Day 2 – What is Koinonia?

Remember the greatest instructions for us from God.

Matthew 22:36-40

"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" 37 And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart (Worship) and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Koinonia). 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." ESV

What is Koinonia?

Koinonia’s primary definition is fellowship but it carries a deeper connotation than our English translation. How is this like loving your neighbor as yourself?

Acts 4:32-34

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. ESV

Koinonia is a Greek word that occurs 20 times in the Bible.” The first occurrence of koinonia is

Acts 2:42

“They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

Christian fellowship is a key aspect of the Christian life. Believers in Christ are to come together in love, faith, and encouragement. That is the essence of koinonia.

Philippians 2:1-2 declares, “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.”

Koinonia is being in agreement with one another, being united in purpose, and serving alongside each other. Our koinonia with each other is based on our common koinonia with Jesus Christ.

1 John 1:6-7

If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

A powerful example of what koinonia should look like can be found in a study of the phrase “one another” in the Bible.

Scripture commands us to be devoted to one another (Romans 12:10),

honor one another (Romans 12:10),

live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16; 1 Peter 3:8),

accept one another (Romans 15:7),

serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13),

be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32),

admonish one another (Colossians 3:16),

encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 3:13),

spur one another on toward love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24),

offer hospitality (1 Peter 4:9),

and love one another (1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 3:11; 3:23; 4:7; 4:11-12).