Fellowship is not just connected with privilege
but also responsibility. The word fellowship in Greek is
koinonia, while those partaking in that fellowship are
koinonos and the verb to fellowship is koinoneo.
When Paul says that the nations have “participated” (Rom. 15: 27—koinoneo)
in the spiritual things of the Jews, that is privilege. When John
writes that “he who greets him partakes” (koinoneo) “in his
wicked works” (2 John 11), that is responsibility. Again, Christians
are exhorted not to be forgetful of “doing good and communicating
[of your substance]” (Heb. 13: 16), where the word communicating
is koinonia. We are responsible to be marked by such
fellowship, while those receiving the “contribution” (Rom. 15: 26—koinonia)
are obviously privileged.
When the Gospel
writer says that James and John “were partners” (koinonos)
“with Simon” (Luke 5: 10) it means far more than that they were
simply occupied in fishing. We know from Mark 1: 19, that after
calling Simon Peter, the Lord walked on a little further before
calling James and John. Yet Luke does not say that they ‘were
koinonos with Simon in fishing’ but simply that they ‘were
koinonos with Simon’. We get similar truth taught elsewhere.
Titus was Paul’s “companion” (2 Cor. 8: 23—koinonos), the
implication being that there was a bond between them that stretched
beyond merely travelling in the same direction. Again, when Paul
writes to Philemon, he speaks firstly in v6 to “thy participation” (koinonia)
“in the faith”, but then uses stronger language in v17 when he says
“If therefore thou holdest me to be a partner” (koinonos)
“[with thee], receive him as me”. The latter brings out far more the
sense of responsibility to one another that attaches to fellowship.
Sadly, the concept
of fellowship that many hold today is dangerously one-sided. Thus,
there is a great emphasis on the privilege of sharing in common,
while the parallel truth of the responsibility of partnership is
almost ignored. In relation to fellowship, Paul refers us to God’s
earthly people: “See Israel according to flesh: are not they who eat
the sacrifices in communion” (koinonos) “with the altar? (1
Cor. 10: 18). So have we taken that lesson on board? Anyone
acquainted with the OT Scriptures knows that both privilege and
responsibility attached to being a participant at the altar of
Israel, and that failure in responsibility had serious consequences.
