WHO WE ARE: Partners with Other Believers

"In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now."Philippians 1:4-5 (NIV)

Paul refers to the “partnership” of the Philippian church in the opening (1:5, 7) and closing (4:14-15) of his letter to them.

In all of these verses, the Greek word that appears is koinonia. It also shows up in Acts 2:42, where Luke includes koinonia as one of the characteristics of the early church. This word shows up in many other places in the New Testament, and it may translated as one of the following:

• Fellowship
• Contribution
• Participation
• Partnership
• Sharing

In Paul’s view, koinonia is not just about the church gathering for a pot-luck dinner after Sunday morning service. It’s not just about doing things with other Christians, nor merely about a willingness to share with someone in need.

For Paul, koinonia is a give-and-take relationship, which is mutually beneficial to both sides. It involves close association and recognition that one has specific obligations to the other members of the community (from whom one also receives benefits). Koinonia is something that binds together believers in Jesus at the deepest levels of the heart. And it does not require feelings of fondness, points of similarity, nor ease in getting along.

This is because each member of the church has been called into koinonia with God’s Son by the Spirit (1 Cor 1:9; 2 Cor 13:14; Phil 2:1; 3:10). And we only fully live out our koinonia with God when we also live it out with the people who have received this same gift.