The Meaning of Fellowship

The word "koinonia", from "koinos" ("common"), is applied to "fellowship", but means literally "commonality" or to "be in common with". It indicates to gather together for something you have in common. In that way, it indicates a brotherhood where all have a thought in common and each one is agreeable to the next.

One might ask why all Christians can't be considered a part of the same brotherhood, because they all believe in Christ. But the problem is that no two Christian organizations have the same set of beliefs or even core values. Some don't care what their members do and give no consideration to shepherding, while others put a high value on God's moral standards and emphasize the shepherding of the sheep in their care as Christ commanded. Some believe Jesus is God and others recognize Christ's perfect obedience as a created being. Some believe that God tortures souls for eternity, and some think he does only until they repent, and still others show that Adam's punishment for sin was death alone. And some don't think any of it matters.

So you can see, so much division in belief, whether Scriptural or unscriptural, would only cause division, there being no shared commonality. (1 Corinthians 1:10-11) But within each organization, they share the same belief system, which is what makes them an individual religion.

WHAT IS "FELLOWSHIP"?

Fellowship is sharing and "showing fellow feeling", having "intense love for one another." (1 Peter 3:8-9; 4:8) Jesus said: "By this, all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves." (John 13:34-35) The Scripture says elsewhere: "And let us consider one another to incite to love and fine works, not forsaking the gathering of ourselves together, as some have the custom, but encouraging one another, and all the more so as behold the day drawing near." —Hebrews 10:24-25

However, so many disregard this love and go to war against their own brothers in another country, race, or tribe. (1 John 3:10-16) To maintain Chritian unity, we are instructed: "Wherefore, now that you all have put away falsehood, speak truth each one of you all with his neighbor, because we are members belonging to one another. Be wrathful, and yet do not sin; let the sun not set with you all in a provoked state, neither allow place for the Devil. Let the stealer steal no more, but rather let him do hard work, doing with his hands what is good work, that he may have something to distribute to someone in need. Let a rotten saying not proceed out of your all's mouth, but whatever saying is good for building up as the need may be, that it may impart what is favorable to the hearers. Also, do not be grieving God's holy spirit, with which you all have been sealed for a day of releasing by ransom. Let all malicious bitterness and anger and wrath and screaming and abusive speech be taken away from you all along with all badness. But become kind to one another, tenderly compassionate, freely forgiving one another just as God also by Christ freely forgave you all." —Ephesians 4:25-32

WHY AM I SO UNCOMFORTABLE IN MY CONGREGATION?

Gathering is very important. However, humans are not imperceptive. If you are uncomfortable gathering in your current congregation, you may very well be picking up on insincerity there, a lack of application among its members, a lack of self-control among some of its members, or God knows your sincerity and is seeking to bring you into a new and more correct faith. I recommend praying to him to reveal the matter to you and guide you to correct the situation. If you hear a knock on your door afterward, answer it. —John 16:23-24

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