The Fellowship of the Believers (Acts 2)
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
How cool! God shows us in Acts the need for the church to devote itself to “fellowship.” What do you think about when you hear the word fellowship? If you are a good old Baptist, you probably think of food. :) We expect the church to ’ teaching” and “to prayer”... but we have to equally expect fellowship. Notice that Luke doesn't just say that they had fellowship. Luke said they devoted themselves to it. This means that fellowship was a priority... You might think, Well that is what we do in the “fellowship hall.” ...... the place where we have casual conversations and savor coffee and donuts. But is that the biblical standards we are given?
Mature Christians can note that fellowship involves getting together for spiritual purposes: for sharing and meeting needs, for time to pray, for discussing and sharing His Word to encourage, comfort, and edify one another. (2 Tim 3:16)
But there is more... Look at the two Greek word groups, koinwnia, and its derivatives, and metocos..
Koinwnia comes from koinos which means “common, mutual, public.” It refers to that which is held in common.
(2) Koinwnia (n) and Koinwneo (vb) (primary words)
There are two main ideas with this word: (a) “to share together, take part together” in the sense of partnership or participation, and (b) “to share with” in the sense of giving to others.
Four key ideas emerge out of these two meanings according to New Testament usage.
The New Testament usage according to sentence construction refers to: (a) the thing shared in common in some way by all parties involved as relationships, blessings or burdens, privileges, or responsibilities (all believers in Christ share many things in common); (b) the person(s) doing the sharing with others; (c) the person(s) with whom there is sharing; and (d) an abstract quality of the concept of fellowship, with no object, used alone as in Acts 2:42.
(3) Koinwnos, Koinwnikos (secondary words)
Koinwnos means “a partner, associate, companion” (2 Cor. 8:23; Luke 5:10; Phil. 1:7) or “a partaker, sharer” (1 Cor. 10:18-20; 2 Cor. 1:7; 1 Pet. 5:1; 2 Pet. 1:4).
Koinwnikos, is an adjective meaning “characterized by koinwnos, ready to share or partake” (1 Tim. 6:18).
The Metocos Words (metocos, metoch) These words come from meta, “with,” plus ecw, “to have.” The basic idea is “to have with” or “to have together.”
Metocos means: (a) “a sharing in, a partaking of” (Heb. 3:1, 14; 6:4; 12:8); and (b), “a partner, associate” (Heb. 1:9; Luke 5:7).
Metoch means: (a) “sharing, fellowship”; or (b) “partnership” (cf. 2 Cor. 6:14 where it is used with koinwnia).
As Christ Followers, we can have fellowship and share together because first of all we have a relationship with Christ and share Him in common (1 Cor. 1:9; 1 John 1:3).
The New English Bible translates 1 John 1:3 as follows: “what we have seen and heard we declare to you, so that you and we together may share in a common life, that life which we share with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.”
Fellowship is first the sharing together in a common life with other believers through relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Fellowship is first and foremost a relationship, rather than an activity.
The principle is that any activity that follows, should come out of the relationship.
In Acts 2:42 the early church was not merely devoting itself to activities, but to a relationship. It was this relationship that produced an active sharing in other ways. It is so important that we grasp this. Fellowship means we belong to each other in a relationship because we share together the common life and enabling grace of Jesus Christ.
Both koinwnia and metocos mean to share together in the sense of a partnership.
Both sets of Greek words were used in this sense by classical and New Testament writers.
(1) In the secular realm, koinwnos (a form of koinwnia) and metocos were both used by Luke to refer to the partnership of Peter with James and John (Luke 5:7, 10).
(2) In the spiritual realm, koinwnos was used by Paul of Titus (2 Cor. 8:23) and Philemon (Philemon 17), and koinwnia of the Philippians (Phil. 1:5) because he viewed them as partners in the ministry of the gospel, as co-workers who shared in ministry (cf. Gal. 2:9).
Whereas the word relationship describes believers as a community of spiritual partners called together with the objective of glorifying God.
Companionship is the communication (communion) that exists among companions, those associated together through a relationship they hold in common. Communication is the sharing of concepts, feelings, ideas, information, needs, etc. through words or other symbols like body language and actions so that all members of the relationship hold these things in common.
In the Christian community, companionship includes communicating on a spiritual level through a mutual sharing of the things of Christ: the Word, the filling of the Holy Spirit, and the ministries and gifts of the various members of the body of Christ.
How?
- through the Word, prayer, the filling of the Holy Spirit, and the abiding life.
-assembling together as a whole body (Acts. 2:42; Heb. 10:25);
- assembling in smaller groups (2 Tim. 2:2)
- meeting together one-on-one (1 Thess. 5:11)
- sharing and communicating truth together and building up one another (Rom. 1:11-12; 2 Tim. 2:2; 1 Thess 5:11; Philem. 6
- sharing together in worship, i.e., the Lord’s supper (1 Cor. 10:16), the singing of hymns, psalms, and spiritual songs (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16),
-sharing together as partners in the needs, burdens, concerns, joys, and blessings for the purpose of encouragement, comfort, challenge or exhortation, praise, prayer and physical help according to the needs and ability (cf. Phil. 1:5 with 1:19; and 2:4 with 1:27; also 4:3; Rom. 12:15; and 1 Thess. 5:11,14,15; Heb. 10:33).
1 Thes 5
11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
I am so thankful that in Genesis God said it wasn't good for man to be alone. I am so thankful that He made us relational. I am so glad that He called us to disciple one another/ teach one another... like in Titus 2:4. Take His call seriously! You are needed!
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