How important is it to fellowship with other Christians? Is it okay to stay at home and stream the church services?
The Greek word for fellowship in the New Testament is ‘koinonia’ and is defined as partnership, (literally) participation, or (social) intercourse, or (pecuniary) benefaction. The Lord created the church, the body of Christ, in such a way that we are incomplete without each other. All believers on the Lord Jesus Christ are in the body of Christ and have a role to play. 1 Corinthians 12:27 tells us, “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” Speaking of Christ, we read in Colossians 1:18, “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” Christ is the head of His body, which is the church. All believers are members of His body and are dependent upon the Head to lead us. Through faith in Christ, we are not only related to Him, but we are related to each other as we read in Romans 12:5, “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”
As ‘members one of another’ we need each other and have responsibilities towards each other. Let us look at a few examples:
- Romans 13:8, “Owe no man any thing, but to LOVE ONE ANOTHER: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”
- Galatians 5:13, “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love SERVE ONE ANOTHER.”
- Galatians 6:2, “BEAR YE ONE ANOTHER’S BURDENS, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”
- Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; TEACHING AND ADMONISHING ONE ANOTHER in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs…”
- 1 Thessalonians 5:11, “Wherefore COMFORT YOURSELVES TOGETHER, and EDIFY ONE ANOTHER, even as also ye do.”
- James 5:16, “CONFESS YOUR FAULTS ONE TO ANOTHER and PRAY ONE FOR ANOTHER, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
Surely it is obvious that as fellow members of the Body of Christ, we need each other. We need personal interaction with each other so that we might minister to each other. Covid has changed the way we meet together. Many church groups, in order to minister to as many as possible, have begun streaming their services because of gathering limitations set because of Covid. This is a good thing, but the downside to that (surely the work of Satan) has been that many do not gather with fellow saints anymore. They have become comfortable listening to a sermon from the comfort of their own homes. This limits their ability to fellowship with and minister to fellow believers. As the Covid pandemic is seemingly decreasing, we should seek to gather with believers of “like precious faith” (2 Peter 1:1) on a consistent basis now.
We are instructed in Hebrews 10:24-25, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: NOT FORSAKING THE ASSEMBLING OF OURSELVES TOGETHER, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
If possible, we need to gather with fellow believers. We need to do it often! We need to meet for joint ministry, worship, fellowship, etc. For those who cannot get out due to medical reasons or infirmities, we need to reach out to them and seek to minister to their needs. As ‘members in particular’ may we seek to fellowship together and minister to one another on a consistent and frequent basis. (CC) (543.4)