The phrase “fellowship” is often tossed around in Christian circles and can have a variety of meanings depending on the context, but what does it truly entail? Is it a palpably meaningless exchange of pleasantries, or doing ‘friend’ activities with people we have much in common with? God forbid.
Far more than that, scripture defines it as something with indescribable worth for those who are followers of Christ:
Ephesians 2:19 says, “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God.” What does this mean? The context of this verse is that the apostle Paul is expounding upon the effect of God’s salvation in sinners’ lives’, both individually and corporately. After expounding on how each of our lives have been irrevocably changed and reconciled to God, he concludes that we are no longer foreigners and strangers, or people who are unknown to God and have no identity in Him, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God. With this, Paul makes two bold declarations: we are fellow citizens of the kingdom of heaven with all who have come to believe in Christ, and we are all members of the same family; sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father.
Why is this important?
Firstly, it means that we are not merely an assorted crowd of people whom were born into this church by happenstance, but fellow immortals of the kingdom of heaven that have been specially chosen and redeemed; a peculiar people. (1 Pet 2:9)
With an eternal weight of glory (2 Cor 4:17) awaiting all us in Christ, we have everything in common, for we have a shared joy and foreknowledge of the riches of His inheritance in the saints(us!!) (Eph 1:18).
Furthermore, it means we are a family and household of God founded upon the endless love of God adopting us as His children (Rom 8:15), and that we care for one another as much as you would your own earthly siblings with no boundaries between us, seeing as we are all one in Christ (Gal 2:28).
Indeed, as one church, we are being “built together for an habitation of God through the spirit” (Eph 2:22), which means that fellowship is God Himself residing in a body of undeserving, broken people who have been transformed by the unadulterated and unfettered grace of God manifested in His love for us through the gift of His own Son. That is why it is one of the purest manifestations of delight on this side of eternity, for brethren to dwell together in unity (Psalm 133:1).
The Christian life is difficult. It is an arduous marathon fraught with temptation and trials; a constant war against the darkness of this world and spiritual wickedness in high places (Eph 6:12). It is thus a life that was never meant to be warred alone, but together. As Fellow-citizens, as Saints, as Family.
So let us focus on Christ, and strive for things above for earthly things will soon be done