Is Fellowship Important? - Blog

Finish the following sentence: The gospel is proclaimed so that ___________.

What first came to mind when you read the sentence? If you are like most, probably something like “so that our sins can be forgiven” or “so that we can go to heaven.” These answers are true and there are surely many other correct answers to this question. But 1 John 1:3 offers a unique answer.

The gospel is proclaimed so that we can have fellowship with God and others.

Wait, what? The gospel is proclaimed so that we can have fellowship? This answer may be surprising to us because we often think of the gospel in a limited way. Forgiveness of sins and eternal life are utterly amazing things that are possible through Christ. But Jesus died for even more than that.

Fellowship is one of those words Christians use a lot but rarely define. Look it up in the dictionary and you’ll see that fellowship means friendly relationship, companionship, community of interest, and communion. Jesus died for more than simply saving you; he died so that he could be in fellowship with you.

Stop for a second and think about that. God desires companionship, a friendly relationship, and he desires that with you! That’s what he saved you for! Growing in Christ is more than doing spiritual disciplines; it’s about growing in intimacy and friendship with the Creator of the world!

And just as salvation brings about fellowship with God, it should also result in fellowship with other believers. It is impossible to have fellowship with others when you are alone, yet so often we think or act as if we need no one else involved in our spiritual journey. The rampant individualism in our culture often invades our spiritual lives as well.

But Christianity without a body of believers, without fellowshipping with other Christians, without the church, is not Biblical. Kevin DeYoung writes in Why We Love the Church, “Churchless Christianity makes about as much sense as a Christless church, and has just as much biblical warrant.” Christians don’t just need fellowship, they were saved so that they may have fellowship with others!

If you are a Christian and thinking of dropping out of church, I challenge you to read the book of Acts paying attention to the importance of the church. You aren’t supposed to be able to live a Christian life of complete solitude. You were saved for fellowship!