 |  |
We can ask ourselves some questions. What do we mean by fellowship? What is the
meaning of the word, fellowship? What does the Bible tell us about fellowship?
Was the stranger right in thanking the family for their fellowship? When we speak of
fellowship, we usually think of sharing spiritual things. If we speak to those who hold
similar or identical faith and we rejoice together as we talk of those things, this is
fellowship. The two disciples walking to Emmaus enjoyed the Lord's conversation about
the Scriptures which concerned Himself and they said "Did not our heart burn within us,
while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the Scriptures?"
(Luke.xxiv.32).
While fellowship may be greatly enjoyed between Christians who share their
experience and their faith, is it not more important to have fellowship with the Lord? The
whole of I John 1: 3 reads:
"That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have
fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus
Christ."
Writing on the subject of true prayer and fellowship with God, Charles H. Welch says
in An Alphabetical Analysis, Part 10, page 79:
"God forbid that we should ever regard prayer as a Christian act to be engaged in only
when we want something, but rather learn, in a practical way, what day by day fellowship
with the Father means, its wonder, privilege and joy. Just as breathing is the natural
expression of physical life, so should prayer be the normal and continuous expression of
our spiritual life."
Let us consider the meaning of the word "fellowship". We have assumed, so far, that
fellowship is of necessity concerned with spiritual realities. Is this so?
If we look at the early chapters of the Acts we find that fellowship is related to having
all things in common, and that meant material and spiritual things. Two references will
illustrate this:
"And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in
breaking of bread, and in prayers . . . . . And all that believed were together, and had all
things common" (Acts 2: 42, 44).
"And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither
said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had
all things common" (Acts 4: 32).
Again, we quote Charles H. Welch, who writes on Fellowship in An Alphabetical
Analysis, Part 2, pages 24-28:
"The basis of the word fellowship is something that is `common' like a `common faith'
or a `common salvation'. The bulk of the references is of a practical nature, manifesting
in deed, and by the sharing of expenses, the blessings which all shared alike in grace.
The believer should be willing `to communicate' (I Tim. 6: 18), which is used in that
passage almost synonymously with readiness `to distribute'. The Philippians, not only