Over the past 2 days, we have been emphasising the importance of fellowship with the brethren. On Monday, we learnt that we have a bond with other believers through salvation and the Holy Spirit, who works in all our hearts, and yesterday we discussed the different ways we can fellowship with other believers.

Today, we would be examining what fellowship births in us. It isn’t a redundant instruction, but was given for our progress and growth in the faith. How exactly does it achieve this?
The writer of Hebrews captures that answer profoundly in:

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭25‬
‭‭New King James Version‬‬
25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Every believer has heard time and again that the instruction the Bible gives us is not to “forsake the assembling of brethren.” And this is where a number of us stop reading this text, but if you see further, he didn’t say “gather and just sit around” or “gather and just sing beautiful songs together.” No!
It says “exhort one another”! Which means every gathering of believers is meant to be an avenue to exhort, correct, instruct, encourage and stir each other up.

‭‭Acts‬ ‭18‬:‭24‬-‭28‬ ‭
‭New King James Version‬‬
24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus.
25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John.
26 So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
27 And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace;
28 for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.

Koinonia is not only about connection and the bond we have in the faith, but it is also about growth. In the text above, the gathering of the believers in the temple showed one thing about Apollos: he wasn’t well-rounded. He didn’t know as much as he thought he did.
And the only way Aquila and Priscillia were able to see this was because he came to the gathering of believers and participated. If Apollos didn’t come to the gathering that day, he would have continued in his limited knowledge.
And see what verses 27 and 28 say about him, “he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.”

See that! Because of the time of fellowship he had with Aquila and Priscilla, his life and ministry were better for it, and his profiting appeared to all.
When God brings us into fellowship with other believers, He does not just give us companionship; He gives us people who will shape us, stretch us, and help us become more like Christ.

Just as the Bible says in Proverbs:
Proverbs 27:17 
‭New King James Version‬‬
17 As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

This means that growth is not meant to happen in isolation. Just as iron needs another iron to become sharper, believers need other believers for growth and progress in the faith.

There are things God will do in you that will only happen through people. Some mindsets will be corrected through conversations.
Some weaknesses will only be exposed through accountability.
Some strengths will be stirred up through encouragement from another person.
This is an important part of koinonia and one that isn’t to be overlooked.

Apart from the growth we experience in continuous fellowship, another aspect to highlight is correction and accountability.

Many times, we prefer fellowship that is comfortable, but not necessarily confrontational. We want encouragement, but not correction. We want a gathering where everyone can sit on their high horses and put up a front of perfection, but that’s not what God created fellowship to be.
Every believer who wants to grow in the faith must be ready to be vulnerable and able to take corrections. Correction is not rejection, it is love at work.

The Bible tells us in Colossians 3:16
‭New King James Version‬‬
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another

Notice this: teaching and admonishing one another. Admonishing means to lovingly correct, to instruct, to call someone back to truth. This is not condemnation; it is care. It is a responsibility we have toward one another as members of the same Body.

In true fellowship, the Word of God is our standard, not our opinions or emotions. This means we must be humble enough to receive correction, speak truth in love and be accountable to others
This is how we grow, together.

And as we yield to this process daily, we are being shaped into the image of Christ, not alone, but in community. So don’t withdraw when correction comes. Don’t isolate yourself from fellow believers around you. Both in cell meetings and in church services, be vulnerable, be approachable, be correctable and finally, be ready to listen and learn. Because God is using the people around you for your growth.

Prayer Point
Father, thank You for the gift of fellowship. Help me to grow through the relationships You have placed in my life. Give me a humble heart to receive correction and wisdom to speak truth in love. Let Your Word dwell richly in us, that we may sharpen one another and become more like Christ daily.