Rom.12:4-5). All the believers in God’s worldwide Church obviously cannot meet together, so He has ordained that we meet in smaller groups in local churches, where He situates us. Believers in the early church assembled on a regular basis to pray (Acts 4:23-31; 12:5). Christian fellowship is thus appropriate as often as God’s people have the opportunity of meeting together (Acts 2:46-47).

In Acts 4 when Peter and John were persecuted by the rulers, elders, and scribes, they had company to return to after their release, and they all prayed together about the situation and experienced fresh outpouring of God’s Spirit of boldness, unity, and selflessness. When Peter was locked up by Herod, ready to be killed, the company of believers prayed for him and he returned to them after his miraculous deliverance (Acts 12:5, 13-17). When we gather together in the name of the Lord, although the primary focus is God-ward, we edify and pray for one another with our diverse gifts (1 Cor.14:26). We also partake of the anointing that flows from Jesus, the Head of the Church and the gifts God has placed in the Body of Christ (Psa.133:1-3; Eph.4:11-14). True fellowship provokes signs, wonders, favour, and increase in the Church (Acts 2:43, 47).

So much is connected to fellowship: doctrine or teaching, breaking of bread, prayers, worship, and manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit (Acts 2:42,47; 1Cor.14:26). Fellowship is deeper in meaning and more powerful than we might imagine: “God is faithful, by whom you were called to the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord” (1Cor.1:9). Where true fellowship and brotherly love exist, devoid of the darkness of sin, “truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1Jh.1:3). And as we walk in the light “we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Chirst cleanses us from all sin” (1Jh.1:7). Not forgetting the “fellowship of the Spirit” (Phil.2:1). Beware of the Satannic trap of despising fellowship, particularly in these days when many try to substitute being in fellowship with listening or watching online! Beloved, do not forsake fellowship!