I've shared with you before how the word shalom is a word so rich in meaning that
it really can't be translated well without using a hyphenated definition (peace-prosperity-wholeness-completeness-wellness-health). It's the same with koinonia.
I had always assumed the word koinonia was translated 'fellowship'--a one-for-one translatable
word. But in 1 Peter 4:13, I read this:
"Rejoice that you participate (koinonia) in the sufferings of Christ." Say what?
I quickly discovered that the word koinonia also needs to be viewed as a hyphenated definition. Koinonia
does define a relationship, but in a much more expansive way than just
'fellowship'. A good definition would
be: a partnering-sharing-fellowshipping-stewarding-partaking-companionship
relationship.
The implications of this become mind-boggling. For
example, in 2 Peter 1:4, we "participate (koinonia) in the divine nature." We share in the very nature of God through
Christ! The essence of the Church, the
Body of Christ, is found in this word koinonia.
We partner with God in His activity, share in His nature, and steward that
which He has given us. The koinonia relationship that we are to
have with each other is literally the practical expression of God's agape love (love in action)--the koinonia that He wants to have with us.
John put it this way in 1 John 1:7: "If we walk in
the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship (koinonia) with one another..." Do you see that?--the evidence that we truly
have koinonia with God is
demonstrated by our koinonia with one
another! Another way of saying this: If
we are not experiencing koinonia with
another believer, we are not in koinonia
with God (i.e., walking in the light as He is in the light). It is impossible to have a koinonia relationship with God and not
share it with the rest of God's people.
Understanding koinonia
puts a whole new light on commands such as 'love one another deeply, comfort
one another, carry one another's burdens.'
It is more than just ministering to another person--it is partaking,
companioning, stewarding, etc. life together.
Our koinonia relationship with
God lived out in koinonia
relationship with other believers.
If what Scripture says is true about a break in koinonia relationship between believers
causes a break in koinonia with God
(see Matthew 6:14-15), how many Christians are sitting in a church today with
broken koinonia relationships in
their past? They've left their previous
church because they were upset with the music, or the pastor, or the direction
of the church, or the change in programs, or the color choice of the new
carpet, or... Whatever the reason (good
or bad), there was a break in the koinonia
relationship.
Many churches starting today arise as a result of these
kinds of beginnings--precipitated out of a koinonia
break. I'm part of a denomination that starts a lot of churches as a result of
church splits/disagreements. I even got
caught up in one of these 'new starts' many years ago. But I wonder...
- I wonder...if we can really expect God's fullest blessing if we ignore broken koinonia with each other?
- I wonder...if so much of the spiritual apathy and complacency we see in the American church is because of us not living out the reality of koinonia?
- I wonder...if why we see a lack of distinctiveness (holiness) amongst so many of God's people is because it is the natural outgrowth of being out of koinonia with God?
- I wonder...if churches really understood the koinonia of believers, would there be a greater unity among churches in a community?
- I wonder...if churches really walked the talk about koinonia and unity, the words of Jesus' prayer would be answered that the world would believe (John 17:21-23) because of our unity and koinonia?
- I wonder...if our prayers for revival (which always must start with repentance) should be refocused on praying for restored koinonia?
Thank you for this practical and thoughtful message. God bless!
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