“For it is not an enemy who reproaches me, then I could bear it; nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me, then I could hide myself from him. But it is you, a man my equal, my companion and my familiar friend. We who had sweet fellowship together, walked in the house of God in the throng (large, densely packed crowd of God’s people).” (Psalms 55:12-14)
In this scripture, David is reflecting on the good times he enjoyed in his relationship with King Saul prior to Saul becoming envious of him to the point of wanting to kill him. In the past they would be together in God’s house, enjoy His presence and worship Him in the presence of many people. David refers to those times as times of sweet fellowship. However, once Saul heard the words of the women who came out of all the cities of Israel sing, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands” after David had killed Goliath then he became very angry and looked upon David with suspicion for fear he would take over his kingdom (I Samuel 18:7-9). An envious and bitter heart will soon destroy any meaningful fellowship between people. Until Saul’s death David was fleeing from his presence. The fellowship he once enjoyed with Saul had now been broken and was only a memory.
I wonder how many times “sweet fellowship” moments between members of the Lord’s body have been annulled because of an envious heart. God’s design for every member of the church is that they become a part of a fellowship that will last forever.
I hope this article will, in some way, make us more appreciative of what it means to be called into the glorious fellowship that we can have with God and His people.
Understanding the term “fellowship.”
The Hebrew word for fellowship is “achavah.” It conveys the idea of brotherhood, kinship, and covenantal union. The Greek word for fellowship is “koinonia” which conveys a sharing, partnership, communion and mutual participation.
How and when were individuals called into fellowship with Jesus Christ?
The apostle Paul reminds the brethren at Corinth of this wonderful calling when he said, “God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (I Corinthians 1:9).
In II Thessalonians 2:13-14 Paul appeals to the brethren in Thessalonica, “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. And it was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The Gospel of Christ calls all mankind to believe that He is truly the Son of God, to confess that conviction and to obey His call by being baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins. At that time and in this way, God brings them into the fellowship of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Luke reveals just that in Acts 2:37-42, as we read in verses 41-42, “So then, those who had received Peter’s word were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins, and there was added that day (by God) about three thousand souls. And these (new Christians) were continually devoting themselves to the apostle’s teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
There are various kinds of fellowship enjoyed by God’s people, including:
The spiritual fellowship one can have with God and Christ
The relationship that we can enjoy with God and Christ cannot be surpassed by any other. The apostle John alludes to this when he says, “what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write, so that our joy may be made complete (when you also enjoy this fellowship)” (I John 1:3-4).
This fellowship of oneness with the Father and the Son was the very thing that Jesus prayed for before going to Gethsemane: John 17:20-21, “I do not ask in behalf of these (His apostles) alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may believe in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me.”
The fellowship of suffering for Christ as He suffered for us.
There’s another type of fellowship that Paul was eager to participate in. It was to experience the fellowship of Christ’s suffering and, in so doing, truly know how much Jesus had suffered for him. We can read in the Bible about the degree of Christ’s suffering for us but we’ll never understand the fullness of it until we walk in His shoes and suffer for Him. So Paul aspires to this when he writes, “that I may know Christ, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection of the dead” (Philippians 3:10-11).
The fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
In Paul’s closing remarks of his second recorded letter to the brethren at Corinth he admonishes them with these words, “Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all” (II Corinthians 13:11-14).
It was Paul’s desire that the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all the members of the church. In order for Christians to experience that fellowship they must be willing to submit to the will of the Spirit and produce His fruit. They do this by walking by the Spirit or in accordance to the will of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26).
When does the fellowship of the Spirit become apparent in the Lord’s church? Paul answers this in Philippians 2:1-11:
- When brethren are of the same mind
- When brethren maintain the same love (of Christ)
- When brethren are united in spirit
- When brethren are intent on one purpose
- When brethren are unselfish and not conceited
- When brethren are humble and regard others more highly than they do themselves
- When brethren look out for the interest of others
- When brethren empty themselves of self like Jesus did and serve others
Enjoying sweet fellowship within God’s family.
Jesus said in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
So, it is not unusual for our relationship with members of the Lord’s church to be closer and more encouraging than the one that we have with our biological family. We share the common goal of obedience to Jesus who calls us to mutual love and forgiveness in the hope of life eternal. And it yields a joy found nowhere else on earth.
God designed that our fellowship in the church would bring glory to him and create a desire in the hearts of unbelievers to have what we have. A sermon lived is often better than a sermon preached. Oneness in Christ and unity in purpose both testify that we belong to Him…and are the church of Christ.
Would you describe the fellowship existing in your congregation as a sweet fellowship? If not, is there anything you can do to make it sweeter? May God help all of us to see the importance and value of being a part of a fellowship that gives witness to exactly who we are…”that Christ might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless” (Ephesians 5:27).
Owen Sound, ON