Koinonia
Memory verse: “If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7)
In the mind and teaching of Jesus, a church was a vital, living, dynamic fellowship of believers. The Greek word koinonia, most frequently translated fellowship, is the best way to describe what a church ought to be
Our koinonia as believers is with God and His Son, Jesus Christ. This fellowship is an intimate partnership. It is the sharing of all God is with us and all we are with God. To me, koinonia is the most complete expression of a love relationship with God. When you live in this kind of love relationship with God, you will have the same quality of loving fellowship with other believers.
First John clearly states that your relationships with your Christian brothers and sisters are an expression of your relationship with God. You cannot be in true fellow ship with God and out of fellowship with other believers.
Read what the Bible says about being in fellowship with other believers
Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness (1 John 2:9-11)
This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother (1 John 3:10).
If you love God, your love for your fellow Christians will be obvious. You will be patient and kind. You will not be envious, boastful, proud, rude, self-seeking, or easily angered. You will not hold grudges. You will rejoice in truth and righteousness, not in evil. You will protect and trust your Christian brothers and sisters. You will hope for the best in others, and you will persevere in your love. This Godlike love grows from | an intimate love relationship with God. In John 13:35 Jesus said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
These two evaluations of your fellowship ought to be similar. If you say your fellowship with the Lord is good, but your fellowship with other Christians is poor, something is wrong. If you walk in intimate fellowship with God, you will enjoy warm fellowship with your brothers and sisters in Christ.