But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same care for one another. And if one part of the body suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if a part is honored, all the parts rejoice with it. – 1 Corinthians 12:24-27 (NASB)
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, as on Aaron’s beard, the oil which ran down upon the edge of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon coming down upon the mountains of Zion; for the Lord commanded the blessing there—life forever. – Psalm 133:1-3
This week I have dedicated some of my study time to writing these reflections on “fellowship”. Meanwhile, in Women’s Ministry, our final topic in the study we are wrapping up is “The Divine Context of Community”. It’s funny how God sometimes aligns things so that we might actually pay attention, isn’t it? Community is very important.
In the reflections this week, we’ve seen that Christian fellowship is a lot more than friendly interaction. Christian fellowship is the spiritual communion of believers united in Christ. On this Friday morning, I am thinking about how Scripture calls us to move beyond simply being present in church on Sunday morning to being connected as the body of Christ.
Paul reminds the Corinthians that the church is not a loose gathering of individuals but a living organism – the body of Christ. Each believer is a vital member, placed intentionally by God. The body only thrives when its members are joined together in mutual care, compassion, and service. In other words, the church cannot function as Christ intended if we remain detached spectators. Genuine fellowship means sharing life – our joys, our burdens, and our spiritual growth – with one another.
Psalm 133 paints a beautiful picture of what this kind of unity looks like. It describes harmony among God’s people as something sacred and life-giving… like the anointing oil that consecrated Moses’ brother, Aaron, for holy service, or like the refreshing dew that brings life to the land. Where believers dwell together in unity, “the Lord commanded the blessing.” That blessing isn’t just some kind of feel-good aura. It’s the tangible experience of God’s presence among His people.
True fellowship is not achieved by just “dwelling” together, though. Sitting in the same row or section at church or logging into the same live stream doesn’t automatically knit hearts together. Fellowship grows when we intentionally open our lives to one another – when we pray together, bear one another’s burdens, celebrate each other’s victories, and pursue a more Christ-like life side-by-side.
To be the body of Christ is to recognize that we need one another. A believer can’t flourish in isolation. A few verses earlier in the Corinthians text, Paul wrote, “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you.’” Likewise, the believer cannot say to the church, ‘I can follow Jesus on my own.’ When we come together, our unity, empowered by the Holy Spirit, becomes both our strength and our witness to the world.
Friends, church attendance really is important, but we can’t stop there. We can’t just settle for attendance. We’re called to strive for authentic fellowship. We must move from being a crowd of worshippers to a community of disciples. In unity – born out of love, sustained by grace, and centered on Christ – that’s when we discover the fullness of the life God intends for His people. If you aren’t involved in any of the ministries at New Hope Fellowship that I mentioned earlier this week, I encourage you to check one out. Or reach out to Pastor Dan, Pastor Nick, or myself as to how to connect. You need others and others need you!