Devotionals

Key Verse: Philippians 1:5 “For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.”

Key Thought: “These people didn’t thrive on fellowshipping with like believers; they thrived on joining together in the distribution of the gospel to those who didn’t know it as they did.”

Key Points:

• Fellowship in the original Greek (koinonia) means partnership, participation, benefaction (to help with), communion, or distribution.
• Christ is the giver of and reason for fellowship.
• If we remain in fellowship we become stable and determined in our service to the Lord.

The word “gospel” means the Good News of Jesus Christ. Therefore, to fellowship in the gospel means that we have to participate with fellow Christians in spreading that Good News. This requires spreading the gospel from a Sunday School class to the streets, the job, the grocery store, the barber shop, and, finally, to our own homes and families.

Fellowship takes on a new meaning in our key verse. It is not what we do when the preacher says, “Let’s shake hands and fellowship with one another.” It is defined in the original Greek as "partnership, participation, benefaction, communion, or distribution." The fellowship Paul speaks of is best exemplified in Acts 2:42-47.

When we surrender ourselves to the Holy Spirit’s power, we are able to participate with like believers in distributing the truth of Jesus Christ. The Spirit communicates this truth through us to others. We often use the excuse that we don’t know enough about the Scriptures to witness to others. That is why it is so important for us to read and study God’s Word. John 14:26 says, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

When we make the effort to read and study, the Spirit will remind us of the scriptures we have read when we need them to witness to others. If we remain in this kind of fellowship with the Word, we become stable and determined in our service to the Lord. When Paul says, in verse 5, “from the first day until now,” he is rejoicing in their stability and determination. These people did not let anyone or anything hinder their work.

When we participate in and distribute the gospel, we grow into maturity. Partaking in this kind of fellowship causes our desires and determination to grow. As we witness the work of the Lord in the lives of others, we become more aware of His work in our own lives. This gives us renewed faith and hope for our Christian walk.

Read more about "Fellowship in Our Eternal Position" from Dr. Brenda Robinson's "A Victorious Christian Life"

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• Posted by: Dr. Brenda Robinson