Greek Word Studies
Advanced Level
Lesson 6
Lesson Title: Koinonia (Fellowship)
Text: Acts
Introduction: Meaning of Koinonia
(Fellowship)
Greek ‘Koinonia’ from ‘koinos’ meaning ‘common’.
Koinonia means
holding all things common. It is the
sharing of our lives and our possessions.
Fellowship
is contrasted by ‘a selfish spirit that seeks only to satisfy itself.’
Foundation of fellowship
– ‘Covenant relationship’.
New
Testament fellowship is founded upon ‘covenant relationship’.
When we
receive new life in Christ we become one with Christ and His church by a ‘blood
covenant’.
This
blood covenant relationship is remembered every time we partake in ‘communion’.
We are
in blood covenant relationship with Jesus Christ, God’s Son.
We are
in blood covenant relationship with one another.
Christ
gave Himself for us; we give ourselves to Him.
Christ
gave Himself for His people; we give ourselves to one another.
The evidence of new life in the church is ‘love one for another’.
The devil will fight to destroy a church where the love of Christ is seen in fellowship, because the power of the Holy Spirit will be seen in this kind of church.
It is the love of Christ that draws people to Christ; and strive among believers will destroy Christian fellowship.
Personal Testimony:
When I came to the Lord at the age of 21, it was a small ‘house meeting’ in Leytonstone, London, which brought me through and nursed me as a young Christian. The church was loving, and caring, and giving was natural. Preachers would always receive a large offering because the people loved to give.
When I
went to
One day I was in the USA and my brother called me on the telephone, he was upset and he told me the church had split. Division had come in instead of fellowship.
Some years later I was asked to lead the small church that was left, but I also got involved in the dispute within the church which I regret greatly. My approach in leadership was aggressive and not conciliatory, and the church stopped after that time. Thank God that the blood of Jesus Christ His Son has washed the ‘sin of strive’ away.
Now that I have more experience I realize that the devil will seek to destroy a church that ‘loves’ and ‘cares for one another’. The power of the Holy Spirit is only able to be present when the ‘love of Christ’ is leading.
I regard my ministry as fruit that came out of the small house meeting in Leytonstone, and my prayer is that when Jesus returns there will be a great of harvest of souls put to their account.
Main Points:
(1) Fellowship in life- United as one
body
Sharing the life of Christ – partakers of His
body
Fellowship in the body of Christ is the
ministry of ‘the life of Christ’.
The life
of Christ is seen by the fruit of the Spirit.
When the
works of the flesh appear, true fellowship will disappear.
The
Church is the body of Christ because His life is in all those who are born
again.
It is
the life of Christ ministering through His body.
Fellowship
in Christ - Coming together as one people
United in life – united in mind.
United by covenant.
It is
the union of the spirit (Ephesians 4:3)
Illustration: Marriage:
Two people coming together as one. Eph.5:25-27.
When a
man and a woman marry they become one in life and purpose.
No
longer are they thought of separately.
They are
to care for one another as they would care for themselves.
(2) Fellowship in purpose - United in the
advance of the gospel.
Sharing the
gospel.
Fellowship of the
Paul
rejoiced concerning the Philippians for their ‘fellowship in the gospel’
Philippians
1:5 ‘For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;’
They
stood with Paul – fellow believers, helping him financially.
They
became an example to other churches in their support of the ministry.
Coming together with one purpose – the sharing of the
gospel.
Coming
together to be built up in the scriptures
Coming
together to pray
Coming
together to give
The
Philippians gave themselves to the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
2
Corinthians 8:1-5,
‘Beseeching us with much intreaty that
we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering
to the saints.’
(3) Fellowship with one another - cleansed by
the blood of Jesus in our relationships with one another.
John writes that fellowship is natural to those who walk in light, and there is continuous cleansing from all sin.
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
The cleansing John is writing
about concerns both our relationship with one another, and our relationship
with the Lord.
We must always walk in love, forgiving one another.
Because sin will stop us from having fellowship with the Father, but when we walk in the light the blood cleanses us from all sin.
Ephesians
Miracles sometimes; Love at all times
Fellowship
in the body of Christ involves everyday issues.
Miracles
took place in the book of Acts; but miracles did not happen all the time.
This was
not a problem.
In fact
miracles often brought a time of persecution.
It was love,
unity, humility that was essential at all times.
Paul
told the
Philippians
2:1-2 ‘If there be therefore any
consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit,
if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same
love, being of one accord, of one mind.’
(4) Fellowship through giving - United in sharing our lives and our
possessions with the body of Christ
1 John
3:16-17, ‘Hereby
perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought
to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth
up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth
the love of God in him?’
It is
fellowship with one another even to the point of laying down our lives for one
another.
Fellowship
means standing with one another in daily concerns.
The
evidence of a church that is alive is fellowship
A church
that is ‘dead’ like the Church at
But the
evidence of a living Church is ‘fellowship’.
Caring for one another.
Standing with one another.
Lifting one another up.
Fellowship
means supporting one another with:
§
Material needs –
providing help with daily needs
§
Physical well being –
providing assistance
§
Spiritual well being -
Helping to build one another up in the scriptures.
(5)
Fellowship in suffering shame for the gospel – United with each other in
serving Christ.
Paul also speaks of the fellowship with His
sufferings – willing to suffer shame for
Christ.
Philippians
The
They considered it to be a great honour
Acts 5 41, ‘And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.’
Fellowship in the body of Christ involves
everyone.
Fellowship
has no barriers and the Holy Spirit can minister through the body in many
different ways according to the will of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:12-13.
Fellowship
requires believers to be
a)
Open to let the Holy
Spirit minister through them
b)
Ready to help others
to minister.
Fellowship with the body of Christ means
being counted a fool for Christ.
Quote: C H Spurgeon: ‘From this time forth, I say, if you have room for Christ, the world will hardly find room of sufferance for you; you must expect now to be laughed at; now you must wear the fool’s cap in men’s esteem;’
Message ‘No Room for Christ in the Inn’
The natural man will run from the ‘shame of the cross’ and seek for the ‘respect of religious duty’. There can never be true fellowship with God’s people unless we are willing to put off our desire for the respect of the world and put on the fool’s cap with joy in being counted worthy to suffer shame for Christ.
Summary:
New
Testament fellowship (koinonia) is founded upon
‘covenant relationship’.
1
It is the fellowship
of the life of Christ in us – one mind; one Spirit.
2
It is fellowship in
purpose – the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
3 It is fellowship with one another – cleansed by the blood of Jesus in our relationships with one another.
4 It is fellowship in sharing - using our gifts and possessions for the benefit of the body of Christ.
5
It is fellowship in suffering
shame for the gospel of Christ – united with each other in serving Christ.
See also
The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit