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transformative

1 John 1:3
"That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ."

Before we can “Connect in a study group” we need fellowship with the Holy Trinity! The two relationships go hand in hand.

In today's verse the Apostle John explains that he and the other apostles proclaimed the truth they personally saw and heard regarding Jesus, with the specific goal of establishing fellowship (koinonia) with believers. 

Koinonia is a Greek word appearing roughly 20 times in the New Testament that signifies deep spiritual fellowship, communion, and shared participation among believers and with God. Rooted in the word koinonos (partner or sharer), it transcends casual friendship to describe a covenantal unity where Christians share in the Holy Spirit, the gospel, material resources, and even Christ’s sufferings.

Today’s verse highlights two dimensions of this fellowship:

Horizontal Fellowship: Believers are united with one another through shared faith and the apostolic witness.

Vertical Fellowship: This shared community is fundamentally rooted in a shared life and communion with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

John emphasizes that this relationship is not merely doctrinal but is based on historical eyewitness testimony of the Word of Life, inviting readers to enter into a living, transformative partnership with God.

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