Critical Company

I like the idea of fellowship. I've heard some folks say that they would have no problem being alone. They might have no problem being alone at night when they lay their head on their pillows at night, but fellowship is one of the things God designed us for. I think it is vital, especially to the believer.

Christian fellowship is what is happening when two or more believers are sharing each other's company. It's a free, friendly association with those who have placed their trust in Jesus to carry them into eternal life. Fellowship is not just something we choose to do though, as in Hebrews 10:24, and 25 it's purpose and necessity are explained. We are to spend time together and "stimulate one another to love and good deeds,"


I've heard it said that, "We're all God's children." A more Biblically accurate statement would be, "We are all created by God," because Biblically speaking, we do not become His children until we are adopted into His family through faith in the Lord Jesus. Ephesians 1:5 says; "He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will," so if we were, "all God's children" just because we were created by Him, adoption wouldn't at all be necessary. He must want it to happen very badly though, because He allowed Himself to be sacrificed in the person of Jesus Christ in order to buy us out of enslavement to our sins. It's up to each individual on the planet to choose to be adopted or not, to fellowship or not.

Once we've been adopted, Christian fellowship should become a normal outgrowth of being in God's family. If it isn't, something is wrong somewhere that needs to be corrected. We should desire the companionship of people who think the way we do, that hold to the truth of the Bible. There are places all over the planet where your beliefs will be in direct contrast to the society one lives in. To want to fellowship with fellowship with other Christians is something designed for us by God.

If you neglect fellowship, or ignore it altogether, you can and probably will impede your own growth and even put yourself at spiritual risk. I quit attending a church once that was taking an unbiblical route on certain issues morally speaking, and I ended up not attending for some time. A dear man who knew me casually, but kept running into me here and there would always inquire of me and my life, and whether or not I had found a new church. He left me and my wife with a thought at a grocery store the last time we met. He said, "You know guys, the further away from the fire you get, the closer you get to the wolves, and the more in danger you are of getting eaten." I'm very thankful for that godly man, and for his gentle encouragement each time we ran into him. We ended up finding a church home where we are loved and whom we also love.

There's a song about coming to faith in Christ which lyrics read, "Like waking up, from the longest dream, how real it seemed, until Your love broke through. I was lost in a fantasy, that blinded me, until Your love broke through." Unbelieving people are still living in their sin imposed fantasy, and even though God wants us to live in this world among them and share what we have in Christ with them, we are called to be separate from them where fellowship is concerned. I'll let Paul explain that.

2 Cor 6:14Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?

If you're not currently in a church fellowship, I suggest you start praying about that immediately, and let Holy Spirit guide you to one.