“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (I John 1:7)
When I was a young man sometimes two or three of us would be walking in the woods at night with our only light being a kerosene lantern. Sometimes we would stop and rest as we sat around the light of the lantern and shared each other’s company as we shared the light.
John states that as long as we are walking in God’s light we have fellowship with God. The way this reads it means we have fellowship, not only with God, but also with other believers who are walking in God’s light.
I discovered something else from that old lantern: The closer we were to the light the better we could see the light, see the path and the better we could each experience the presence of the others who were walking in the light.
Monday, August 7, 2017
Sunday, August 6, 2017
Don’t Lie to Yourself
“This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.” (I John 1:5-6)
That’s pretty plain and straight-forward. II Corinthians 6:14 asks, “…what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?”
I went into a dark restaurant. I could barely see my hands if I held them in front of my face. I had to watch my steps to keep from tripping over something. After a few minutes I got used to the dark. Some wayward Christians claim to have fellowship with God when in reality they have gotten used to the dark. They are lying to themselves claiming to have fellowship with God while living a sinful lifestyle.
We need to examine ourselves to see if we are in fellowship with God or if we have just gotten used to the dark surroundings of our society.
That’s pretty plain and straight-forward. II Corinthians 6:14 asks, “…what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?”
I went into a dark restaurant. I could barely see my hands if I held them in front of my face. I had to watch my steps to keep from tripping over something. After a few minutes I got used to the dark. Some wayward Christians claim to have fellowship with God when in reality they have gotten used to the dark. They are lying to themselves claiming to have fellowship with God while living a sinful lifestyle.
We need to examine ourselves to see if we are in fellowship with God or if we have just gotten used to the dark surroundings of our society.
Saturday, August 5, 2017
Fullness of Joy
“And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. (I John 1:4)
While our relationship with God is eternal, the same cannot be said of our fellowship with Him. When we stop having fellowship with our Lord and with other believers we have no joy. John says that he is writing about fellowship that our joy may be full.
When King David committed his sin with Bathsheba, it was more than nine months later that God sent Nathan the prophet of God to David to rebuke him for his sin. (II Samuel 11, 12) It was here that David prayed a prayer of repentance and asked God to, “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation.” (Psalm 51:12) The king’s fellowship with God had been broken because of his sin. Consequently, he had no joy for that period of time.
When you and I sin our fellowship with God is broken and our joy is gone. When we pray a prayer of confession and repent of our sin our fellowship with god is made full again. I encourage you to have fellowship with God in prayer, Bible reading, assembling with other believers and following Him in obedience.
While our relationship with God is eternal, the same cannot be said of our fellowship with Him. When we stop having fellowship with our Lord and with other believers we have no joy. John says that he is writing about fellowship that our joy may be full.
When King David committed his sin with Bathsheba, it was more than nine months later that God sent Nathan the prophet of God to David to rebuke him for his sin. (II Samuel 11, 12) It was here that David prayed a prayer of repentance and asked God to, “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation.” (Psalm 51:12) The king’s fellowship with God had been broken because of his sin. Consequently, he had no joy for that period of time.
When you and I sin our fellowship with God is broken and our joy is gone. When we pray a prayer of confession and repent of our sin our fellowship with god is made full again. I encourage you to have fellowship with God in prayer, Bible reading, assembling with other believers and following Him in obedience.
Friday, August 4, 2017
What a Fellowship, What a Joy Divine
“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.” (I John 1:3)
When I was born to William and Hazel Doyel I became their child. A relationship was established that could not be broken. I would forever be their child. It is a parent/child relationship. I sometimes disobeyed and displeased them but the relationship was not broken. In the times I disobeyed them the fellowship was strained or broken.
When the Lord saved me by His grace I became a child of God. A parent/child of God relationship was established that would not ever be broken. The fellowship between Father God and me has been broken or strained numerous times because of my sins and disobedience.
When I hear a Christian say, “I’m working on my relationship with God,” surely they do not mean that they will become more saved than they are. Surely they must mean they are working on their fellowship.
Remember: God maintains the relationship. We maintain the fellowship.
When I was born to William and Hazel Doyel I became their child. A relationship was established that could not be broken. I would forever be their child. It is a parent/child relationship. I sometimes disobeyed and displeased them but the relationship was not broken. In the times I disobeyed them the fellowship was strained or broken.
When the Lord saved me by His grace I became a child of God. A parent/child of God relationship was established that would not ever be broken. The fellowship between Father God and me has been broken or strained numerous times because of my sins and disobedience.
When I hear a Christian say, “I’m working on my relationship with God,” surely they do not mean that they will become more saved than they are. Surely they must mean they are working on their fellowship.
Remember: God maintains the relationship. We maintain the fellowship.
Thursday, August 3, 2017
Fellowship with God and Other Believers
“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.” (I John 1:3)
The word, “fellowship,” is used seventeen times in the Bible. It is found fifteen times in the New Testament. It comes from the word, “koinonia,” in the original language. It means, “to share together,” or, “communion.” It could be used when two people are simultaneously sharing the same milkshake. It is what we have nearly every Sunday when fourteen family members gather around our dining room table to share a meal. Fellowship is what believers have when we gather together to praise the Lord in song, prayer, preaching and testimony.
