Essentials of Koinonia – Part I
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)
We must love God with our total being
“This is the first and greatest commandment” (Matt. 22:37-38). If you love God, you will obey Him (see John 14:21-24). If you love Him, you will also love your brother (see 1John 4:21; 5:3). If your fellowship with God is right—if you love Him with your total being— you will even be able to love your enemies. The threat to fellowship is anything that causes you to lose your first love for God. This was the problem with the church at Ephesus (see Rev. 2:1-7).
Loving money or things more than God will break your fellowship with Him. Your sinful cravings and lust can capture your first love You can even fall in love with what you have or what you are able to do. When your love is not pure toward God, fellowship with God is broken. Your fellowship with others will then reflect your broken fellowship with God.
Suppose a person begins to love things more than God. When fellowship with God is broken, love for others will suffer. A person who loves things more than God will become stingy and greedy. When he sees a brother in need, he will keep his possessions to use for himself. He will not give to help others. He may start using God’s tithe (tenth) for himself. Greed is a dangerous threat to fellowship with God (see Eph. 5:5; 1John 3:17).
Materialism is a terrible trap that robs many people of their love for God. Churches can also be selfish and greedy, primarily using God’s resources to satisfy themselves rather than to help a lost and needy world.
We must submit to God’s sovereign rule
God is your Master. Because of His perfect love for you, He demands absolute obedience. As the Head of the church, Christ demands submission to Him and obedience to His will. Absolute surrender to His lordship is necessary for right fellowship with God.
When people become “a law to themselves” (Hab. 1:7) and do what is right in their own eyes (see Judg. 17:6), the experience of koinonia becomes impossible in their lives and in the life of a church. Yielding your loyalty or allegiance to anyone other than Christ is spiritual adultery. If a pastor, the deacons, influential businesspersons, or a committee tries to run or rule the church, koinonia is threatened.
The problem always starts with an individual’s or a church’s relationship with God. When a person refuses to deny self and follow Christ, fellowship with God is broken. When self is in control, all other authority relationships will be out of control. Asserting self in the body of Christ robs Christ of His rightful authority as the Head of the body.
Fellowship is broken not only when an individual tries to be the head of the church but also when the church expects its pastor or another individual or group to rule the church. No individual or group can function as the head of the body if that church is to be a healthy body. It may look healthy on the outside, but God sees the rebellion against His Son’s rule and deplores it. Every member of the church must submit to Christ’s lordship over his life and to Christ’s headship over the church.