Ephesians 1:18 (Amplified Bible) - ¹⁸By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones).

Ephesians 1:20-23 (Amplified Bible)- ²⁰Which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His [own] right hand in the heavenly [places], ²¹Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named [above every title that can be conferred], not only in this age and in this world, but also in the age and the world which are to come. ²²And He has put all things under His feet and has appointed Him the universal and supreme Head of the church [a headship exercised throughout the church], ²³Which is His body, the fullness of Him Who fills all in all [for in that body lives the full measure of Him Who makes everything complete, and Who fills everything everywhere with Himself].

 Ephesians 2:19-21 (Amplified Bible) - ¹⁹Therefore you are no longer outsiders (exiles, migrants, and aliens, excluded from the rights of citizens), but you now share citizenship with the saints (God's own people, consecrated and set apart for Himself); and you belong to God's [own] household. ²⁰You are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself the chief Cornerstone. ²¹In Him the whole structure is joined (bound, welded) together harmoniously, and it continues to rise (grow, increase) into a holy temple in the Lord [a sanctuary dedicated, consecrated, and sacred to the presence of the Lord].

I Corinthians 12:27-28, 31 (Amplified Bible) – ²⁷ Now you [collectively] are Christ's body and [individually] you are members of it, each part severally and distinct [each with his own place and function]. ²⁸So God has appointed some in the church [for His own use]: first apostles (special messengers); second prophets (inspired preachers and expounders); third teachers; then wonder-workers; then those with ability to heal the sick; helpers; administrators; [speakers in] different (unknown) tongues…And yet I will show you a still more excellent way [one that is better by far and the highest of them all: Love]. 

 Romans 6:3 (Amplified Bible) “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ…”.  So that the Church (those He has predestined and sanctified for His Eternal Glory) will know and understand the purpose for which God the Father called His saints out of darkness into the marvelous light of Jesus Christ who God the Father appointed Heir of all things: the universal and supreme, one and only Head of the Church. The revelation of this relationship between Christ and the New Testament church is found in the Book of Acts, and in Paul’s writings. “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body…and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” I Cor.12:13. The meaning of the word “church” in the Greek, to call out; to assemble: points to a community or a membership. Within this membership of all born-again believers, we have all experienced a baptism into a spiritual fellowship.

Interpersonal Relationships are a result of the cultivation of this spiritual fellowship of all believers! This Spiritual Fellowship (baptism into one body) or fellowship (membership) within the beloved is automatic in Christ; but true fellowship or interpersonal relationships require cultivation and commitment. Even though these terms can be used interchangeable to identify and reveal the spiritual connection each member has with the body of Christ as a whole; as well these terms communicate the need for intimacy and commitment one to another. 

The New Testament church should utilize a personal and relational approach for ministry. Each member of the body should be in relationship with other members. 

“Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend . . . As in water face answers (reflects) face, so the heart of man to man” Proverbs 27:17-19. As the water acts like a “mirror”, in which we may see our own face by reflection, so there are “mirrors” by which the “character of one man” is discovered through en-countering the character of another! The great advantage of “true fellowship”, is that it challenges all who are apart of its New Wine! God has fashioned men’s hearts alike! No one thing is so like another, as one man is to his fellow man!

 True Fellowship (companionship; a company of equals or friends, an association; group: membership or partnership; common interests, common activity, feeling, or experience) is a very valuable tool for the development of God’s people. “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ . . . Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: Heb.3:1, 6, 12-14, 10:23-25, 33; I Cor.16:10-20. True Fellowship speaks of persons being tightly grouped and growing closely together! The curse comes when no true fellowship/relationship can be found!

“How is it then, brethren? When ye come together, every one of you has a psalm, have a doctrine, have a tongue, have a revelation, have an interpretation. Let all things be done unto EDIFYING” (I Cor.14:26-27). The Bible tells us that the BLESSING is found in the “cluster” and we are commanded not to DESTROY IT! Wherever “true fellowship” (interpersonal relationships) are formed and/or found, God will COMMAND a blessing; Ps.133:1-3. “As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, destroy it not; for a blessing is in it” Isa.65:8. The Body of Christ operates by functional authority depending on the specific “gifting and call of God on their lives”; without the releasing of this GRACE within the Body of Believers, there cannot be a “cluster anointing” wherein is found the blessing of NEW WINE (The multifaceted power, presence, and person of the Lord Jesus Christ himself in the earth through His people). The word cluster suggests a grouping together of similar or like minded people, committed to the same cause, and to one another (growing together).

 “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love”, “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”, “But unto everyone of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ” Eph.4:15-16, 13, 7. God has SET in the Church “miracles”, as much as He has SET “apostles”; God has SET in the Church “gifts of healing” as much as He has SET “prophets”. Teachers are SET in the Church, and so are: helps, governments, diversities of tongues, and every other possible potential gifting and calling of God in the Body of Christ (I Cor.12:10-12, 18-20, 24-31), and these all having their various functions or operations taking place within the Church, and finding expression throughout a vast living body of people.

The Bible tells us, as a people of God, to PROVOKE (to direct attention to; to call forth, to evoke, to stir up purposely, to provide the needed stimulus for; to arouse as by pricking) one another to LOVE and GOOD WORKS! The “Brotherhood of Believers” is a very powerful tool in the Hand of God, to DEVELOP as well as PROTECT that treasure within the earthen vessel (Acts 14:21-28; 15:32-41; 18:23; 21:1-10; 2 Thess.3:13-15; I Cor.5:6-13; I Cor.15:33; 2 Cor.6:14-18). “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, is one body: so also is Christ” (I Cor.12:12). Christ is not only in a BODY of people corporately, but also in an individual member in particular! Before we will ever become a corporate expression of Christ’s Body: we must first, each and everyone of us, being a single unit and unique individual body part yield to Christ within and find expression through the measure of the gift of Christ given by the GRACE of God!