Section 3
fellowship involves more than participation; it involves the circulation of the current of life. According to the Bible, fellowship always comes from life. First John 1:2 and 3 reveal that fellow ship issues from life. The source of fellowship is life. For this reason, in Philippians 4:10 Paul uses the word "blossom," and in verse 14, the word "fellowship": "Nevertheless you did well to have fellowship with me in my affliction."
The fellowship in life can be illustrated by the circulation of blood in the human body. On the one hand, as the blood circulates, it flows out; on the other hand, it returns. In like manner, our fellowship in life always has a going out with a return. Any outflow without a corresponding inflow is not true fellowship. Fellowship always involves circulation. The life goes out, and the life also returns. The life goes with a supply to the other party, and then it comes back with a supply from this party. Whenever we give ma terial things under the leading of the Lord, we should experience such a fellowship in life. There should be the blossoming and the mutual supply of life.
The fellowship the believers in Philippi had with Paul was for the furtherance of the gospel (Phil. 1:5). Their sending of the supply of material