Corinthians 13:11-14
- In the New Testament, believers can have fellowship and share together their lives and ministries and their joint expectations of forever, because they first of all have and share a saving, vivifying relationship with Christ and share Him in common (1 Cor. 1:9)
- Fellowship, then, begins in the shared-together, common spiritual life with other believers through right relationship with God secured through Jesus Christ by faith, and given its life by the indwelling living Holy Spirit. This is a one-body union with God in Christ. Christian Koinonia/fellowship then starts first and foremost as an objective triune-God-rooted relationship, a union, rather than an activity.
- The principle is that any genuine fellowship activity that follows, comes out of and is given life from that shared living relationship. Fellowship activity in return then magnifies the glory, displays the reality, and fuels our enjoyment of our union with God in Christ. Phil 1:27