Today I would like to share with you the word "Fellowship"
as rendered from the Greek word in the New Testament in the
KJV "Koinonia". The word is from the Greek root word
"Koinonos", which is translated partaker five times, partner
three times, fellowship one time and companion one time for
a total of ten times.

The word "fellowship" (Koinonia) is used in the New
Testament a total of twenty times in eighteen verses. It is
often rendered fellowship, communion, communication and
contribution. The word koinonia often is used as the share
which one has in something or ones participation. In current
vernacular, fellowship is often used as a meeting or a get
together of believers even as, "hanging out with
Christians". The word is also used today as a state of being
in alignment with God's Word and His Will.

We will take a look at the uses of this word koinonia in the
New Testament keeping in mind that today's vernacular is not
to be imposed on the Word but rather the Word should dictate
how our vernacular should be today.

First, we will look at when the Word uses koinonia as
communion. I Cor. 10:16 uses koinonia as Communion
pertaining to the body and blood of Christ. This section is
setting forth the difference between the sacrifice of Christ
and the sacrifice to idols which the believers were starting
to partake in.

The communion of the Holy Ghost is another use of koinonia
as communion II Cor. 13:14 this is the share or stock that
we as believers have in the Spirit of God, our participation
or our intimacy with that part of the Father which is
Spirit.

The next use of the word koinonia is communication,
translated this way once in Philemon and once in Hebrews
both occurrences telling the believers to communicate the
good things that are in them or that they have done.

The next use of the word koinonia is fellowship, it is used
throughout the New Testament and it is the most common
translation of koinonia. Throughout the books of the
Epistles we are told to have fellowship with the Apostles
which represent those who are our teachers and our leaders.
The Word also tells the Apostles to have fellowship with the
believers one after another in I John 1:7. The Word tells us
to have fellowship with the Father like the Apostles had
indicating a greater state or walking closer to the Father,
this comes by a greater understanding of the Word of God.
Without knowing the Word of God one cannot know God.

There is also the fellowship of suffering, of Spirit, of the
Mystery, of ministering and of His Son. We are told that
these are the kind of ways that we as Christians should have
fellowship. In all of the verses that use this word koinonia
the Word renders fellowship as a noun. There is also a verb
form of koinonia, sugkoinonia which is a command not to have
fellowship with devils. We will stick to the noun and see
how God wants us to fellowship.

In Ephesians we find in the third chapter and ninth verse
the word fellowship used and bringing this word to the apex
of its meaning in the Bible.

Eph, 3:9 And to make all [men] see what [is] the fellowship
of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath
been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

This fellowship of the Mystery that which was hid in God the
sharing, the partaking, the partnership, the intimacy and of
course the fellowship we have with God is that we the
Gentiles are fellow-heirs of the promise we are partakers of
the promise we share fully in that which God has ordained
for the Mystery believers since the beginning of the world.

We should look at one more use of fellowship and that is the
fellowship of ministering to the saints. We as Mystery
Believers are encouraged to minister to the believers with
the good deeds we can do by contributing (another use of the
word koinonia) to the necessity of the body of Christ by
distribution (koinonia) by making known what is the richness
of the Mystery.

Fellowship is a wonderful word used in the Epistles, it has
significant meaning and I encourage you to do your own work
on this great Biblical word. Each and every word in the
Bible has many uses and usages which make the Bible the most
intriguing book to study. God Bless your wonderful hearts in
Christ Jesus our Lord.

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This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of PrayWay. It is provided for informational purposes only. As always, weigh everything with the Word of God, which is the only inerrant source of information.