For some time I’ve had concerns about the evangelical use of the phrases ‘personal relationship’ or ‘fellowship’ with Jesus or God. Not that I disagree that this is a good thing to aspire to, it’s just – What does it mean? Day to day – how do I do it? It is a phrase trotted out to describe something a intangible and as a consequence is quite hard to define.
Often Christians speak of God using the same terminology that they would of a personal friend or neighbour. But God is clearly not like our neighbour. In many ways He is harder to see, and in many ways He is more present. Can we use the word ‘relationship’ in the same manner with God as we can with other people? What sort of activity can be classed as knowing God?
I guess, in many ways the way to continue in our relationship with God is to do all the things that you would with a good human relationship: talk together, spend time listening, make time for, try to understand, aim to please each other, forgive, love etc. This helps – but it is the wrong way round. Good human relationships should echo the relationship that God has with us. He is our model for relationships, not us, his.
Father Stephen has just posted an excellent article on the subject. He focusses on the words fellowship and communion, rather than relationship, as these are two ways of translating the greek word koinonia. His point is clear. I’d recommend reading the whole article, but here is just a taste.
The entire concept of Church as a fellowship of believers, meaning a free association of like-minded Christians, is simply not a Scriptural notion, unless your Bible happens to be one of the many that has bowdlerized the clear Orthodox meaning of Scripture. We are saved by union with Christ, by participation in His life. We are Baptized into his death and raised in His resurrection. We eat His Body and drink His Blood. We have participation in the life of one another such that we cannot say to one another, “I have no need of you.” Such examples can be multiplied from every page of the New Testament and not one of them will support the weak image of an associational fellowship. This sad translation of a powerful word has helped support a notion of the individual believer with a relationship with Christ (what sort of a relationship is fellowship?) and his Bible. This is not the language or imagery of Scripture nor the doctrine of the Church.
Is fellowship with God possible? I’m not certain how to answer the question. I’d rather have communion.
tallandrew 