Koinonia

https://odb.org/MY/2023/06/15/putting-the-pieces-together

When we read Philippians 1:6, there is a tendency to think that God will somehow make us perfect in due time, that Paul is like saying that we will be perfected until the day of Jesus Christ as though we will appear before Christ smelling like roses in squeaky clean white robes on that day.

Perhaps we should read Philippians 1 in the context that Paul was already in prison by then and that he was writing to this church in Philippi that he started earlier and that he was encouraged that they are still going strong in the faith. He prays with joy for them due to their partnership with him in the Gospel from day one until then, and the word he used for partnership is koinonia, which usually denotes fellowship. Thus, Paul was confident that He who started the good work in them will bring it to completion until the day of Jesus Christ. The work in them as well as the koinonia partnership in the Gospel.

As much as God wants fellowship and relationship with us, service for Him goes hand in hand. That is why I don’t believe that we could exist as Christians in isolation, merely practising our faith one to one in prayer and worship with Him without being part of any larger congregation. Our faith can not be independent of His work, His Gospel. I believe Paul used koinonia to denote partnership in the Gospel as it is a fellowship to work together for God and His plans and purposes. So that we may live at the centre of His will as a congregation of believers, not just as an individual.

Therefore, Christ who began the good work in us and in our koinonia partnership with one another will carry it to completion only if we work together with Him and one another. I think it is wishful thinking to say that Christ will somehow perfect us. It is obvious that we need to work with Him and yield ourselves to Him, and it is essential that we work with one another in koinonia partnership in the Gospel for Christ to bring His work to completion. In other words, serving God in partnership with our fellow brethren is probably the best way for Christ to complete His work in us. Our faith in God will grow and mature exponentially as we serve Him with others in ministry. We will grow and mature as we pray together, break down spiritual strongholds together, and conquer new grounds for God together. Since ancient times, there has been strength in numbers, and we all know that two is better than one, and three is better than two!