Life in the church is a life of fellowship. One reason why God has saved a people for Himself is that we might be united to one another. This tight-knit fellowship is the practice that we see in the early church. 

Acts 2:42—“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship…”

The Greek word for ‘fellowship’ is ‘koinonia,’ which means ‘to share with someone in something.’ Fellowship is first a relationship before an activity. And the Bible says that our fellowship is rooted in the fact that when we’re saved, we’re united with the Triune God. And because we’re united with Him; therefore, we have fellowship with other believers. Our calling then, is to cultivate and nurture that fellowship. 

1 John 1:3—“That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you to may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.” 

God has designed that your faith would be strengthened by fellowshipping with other believers in the church. We are called to be with one another. To get to know one another. To spend time with one another. To open our homes to one another. But this fellowship needs to be purposeful. We don’t just hang out. We are called, as Hebrews 3:13 tells us, to ‘exhort one another.’ 

We need to call others to persevere in the faith. We need to remind others of the truths of the Gospel. We need others who rebuke us when we’re in sin. We need encouragement and support when we’re discouraged. We need loving spiritual oversight from elders. We need to use our spiritual gifts for the benefit of others. We need others to weep with us when we weep, and we need to rejoice with others when they rejoice. We need the older discipling the young, and we need the young to imitate the faith of those who are older. 

So, don’t be an aloof and removed Christian, present at corporate worship but distant from others. God has given others in the church as a means of grace to you. Receive God’s grace and devote yourself to Gospel-centered fellowship. Widen your heart. They need you and you need them.