Whilst I appreciate and even enjoy exchanging ideas and learning from others on forums such as this, I find that as far as fellowship goes Cyberspace Relationship falls way short of the mark.

Many years ago I was provoked to do a study on the word fellowship as found in our Bibles. It is a translation of the Greek word 'koinonia'.

When I went to my Greek Dictionary, I found that this same word had been translated into a number of different English words. My curiosity was aroused.

Koinonia itself comes from the root word 'koinos', which translates into the English word 'common' and is used in Acts 2:44 speaking of the disciples holding all things in common.

In the King James Bible koinonia is variously translated: distributing Rom 12:13, communion 1 Cor 10:16, contribution Rom 15:26, distribution 2 Cor 9:13. After looking up the context of these words in the scriptures I began to think how on earth do we call the conversations that we often have after church 'fellowship'.

I decided to get out my trusty old English dictionary. It is well over a hundred years old and as such is a little closer to the meaning of words used originally in our Bibles. Language and meanings of words are in constant transition. Some change not at all and others change radically.

Fellowship is a composite word, the ship suffix means the state of being. Partnership is the state of being a partner, comradeship is the state of being a comrade, and fellowship is the state of being a fellow. But what is a fellow. In New Zealand we might think it means a bloke, and if that colloquial expression leaves you in the dark a bloke is a man.

The word 'fellow' is originally an Icelandic word. It is a composite word, the first part meaning 'fee' as in money that is paid. The second part is 'low' as in laying down something. The word fellow was used in England at the early Christian Universities. A man was a fellow of Oxford University or a fellow at Cambridge University because he had entered into fellowship by laying down his money and holding all things in common.

The word 'koinos' is also where we get our English word coin from. Fellowship has a lot more to do with money and with the sharing of what we have freely with our brothers and sisters in Christ than it does with the conversations we have with one another.

This does not mean I can go and help myself to my brothers goods. That would be stealing. But it means that my heart is ready to share, ready to give.

This kind of fellowship cannot be had in cyberspace.

1 John 1:6-7

6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

There is more I could say, but enough for now.

Peace to you all in Jesus Mighty Name

You are sharing knowledge, so I feel that "fellowship" as defined by you is quite possible in cyberspace.

Face to face is always preferable. But I agree with you Peterpan. People in the cyber world can touch your emotions, teach, debate, share etc even if in a less preferable way. You also get to meet some wonderful people you never would in your hometown.

Indeed Ladybird, we do get to enjoy the intellectual fellowship that cyberspace offers. My study of God's Word on the matter only focuses on what Biblical Fellowship really is and if we are walking in the light we will be drawn into such.

A great danger I have found is that some people have been swallowed up in cyberspace, using it like a plug in drug to escape the realities of their world both without and within. Some have even needed to have a spirit of escapism cast out of them and a corresponding healing for the heart.

Symptoms are sometimes easy to detect, like they have little to no real face to face relationships having become content with their friends at a distance on the other side of the screen. Friends that can not see what is really going on for no one can see their eyes which are like a window to the soul. And whatever relationships they do have in this world, they keep their walls up so that people don't get too close. They need our compassionate understanding and our prayers.

Of course, not everyone in cyberspace is escaping from reality. Without personal contact it is very hard to tell without a word from God.

I have had to check my own heart in the aftermath of my wife's departure. Temptations to escape the pain instead of taking it to God have come to me and the ongoing aloneness provides fertile ground for temptations to accept substitutes for real relationship to fill the gap left in my heart.

It is absolutely amazing the workings of the heart, what it conceives in order to preserve the self life. Again and again I find myself taking thoughts captive. Putting to death the carnal reasonings and denying self that I may keep the eyes of my understanding on Christ and Him alone.

Well I can't sit here forever, the three dimensional world is awaiting with all its challenges.

Peace to all in Jesus Name

:-)