I Jn 1:3,4 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son, Jesus Christ. And these things we write unto you, that your joy may be full. The purpose of GOD through the declaration of the Gospel is to call out by His wonderful grace a people for Himself, a people blameless and spotless cleansed by the blood of Christ (....a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish Eph 5:27), a people with whom He might have fellowship, a people who dwell peacefully together in the unity of the Spirit (Eph 4:3). Fellowship refers to a common participation. As the Children of the living GOD, our fellowship is the common participation in the grace of GOD, in the salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the blessings of the indwelling Holy Spirit; so our fellowship with one another, the fellowship we participate in as members of the family of GOD stems from our relationship with the Trinity. We have a common salvation, a common Savior, a common faith, a common hope, a common Spirit, for there is one body, one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one GOD and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all (Eph 4:4-6). Our fellowship is rooted in the eternal love of GOD, grounded in the Truth of GOD, and is based upon the salvation we have through our personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ through Whom we have forgiveness of sins (In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace Eph 1:7). Even though fellowship cannot be maintained by our own efforts, we are directed by the Word of GOD to (....walk in the Light as He is in the light.... I Jn 1:7), not in darkness (I Jn 1:6); charged to have the practice and habit of a life style characterized by a continuous submission to the indwelling Holy Spirit, to His authority and control; for if our fellowship is to remain "intact", unbroken by sin, we must not rely upon our own power, but the power of Another to correctly order our behavior (Gal 5:16), the power of GOD made available to us through His indwelling Holy Spirit. We must ever keep in mind, fellow believer, that a life of unbroken fellowship is a life of joy in our Lord (Whom having not seen, ye love; in Whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory I Pe 1:8). So we must earnestly endeavor to keep short accounts with GOD, as fellowship can be be ruptured; it can be broken by sin, and if sin is not repented of and confessed that we may be cleansed of all unrighteousness (I Jn 1:9) we lose not only the joy of the Lord, but that sweet communion we have with one another and with GOD.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Aug 2013 12:27:00 +0000
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