The abiding disciple is one in FELLOWSHIP (Greek: koinonia) with God as a life experience, and in fellowship with other believers. The act of fellowship is a personal, as well as, a community event and action understood in relationship to others of like mind. The fellowship with God is understood as a sense of unity, or oneness, with the Father and His purposes. Jesus Christ is the Center of this unity. The Holy Spirit is the Power of this Unity.
Fellowship means partner or companion. God's ways of partnership are based on terms through His Son. God's love (Greek: agape) in companionship is understood in the expression of Oneness and likeness in the Lord Jesus. All other fellowship is good, but natural. This fellowship is Spiritual. Fellowship has been revealed in Jesus Christ.1 Our Lord Jesus links us to God the Father and fellowship.
In our abiding we begin to see ourselves in the fellowship of God as described in the Vine and the Branches, and described in the Body and it's Members.2 The principle gleaned through these analogies is simply one is connected by the other. Without union there is no fellowship. "Our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ".3 "If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another".4
In contrast, "Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness". 4
God in His mercy and grace has allowed us:
* "the fellowship of suffering" 6
* "the fellowship of your faith" 7
* "the fellowship of the Spirit" 8
* "the communion of the Holy Spirit" 9
* "the fellowship of His Son Christ Jesus" 10
* "the fellowship with us (the saints)" 11
* "because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of one bread (loaf)" 12
What fellowship our Father has provided! In every aspect of life we have been given fellowship. In Acts of the Apostles 2:42, we see the relationship of the "Apostle's teaching, prayers, breaking of bread" as actions, and the fourth mentioned is "fellowship" which is an experience with God and others.13 All other things we do together must reflect into that Light.
Additional Scripture References:
John 14, John 15
Luke 10:21-22
Romans 12:13
Galatians 2:9
1 Corinthians 10:16-17
Acts 2:42
1. Matthew 11:25-27
2. John 15, Romans 12:5, 1 Corinthians 12
3. 1 John 1:3
4. 1 John 1:7
5. Ephesians 5:11
6. Philippians 3:10
7. Philemon 6
8. Philippians 2:1
9. 2 Corinthians 13:14
10. 1 Corinthians 1:9
11. 1 John 1:3
12. 1 Corinthians 10:17
13. Acts 2:42
