Question 1

Why do I need the fellowship of other believers?

Accepted Answer

Acts 11:23When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord.Romans 12:5We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.Colossians 3:16Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.1 John 1:7If we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.God created us for relationships. We cannot grow as believers all by ourselves, without other Christians around us. Fellowship with other believers is necessary to keep us accountable, to help us learn to interpret God’s Word correctly, to enable us to understand each other’s needs, to pray for each other, to encourage one another, and to help us mature in our faith. All this comes from healthy relationships with other believers.

Question 2

How does my relationship with God affect the way I fellowship with others?

Accepted Answer

Acts 4:32-35All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.Fellowship with other believers helps provide for needs in the most practical ways. God’s love for us should move us to share our resources with others. This practical expression of love unleashes God’s power and empowers our witness to the world.Matthew 18:20“For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”Christians experience unique fellowship by worshiping together. The promise of the Lord’s presence transforms any gathering of believers. We draw strength from the testimony of God’s faithfulness in others’ lives. We learn to comfort one another with the comfort we receive from the Lord. We experience real joy. We give and receive love and forgiveness in practical ways. All of this is magnified because of the power of God among us.

Question 3

What does God promise when I make godly fellowship a priority?

Accepted Answer

1 John 1:5-7This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.We will experience God more fully when we live in open and truthful relationships with others because we are better reflecting the image of God in us and we are more clearly seeing the image of God in others.1 Peter 3:8-9All of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing.Just like all human relationships, fellowship cannot be fully free of sin. Responding to relationship issues with kindness and humility, however, will build up the body of Christ. God rewards faithful fellowship with great blessings.Psalm 34:12-15Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous? Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies! Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help.Our spiritual well-being will be deepened by the quality of our relationships. God promises to help us as we help those he loves.

Question 4

How is Christian fellowship different from other kinds of friendship?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 18:20“For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”Romans 1:12When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.James 5:16Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.Good friends are wonderful gifts. Fellowship among believers in Jesus (at church or in small groups) is unique because it invites the living God into our midst. People gather with a common perspective on life because they know their sins have been forgiven and that this affects their freedom and their future. Christian fellowship provides a place for honest sharing about the things in life that really matter, encouragement to stay strong in the face of temptation and persecution, and supernatural help in dealing with problems. Christians—especially Christian leaders—need Christian fellowship.

Question 5

What if I just don’t like some other Christians?

Accepted Answer

Romans 12:9-10, 16Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. . . . Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!Galatians 5:25-26Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.Philippians 2:3Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.To like people who are likeable is easy, but we model more of God’s love when we serve those who are annoying. We will never find a perfect church, and we will never find a perfect group of people—even among Christians—so we shouldn’t go looking for that. Instead, we should seek God’s guidance as to where we should be and then take joy in reaching out and loving those God has placed in our sphere of influence. We may be surprised at how the power of God can bring the most unlikely people together as friends. When we reach out to others in love, our hearts are also changed.