LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters — Minutes St. Louis, Missouri — November 11–13, 2011, Page 20

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of the Synod for their study and guidance (Res. 3-10). This Synod-adopted commendation also serves the
self-understanding of “fellowship” or koinonia. The following are pertinent excerpts:
I.

THE NATURE OF FELLOWSHIP

A. THE SCRIPTURAL CONCEPT OF FELLOWSHIP
1. Fellowship: Having Part in a Common Thing
In the New Testament the word koinonia (and its cognates), the Greek term for fellowship, appears in a
number of places…
Without referring to every place where koinonia (and its cognates) appears in the New Testament, it can be
concluded that this is a term which has as its root meaning “having part in a common thing.” It is with this
meaning in mind that the New Testament writers use it to refer to a variety of relationships. Important in this
discussion on the nature of fellowship in the context of inter-Christian relationships is the fact that koinonia
most frequently appears in connection with that spiritual unity which exists in the body of Christ (e.g.,1 Cor.1:9;
1 John 1:3), but it is also used at times to refer to the attempts of Christians to manifest this unity externally
(e.g., Acts 2:42; Gal. 2:9). It dare not be overlooked, however, that the Scriptures also have much to say about
each of these two distinct (but not separate) relationships without making specific use of the term koinonia at
all. For example, this word appears neither in Paul's discussion of spiritual unity in the body of Christ in
Eph.4:1-6 [note this reference in Synod’s Constitution] nor in Christ's High Priestly Prayer in John 17:20 f., nor
is it used in many of those sections of Scripture which exhort Christians to guard the truth and to live together in
the church in an external relationship of peace and love on the basis of agreement in God's Word (e.g., 1
Cor.1:10 [note this reference in Synod’s Constitution]; 2 Tim.1:13-14) [emphasis added].
The implications of that which has just been stated are clear. This study on fellowship will have to be more
than a mere word study on the meaning and usages of koinonia in the New Testament. If we are to be faithful to
the Scriptural understanding of the nature of fellowship in the context of inter-Christian and inter-church
relationships, then it will be necessary not only to examine those sections of the Scriptures where the word
koinonia appears but also to take into account what God's Word has to say about the spiritual unity which is
given with faith in Christ and to heed the guidance the Scriptures give to Christians regarding external unity in
the church [pp. 8–9; emphasis added].

….
3. Fellowship: An External Relationship to Be Manifested and Maintained

a. "Forbearing One Another in Love"
Since it is faith in the heart which binds believers together with Christ and with one another, no human eye
can see this spiritual unity. But there is an inner dynamic to faith in Jesus Christ which works toward an
external unity embracing all those who confess faith in Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:10) [emphasis added]. What the
church is by God's design is what He wants the church to show itself to be―one―so that "the world may
believe" (John 17:21).
The Scriptures, therefore, exhort Christians to manifest the unity which has already been given them by
virtue of their incorporation into the body of Christ. St. Paul writes: "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, beg
you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with
patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph.
4:1–3). Those who have been grafted into Him who is the true vine are to bear the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22).
Having been incorporated by Baptism into the body of Christ, they should manifest love for the fellow members
of His body. Love for the brethren, writes St. John, is evidence that we have "passed out of death into life" (1
John 3:14; cf. Eph. 5:2). This external unity, although involving human efforts, is also a gift from God
[emphasis added].

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