Fellowship with Christ – Part II
Today’s Scripture: 1 John 2:28-29
Key Verse: 1 John 2:28a
And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ…
As God’s children, we have the privilege of being in fellowship with Christ. If you Google the definition of “fellowship” you will find “friendly association, especially with people who share one’s interest”.
John 15:14-15 tells us that friends of Jesus are those who have received Him into their lives and are learning and obeying His teachings: “You are My friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves because a master doesn’t confide in His slaves. Now you are My friends, since I have told you everything the Father told Me”.
Yes, believers have a “friendly association” with Christ. We enjoy fellowship with Him! Once the Spirit of Jesus is living in us, our interests begin to change from worldly to heavenly. Like the old hymn chorus reminds us: “the things of earth grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace”.
If you belong to a church and attend their times of fellowship, you know how great it is to enjoy a meal with likeminded people. This type of fellowship allows us to relax and share freely our inner thoughts about God and His Kingdom.
What a huge difference there is when we are at a dinner with non-believers. Similar things happen as far as eating a meal and sharing some conversation with others, but the fellowship is not the same.
As believers we have developed a set of values and priorities that simply do not line up with non-believers. However, we should still enjoy meals with people that do not believe everything that we believe.
Jesus spent time and ate meals with people that were far from what God; that is why Jesus came. However, our greatest fellowship is always with other Christ-followers.
John warns believers to “remain in fellowship with Christ”. Does this mean that it is possible for believers NOT to remain in fellowship?
Yes. It is obvious that the Apostle John felt that some believers could lose that intimate relationship with Christ and become too comfortable with the world. Staying in fellowship with Christ requires the same things as staying in fellowship with other believers. We must make time for fellowship, and we must intentionally make it a priority.
The local church can plan lots of activities that build the followship of believers, but each believer must make room in their calendars for these activities.
So, it is the same with our fellowship with Christ. We must be very intentional about it. We must set aside daily times to read the Bible and say our prayers if we want to remain in fellowship with Christ.
Father, thank you for the privilege of having an intimate relationship with Jesus. Help me to stay in fellowship with Him. I ask this in Jesus’s Name, amen.