Two Fellows in One Ship

Acts 2:42 is a summary statement of the first few weeks of the aftermath of Pentecost. “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (KJV). Not only did the new believers devote themselves to the teaching the apostles gave, but they also felt a desire for fellowship.

A definition of fellowship that I heard decades ago is “two fellows in one ship.” In this verse it is fellowship “in its largest sense” (JFB), and the Greek word means a sharer in a common interest. It is not a reference to an organized local Christian fellowship, which did not exist at this time, but rather to believers universal. The ESV is the only major translation that renders the word as an entity, “the fellowship,” so I accept the majority opinion that it refers to a commonality.

“They were like family to each other” (CEV). Paul later taught that the Church universal is the family of God. When you become a believer you have two families: a biological one and a spiritual one. For many new Christians, the spiritual family becomes more attractive.

There is much talk and emphasis on Kingdom teaching and position these days, and the Kingdom of God certainly gets some mention in the Pauline epistles. Yet the primary illustration of the relationship between God and the believer is that of a family. He’s our Father, we’re His sons and daughters and heirs, and that means we have siblings.

I lived in England for 10 years, from age 5 to 15, and it was a good life to be a subject of a benevolent king. But its even better to be a prince or princess with greater access and privileges! So I boldly proclaim that I’m a son of God with power and authority. The blue blood of the King of Kings runs in my spiritual veins. I’ve got status in the family and life-long relationships.

Why do we need other Christians? How about encouragement, edifying (building up), enthusiasm (God-in-us-ism)? While I believe that you could exist on a small desert island with just Christ in you, I cannot ignore the many later references in Acts and the Epistles to the helpfulness of other believers.

We are slipping into a cocooning world and rubbing shoulders less often with other people. Many no longer know their neighbor’s names, let alone have a friendship with them. In this Internet world, we may have hundreds of “likes” on a Facebook page or pluses on a Google+ account, yet there is still something missing, and that is the give and take of one-on-one friendships with like-minded people.

So take advantage of the common interest you have with other believers, “for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). Jesus said, “The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one…” (John 17:22-23a ESV).