Koinonia, Fellowship of Believers

Fellowship With Fellow Believers

FELLOWSHIP is what believers do to/with one another  as an expression of Christ’s love. Fellowship (Koinonia) in the New Testament was understood to be sharing freely of the inner life and the love of God.  The believers shared such a deep love which attracted admiration from the world (Acts 20:20). Every believer needs other believers and is needed by other believers. You can not grow spiritually without other believers.

Starting point is our relationship with God

We will never know real fellowship apart from a true relationship with Jesus (1 John 1:3).   It is not based on having the same thinking, same ethnic group or same likes but on our relationship with Jesus. We share the same father, the same salvation and the same enemy and struggles. As we draw closer to Christ, we draw closer to one another (1 Corinthians 1:9; Psalm 119:63).

For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body...   ...Now you are the body of Christ, and members (1 Corinthians 12:12-27)

Our fellowship grows if it is cultivated. We cultivate our fellowship by:

1. Being in the word together (Acts 2:42; 3 John 1).  As we grow in the word we grow in love for one another.
2. Assembling together as believers (Hebrews 10:25; Acts 2:42). Excuses not to fellowship are he devil’s way to destroy fellowship. Before he destroys, he isolates a believer. Fire burns better when logs are together. We benefit from Jesus’ presence. God manifests in special ways impossible when alone. Mathew 18:20.
3. Breaking of bread together and sharing meals (1 Cor 10:16; Acts 2:46). Jesus often fellowshipped in people’s houses (Luke 10:38; Mark 2:15). Visit each other.
4. Praying together. Those who pray together stay together (Acts 2:42). They did this  steadfastly. God honours corporate prayer (Mathew 18:19). They prayed  in one accord/unity/onness/harmony (Acts 1:14; Acts 4:24).  They also confessed sins one to another (Acts 5:16).
5. Giving to one another.  Giving is an expression of love that bonds fellowship (Acts 2:32, 44-45). Look for opportunities to give to each other (Phil 4:10-18).
6. Praise together (Psalm 22:3) . Make Jesus your common centre and focus.
7. Provoke one another to love (1 John 4:7). Be peace makers to one another.  Love unites.  The fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).  **1 Cor 1:10, Eph 4:3

Sin breaks fellowship with God and one another. 

Pride, lack of love, broken fellowship with God, unforgiveness, disharmony, etc (1 Cor 5:11. 2 Cor 6:14)

Benefits of belonging to a local church

           a)  You are spiritually fed and nurtured,

           b)  You can be accountable and accounted for,

           c)  There is a place for you to take part in the ministry,

d)   Your gifting is encouraged and given opportunity to develop.

(Be connected through Sunday Celebrations, Faith Life Cells, Specialised Ministry, Informal contacts and visits)

There are many positive One Anothers in the Bible, for example:

Mark 9:50  have peace one with another.

John 13:34 -35 That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

Romans 14:13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: put no stumblingblock in your brother's way.

Romans 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, where one may edify another.

Romans 15:5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another

Romans 15:7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

Romans 15:14 And I am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are able also to admonish one another.

1Corinthians 4:6 that ye might learn in us not to be puffed up for one against another.

1Corinthians 4:7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive?

1Corinthians 6:7 don’t go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong?

1Corinthians 10:24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth.

1Corinthians 12:25 That there should be no schism in the body; have the same care one for another.

Galatians 5:13 For, brethren,; only use your liberty for an occasion to serve one another.

Galatians 5:15 don’t bite and devour one another, lest ye be consumed one of another.

Galatians 5:26  not provoking one another, not envying one another.

Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Ephesians 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God hath forgiven you.

Ephesians 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

Colossians 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

Colossians 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: .

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another 1Thessalonians 3:12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and 1Thessalonians 4:9 But as touching brotherly love:  ye yourselves are taught to love one another.

1Thessalonians 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

1Thessalonians 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

Titus 3:3 dont live in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

Hebrews 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through sin.

Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, but exhorting one another: and

James 4:11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother,

James 5:9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: the judge standeth before the door.

James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.

1Peter 1:22 see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

1Peter 4:9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

1Peter 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards

1Peter 5:5 all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud,

1John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleans us

1John 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

1John 3:23 And this is his commandment, to believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another,

1John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God

1John 4:11-12 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

2John 1:5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

Message by Dr. Kurai Chitima.

Faith Ministries – Johannesburg Faith Life Center.

Ground and First Floors Sunset Bay Building,

204B Bram Fischer drive,

Randburg, Johannesburg, South Africa