John is declaring Jesus to his readers so that they may have fellowship or communion with other believers. John says our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.
The word, “relationship,” is never used in the Bible. However, a relationship is established between God and man when we accept Christ as our Savior. Galatians 3:26 declares that we become children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. It is like the relationship we have with our parents. Our disobedience may cause us to break fellowship but the relationship never changes. We have been “born again.”
A believer cannot strengthen his “relationship” with the Father. We have a never ending parent/child relationship. As we pray, read His word, walk with Him, obey His commands and serve Him we have fellowship with Him and with other believers.
Dear Reader, We'll continue on this topic in tomorrow's post. Please join us.
The word, “fellowship,” is used seventeen times in the Bible. It is found fifteen times in the New Testament. It comes from the word, “koinonia,” in the original language. It means, “to share together,” or, “communion.” It could be used when two people are simultaneously sharing the same milkshake. It is what we have nearly every Sunday when fourteen family members gather around our dining room table to share a meal. Fellowship is what believers have when we gather together to praise the Lord in song, prayer, preaching and testimony.
John is declaring Jesus to his readers so that they may have fellowship or communion with other believers. John says our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.
The word, “relationship,” is never used in the Bible. However, a relationship is established between God and man when we accept Christ as our Savior. Galatians 3:26 declares that we become children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. It is like the relationship we have with our parents. Our disobedience may cause us to break fellowship but the relationship never changes. We have been “born again.”
A believer cannot strengthen his “relationship” with the Father. We have a never ending parent/child relationship. As we pray, read His word, walk with Him, obey His commands and serve Him we have fellowship with Him and with other believers.
Dear Reader, We'll continue on this topic in tomorrow's post. Please join us.
Wednesday, August 2, 2017
God Revealed in Jesus
“(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us)”
(I John 1:2)
That God wanted to be seen and known is what the four Gospels are about. John writes, “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.” (John 1:18) The manifestation of God begins when the angel, Gabriel, spoke to a virgin named Mary. It continued in Bethlehem’s manger. That manifestation of God is seen in the miracles Jesus did while He walked on earth. The manifestation of God’s love is seen at Calvary where Jesus suffered pain and agony to pay our sin debt.
The word, “manifest,” is used twice in this verse. John is declaring that God is no longer hidden. He is revealed to mankind in the person of Jesus. John in his Gospel, his three epistles and the Revelation is passing on to his readers the manifestation of God to mankind. The way we see and know God is by looking at Jesus through the written word. We know more and more of Jesus and thus more and more of God, by reading and studying the Bible. When we share Jesus with others we are in the ministry with John.
(I John 1:2)
That God wanted to be seen and known is what the four Gospels are about. John writes, “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.” (John 1:18) The manifestation of God begins when the angel, Gabriel, spoke to a virgin named Mary. It continued in Bethlehem’s manger. That manifestation of God is seen in the miracles Jesus did while He walked on earth. The manifestation of God’s love is seen at Calvary where Jesus suffered pain and agony to pay our sin debt.
The word, “manifest,” is used twice in this verse. John is declaring that God is no longer hidden. He is revealed to mankind in the person of Jesus. John in his Gospel, his three epistles and the Revelation is passing on to his readers the manifestation of God to mankind. The way we see and know God is by looking at Jesus through the written word. We know more and more of Jesus and thus more and more of God, by reading and studying the Bible. When we share Jesus with others we are in the ministry with John.
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
An Eye Witness Account
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life…”
(I John 1:1)
When I read this verse of scripture I think of Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created…” I think also of John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” Plus, John 1:14, “…And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”
In I John 1:1 the apostle John is giving his eye-witness testimony of the living Christ, the Son of God. He had heard Jesus speak, both before his crucifixion and after His resurrection. John had also seen Jesus and gazed upon Him. I can almost see John and the other apostles’ jaws drop as they heard Jesus speak and watch as He performed the miracles. Their hands had handled Him, again, before His crucifixion and after His resurrection.
There could be no doubt that John knew this real man who was God in the flesh and was not ashamed to give people his eye-witness report. We should not be ashamed to tell others the story of Jesus and invite them to accept Him as their Lord and Savior.
(I John 1:1)
When I read this verse of scripture I think of Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created…” I think also of John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” Plus, John 1:14, “…And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”
In I John 1:1 the apostle John is giving his eye-witness testimony of the living Christ, the Son of God. He had heard Jesus speak, both before his crucifixion and after His resurrection. John had also seen Jesus and gazed upon Him. I can almost see John and the other apostles’ jaws drop as they heard Jesus speak and watch as He performed the miracles. Their hands had handled Him, again, before His crucifixion and after His resurrection.
There could be no doubt that John knew this real man who was God in the flesh and was not ashamed to give people his eye-witness report. We should not be ashamed to tell others the story of Jesus and invite them to accept Him as their Lord and Savior.
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