Meaningful Membership: Community [Daren Ritchey] | October 27, 2019 - a podcast by Grace Bible Church - Hollidaysburg

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The concept of community comes from the word koinonia.
The most common English translation found in scripture is “fellowship.” There are a few other common translations of koinonia in its different grammatical forms and depending upon which translation one is using. In the NKJV it is translated as “communion, contribution, partners, partakers, companions and communication.”
Fellowship in its most basic form is a relationship not an activity (3).
We have been learning that we as believers share a common life through the indwelling Holy Spirit. This is the central idea of fellowship, Acts 2:41-42. This is the first appearance of the word “fellowship” (koinonia) in the N.T. On the day of Pentecost God sent the baptism of Holy Spirit to form His church. When Peter preached his sermon 3,000 people were saved, baptized and added to the church. The fact that Luke included “fellowship” here reveals that this must be more than socializing. The central idea of fellowship is that we share a common life in Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
Fellowship means sharing together in the sense of communion 2 Corinthians 13:14.
Those first Christians at Pentecost were Jews who had come “from every nation under heaven”, Acts 2:5. When they trusted in Christ for salvation they were baptized and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. As they began to learn from the Apostles’ teaching they began to experience a common spiritual life together namely “fellowship”, Acts 2:42.

Fellowship (koinonia) means that we are in union and communion with God and one another (3).
One of Paul’s favorite expressions is “in Christ.” As Christians we are in vital union with Him. 1 Corinthians 1:9, “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” The main thrust of this verse is our union with God, the objective fact. This means that we share Christ’s life (6-7). The “one another” here is in reference to our fellowship with God not other believers. John is focusing upon our union with Christ more than our communion with Him. Note that John says we walk “in the light” not “according to” the light. That would require sinless perfection and make it impossible for us to have fellowship with God. John makes it clear that he is not talking about perfection (8 & 10). To walk “in” the light means that we are open and responsive to the light as it illuminates our lives exposing our sin which we can then confess (9).
Union comes before communion, Colossians 2:6-7.
All believers share the very life of Christ Himself. This is why Jesus used the vine and branch metaphor, John 15:4.

Union with Christ and with Christians is not merely association 1 Corinthians 1:9.
Going to church and being baptized do not in and of themselves mean that we are joined to Christ. It is possible to be associated with the
church but never to have been born again and indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

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