Spiritual Fellowship – Hebrews 3:13

Today, we’re looking at Hebrews 3:13. This passage is very important for the health and maturity of the church. We want knowledge and growth and so we read books but we must understand why we want to grow. The main reason to grow is to serve the church and we want to grow together. Without biblical fellowship, the church isn’t truly growing as a unit or a community.

Think about World War II veterans versus Vietnam veterans. World War II guys came back on ships for 30 days. During that journey, they had time to talk, share, and process the traumatizing experiences together in a community. They reflected on the war and therefore when they came back they could handle normal society better. On the other hand, Vietnam veterans came back quickly by plane, in a day or two. No time to talk, no fellowship. That’s why many struggled with PTSD, drugs, and homelessness. Even in a secular sense, fellowship is very important. Society has many problems because homes are broken and there’s no fellowship. If we want a strong, growing church, we must make a true community based on biblical fellowship.

Hebrews 3:13 says, “But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin”. Fellowship cannot be done alone. We need community, a group doing it together. Even in Genesis 2:18, God said, “It’s not good for the man to be alone”. Man needs fellowship.

The book of Hebrews was written when Jewish believers faced huge persecution and were tempted to return to Judaism to escape. Some were getting ready to fall away, which is apostasy. This happens today too – backsliding, getting away from God, caring less. When we face challenges, feel isolated or forsaken, we might doubt if God is truly there.

The Holy Spirit gives us the solution in verse 13. Biblical fellowship is essential and vital. We cannot grow or mature alone. We need each other. Christian fellowship is the Holy Spirit’s solution to daily challenges. It is God’s wisdom.

True Christian fellowship is not just social activity, like movies, dinner, or funny stories. Our change is internal. Biblical fellowship is about sharing a common life with other believers, a life shared with God the Father and God the Son. It is a relationship, not an activity. It should stimulate us to share experientially. It’s a relationship and partnership with a common goal. Through the Holy Spirit, we have communion with each other.

How do we do this biblical fellowship? The text tells us to encourage one another. Encouragement means giving courage, increasing confidence, inspiring spirit and strength. It is literally “to call alongside,” to get close to someone to give help or aid. It enables a person to meet difficult situations with confidence. It is a command to do habitually and practically, daily. Paul encouraged disciples facing persecution in Acts 14:22, telling them to continue in faith because “through many afflictions we must enter the kingdom of God”. It is more than just saying “be good” or “do nice”.

How do we encourage each other?

• Care one another: Consider their pain as yours. We are one body.
• Honor each other: Not competing, being happy for others’ success, concerned for their betterment.
• Reprove (correct) one another: Sometimes we need to guide them, say something right in truth and love. Humble correction is an external form of prayer. It is counseling, helping someone, not criticizing. We are not perfect and need correction.
• Pray for each other: Biblical fellowship includes prayer. Prayer is a great investment. Praying together changes people.
• Share God’s word: Christians are centered around God’s word. We share what God has done in our lives through the word.

How can we do this continually? It comes from understanding objective truth. First, we must realize true faith. We must ask if we are true Christians. True fellowship only happens between true believers. Ask yourself if you are dependent on the Spirit, if you are in Christ, if you have fellowship with God. Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” (Galatians 2:20). For true Christians, Jesus is second to none. We are gaining Christ daily. Only true Christians can have this kind of fellowship.

Second, we must have communion with God. This is personal but very important. It means starting and closing the day with the Lord. Christian life is an all-day affair. Christ and His word must dominate everything we care about. This communion involves meditating on God’s word all the time. Meditating on God’s word is essential for grace and growth. We meditate to find God, our sin, the solution, application, and obedience. As you meditate, prayer naturally follows. It is also about living before God, acting as if always under His eye. At the end of the day, reflect on whether you gained something or bore fruit. Close the day with thankfulness. God’s faithfulness brings peace, hope, and joy.

Why is biblical fellowship so essential? Because we only have today. “As long as it is called today”. Fellowship is not for tomorrow. The Holy Spirit might prompt you to call or text someone to encourage them. Share what God has done. We have many things to share, give, and care for one another. The urgency is to prevent our hearts from being hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Sin is deceitful, like sugar – we know it is harmful, but we love it.

Being alone is a sign of danger, a peril. Anyone alone in scripture tends to commit sin. Look at Peter; he denied Jesus three times when he was alone in the high priest’s room (John 18:16). When you get prideful, thinking you know something, you want to be alone; you talk but do not listen. Biblical fellowship helps balance each other, giving and taking, nourishing and being nourished. Without it, there is no hope for the future.

Biblical fellowship means watching out for someone’s back, helping, pushing, walking together. David sinned when he was alone, but he was restored with Nathan. This is what Christian fellowship is. We are both David and Nathan, needing each other and helping one another in fellowship, so that the church will grow healthy and strong in the Lord.