fellowship

Acts 2:42 - 42And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Fellowship

• Fellowship comes from the Greek words KOINOS (root) and METOCHE

–Defined as fellowship, communion, sharing, association, joint participation, and partnership

–Biblical fellowship involves both a relationship and a participation

Fellowship

• A relationship

–With God (2 Pet. 1:2-4; John 17:20-23)

• Through Christ (John 14:6; Eph. 1:3-6)

• Through obedience to His Word (1 John 2:3-6; John 15:1-8)

Fellowship

• A relationship

–With other Christians

• “common salvation” – Jude 1:3

• “common faith” – Titus 1:4

• “fellow heirs” – Eph. 3:6

• “fellow citizens” – Eph. 2:19

• “fellow worker” – 2 Cor. 8:23

• “fellow soldier” – Phil. 2:25

Fellowship

• A relationship

–With other Christians (1 Cor. 12:12-14, 27; Gal. 3:26-28)

• Unity with one another is dependent upon our individual unity with God (1 John 1:3-7)

Fellowship

• A participation

– In the gospel (Phil. 1:3-6; 4:15-16; Gal. 6:6)

– In worship (Heb. 10:24-25; 1 Cor. 10:16-17)

– In physical needs (Rom. 15:25-27; Heb. 10:16)

Fellowship

• Forbidden with…

– False teachers (2 John 9-11)

– The wicked (Eph. 5:8-14)

– The disorderly (1 Cor. 5:9-11; 2 Thess. 3:6, 14-15)

Fellowship

• Fellowship is not a reference to social activities (meals, entertainment, recreation)

• Fellowship refers to our relationship with God and one another as followers of Christ, and our participation in the work of the kingdom

Fellowship

Fellowship

1 Cor. 1:10 - 10Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.