Fellowship
I know one of the key tenets for church is community. When we use that word community what do we mean? Are we referring to fellowship, in it's biblical sense not we have made it to be: potlucks and bible studies. Is there are difference between community and fellowship? Can you have fellowship with a person outside of Christ? 1 John chapter seems to state that fellowship occurs with other believers because their fellowship is with God.
I may be splitting hairs but here it goes. I think there is a difference. I am thinking that one aspect of community is the relationship we have with the world. We want to be seen in the context of which we live, the community but we want our community to be different one filled with love and grace. I believe that true fellowship draws people into our community because God is attractive. It is interesting to think that John was writing to combat the Gnostic way of thought, emphasizing the senses, touch,see,hear. What a relevant message to hear today for Christians to realize we need people to touch, hear, see Jesus in communities. Could it be that people outside of grace can witness our fellowship with each other and God through a community of believers but cannot experience true fellowship until they come into a relationship with Christ? They can experience Christian community but not fellowship, I don't know just rambling. Obviously my thoughts are never complete and I have ADD but let me know what you think.
I may be splitting hairs but here it goes. I think there is a difference. I am thinking that one aspect of community is the relationship we have with the world. We want to be seen in the context of which we live, the community but we want our community to be different one filled with love and grace. I believe that true fellowship draws people into our community because God is attractive. It is interesting to think that John was writing to combat the Gnostic way of thought, emphasizing the senses, touch,see,hear. What a relevant message to hear today for Christians to realize we need people to touch, hear, see Jesus in communities. Could it be that people outside of grace can witness our fellowship with each other and God through a community of believers but cannot experience true fellowship until they come into a relationship with Christ? They can experience Christian community but not fellowship, I don't know just rambling. Obviously my thoughts are never complete and I have ADD but let me know what you think.
posted by Tim @ 10:58 AM
3 Comments:
At 7:46 AM ,
Anonymous said...
So, does this mean that fellowship does not equal food??
At 8:52 AM ,
Tim said...
It does equal food but only red meat based meals.
At 12:31 PM ,
Bob said...
"Could it be that people outside of grace can witness our fellowship with each other and God through a community of believers but cannot experience true fellowship until they come into a relationship with Christ?"
I think so. Unless we know what true love is--the love that is God's--we cannot enjoy true (complete) fellowship. If we live in darkness we will live in ourselves--selfishly pursuing what we see as "best". In this state of mind we cannot know what it means to love another--wish the best for them, rejoice with them, feel and carry their burdens, love them when they are unlovable, see what they were made to be, not what they are--even when there "isn't anything in it for me". I think, rather than setting a criteria for fellowship, John is addressing what it takes to understand it.
Everyone can enjoy God's love because it is the kind of love that speaks directly to our souls--it is the kind of love we were all created to enjoy. The Christian can enjoy fellowship with every element of God's creation. The non-Christian can enjoy it but may not be able to return it ("make the fellowship complete" (1 Jn 1:4). This does not exclude them from Christian fellowship, it just leaves them lacking. The "peace that transcends all understanding" is found only in Christ.
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