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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 (1 John 1:3).

 

The story Jesus told in Luke 15:11-27 about the man who had two sons, gives us a better understanding of the difference between relationship and fellowship. Even though the young lad left home, and ended up in abject penury, he was still his father’s son! The father-and-son

 

relationship wasn’t destroyed; however, there was no fellowship. When he finally came to himself, and decided to return home, his father welcomed him back gladly (read Luke 15:11-27).

 

That’s just the way of some Christians: they have a relationship with God because they came to the Father

 

in the Name of the Lord Jesus, received salvation, and

 

became God’s children. However, they’re not in fellowship with Him. They have no time to pray, study, and meditate on the Word; they’re not "walking with God." It’s like having a child: you give birth to the child once, and that child becomes your son or daughter; that relationship is established once; but fellowship is built overtime.

 

There’re blessings that are based on a relationship, and there’re blessings that are based on fellowship. For example, Romans 12:3 tells us that God has given to every man the measure of faith. Each one of us was blessed with the required seed of faith when we received salvation. Nevertheless, for that faith to grow; for you to function in the greater levels of faith, there’s got to be fellowship. The more you fellowship with the Word and the Holy Spirit, and put your faith to work, the greater your faith grows, and the more experience you’d have in the things of God.