Fellowship is Good for Our Faith
That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. Philemon 1:6 (KJV) emphasis mine
Let’s break some of these words down so we get a better understanding of what this verse is telling us.
Communication is translated as sharing in the New King James Version. In the Greek, the word is better translated as fellowship or communion.
Effectual in the New King James Version is effective. The Greek tells us it means energized, activated.
Acknowledging means we have full understanding. The Greek tells us it means full or thorough knowledge, discernment.
What this shows us is that as we share our faith through fellowship with others, it is activated. Fellowshiping with other Christians helps our faith to produce good results- for us as well as for others. As we come together, we acknowledge every good thing placed in us by God at the new birth. What is in us is activated as we fellowship- by our confession of what has been deposited in us. Faith without works is dead, so this is an act of faith, which causes our faith to work. In communing with those with whom we have Christ in common, we acknowledge the good gifts God has given us and we speak and act in faith. This causes what God has placed in us to be worked out in our lives. We grow by who we know!
Like a seed, all God is has been planted in us, and all the good God put in us comes to maturity as we come together and acknowledge and confess His Word. The seed of God is the Word of God, His character, and His nature. This begins to develop in us the fruit of the Spirit and we begin to operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the power of God. These things manifest because what is in us grows, matures, and begins to come out of us. Because we are in Christ (the Holy One and His anointing) and He is in us, the fellowship of the saints brings out the anointing placed in us.
Our faith grows and matures through fellowship with other believers. As we share our faith, acknowledge God’s Word, declare what He has said, and give to one another, faith is activated and we produce fruit. The good placed inside us begins to work its way out in our daily lives so the Word becomes a living reality to us. When we experience the goodness of God in our lives, we can be good to one another.
Fellowship is good for us and good for our faith. The more we acknowledge God, the more we’ll experience God.
