What is fellowship with God?

Answer

The Greek term translated as “fellowship” in the New Testament is koinonia, which means “partnership, sharing in common, or communion.” The core of partnership is agreement or unity of purpose. Fellowship with God fundamentally involves agreeing with Him in all aspects. The New Testament confirms this partnership for believers. Not only do we share fellowship with God the Father, but we also participate in fellowship with His Son and the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 1:9;2 Corinthians 13:14;1 John 1:3).

To have fellowship with others, there must be a unity of hearts, a bond that connects two individuals: “Can two walk together unless they are agreed?” «Can two walk together, except they be agreed? », (Amos 3:3). At the core of fellowship, there must be like-mindedness. Those in fellowship must share similar wishes and desires, which is why Paul urges believers not to be “unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?” «Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? », (2 Corinthians 6:14). Believers experience genuine fellowship with one another because of the Holy Spirit who dwells within all believers «even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. », (John 14:17). Through the Spirit, we have authentic fellowship, unlike aAny relationship we may have with those who do not know Christ.

Fellowship with God is only possible through the blood of Christ. Before we are saved, we are at enmity with God “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled”, (Colossians 1:21). Jesus reconciled us to God through His death on the cross “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”, (Romans 5:10). When we repent of our sin and trust in Christ, the result is that “now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life” “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.”, (1 John 5:20).

It is important to know that fellowship with God comes exclusively through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only way to the Father “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”, (John 14:6), yet throughout the ages man has attempted to devise other paths to God through false religions or to live in such a way as to merit His approval. We cannot have fellowship with God if we reject His Son (1 John 5:10-11), dispute His foreordained plan of salvation, or attempt to find another path to His presence.

Scripture identifies some things that are at oddsWith genuine fellowship with God: the “mind controlled by the flesh” that does “not obey God’s law” «Because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. », (Romans 8:7) and “friendship with the world” «You adulterers and adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. », (James 4:4). God is light, and light cannot have fellowship with darkness: “If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But 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 1:6-7).

Those in fellowship with God trust in Christ. Their sins are forgiven. They are filled with the Spirit. They believe that God deserves to be glorified in all things. They dedicate time to reading the Bible and praying in a pursuit of “spiritual wisdom and insight so that [they] may grow in [their] knowledge of God” «that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: », (Ephesians 1:17, NLT).

God’s Word, the Bible, is all we need for fellowship with Him. We glorify Him by submitting to His will and obeying the commands found in His Word. “But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him” «But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, And his righteousness to children’s children; », (Psalm 103:17). May we experience the unity, peace, and happiness of the companionship God has granted us. Let us emulate Enoch, a man who, in his lengthy life, was recognized for “walking in close fellowship with God” «and Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. », (Genesis 5:24, NLT).