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Set Free: Devoted to Fellowship
In Acts
2:42, the early Christians continually devoted themselves
to fellowship. But what does that mean and how do we follow their
example?
Interestingly, the Greek word
translated “fellowship” here is used 19 times in the New
Testament. Despite modern misusage, it is never once used within
to refer to eating, except in reference to the Lord’s Supper (I
Corinthians 10:16). The term itself simply means
participation or sharing.
“Fellowship” was used to speak of
fulfilling financial needs of Christians. See Romans
15:26 and II Corinthians 9:13 where the word is
translated “contribution.” It is used to refer to sharing a
relationship with Jesus. See I
Corinthians 1:9 and I John 1:6. It is used to
describe having a relationship through Christ with other
Christians, that is, describing our joint participation in
forgiveness (I
John 1:3, 7). It is used to describe participating in
Jesus’ sufferings in Philippians
3:10. It is used to describe giving approval to
another’s work when it said the Jerusalem brethren gave Paul and
Barnabas the right hand of fellowship in Galatians
2:9. In Philemon
6 it is used to describe the participation in the faith of
the Lord.
“Fellowship” is participating with
other Christians in spiritual and godly communion. We are in
fellowship when we walk together in Christ, when we worship
together, when we care for each other, when we help each other,
when we edify each other. When we think of fellowship, we need to
remember Romans
14:17: “The kingdom of God is not eating and
drinking.” We have not enjoyed fellowship just because we had a
potluck.
The fellowship of these first
Christians was described, I believe, in Acts
2:46-47. They continued daily in the temple and with each
other from house to house. The fellowship was not the eating of
meals together. The fellowship was the communion of mind through
worship together, it was the edification through praising God
together, it was the caring for others by sharing food with those
in need.
If we wish to follow in our early
brethren’s footsteps, we must share with one another. We must
care for those in need. We must edify and study with each other,
praying with each other and praising God together. We must worship
with each other. Fellowship provides freedom because it provides
partners for strength, encouragement and accountability.
The reality is, we cannot maintain
freedom from sin and Satan without spiritual relationships. If we
try to fight sin on our own, we will lose. Fellowship, joint
participation in our spiritual walk, is key to avoiding Satan’s
traps.
Are we devoted to fellowship with each
other, walking together spiritually, sharing with each other and
caring for each other?
More on this to come.
Edwin L. Crozier
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