Our Fellowship with God

READ: Hosea 1-3; Proverbs 3; 1 John 1

SCRIPTURE: 1 John 1: 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

OBSERVATION: In many houses, we can see people hang their photos taken with famous leaders or celebrities whom they met or visited their house. Although they had no personal relationship with the popular person in the photo, even after many years, we can notice the joy in their eyes whenever they explain the moment the photo was taken. In the first epistle of John, John wrote his personal experience with Jesus Christ about 60 years after Christ's ascension. As an eyewitness of Jesus, Apostle John proclaimed the Gospel with a plerophory of faith. Notice the repetition of John’s words in the first three verses. Further, when John wrote, " We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard," it indicates there were many eyewitnesses who have seen and heard Jesus. Adam Clarke interprets, “We deliver nothing by hearsay, nothing by tradition, nothing from conjecture; we have had the fullest certainty of all that we write and preach.” With his personal testimony, John testifies that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is historical truth and says the purpose of his proclamation of the Gospel.

John gives hope that his readers also can have the same experience that he experienced with Christ. In the first chapter itself, John says about the fellowship four times. Koinōnia, the Greek word for fellowship, means “the spiritual union of the believer with Christ.” Biblically, a fellowship not only denotes a social gathering; its actual meaning is "joint participation in things held in common.” As John Stott says, “‘Fellowship’ is a specifically Christian word and denotes that common participation in the grace of God, the salvation of Christ and the indwelling Spirit which is the spiritual birthright of all believers.” John proclaims the Gospel to bring people into the fellowship “with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” Many scholars comment that the very purpose of John's writing the epistle was to address the relationship and fellowship with God. Concerning fellowship, people usually think of their relationship with one another. The upward or Godward dimension of fellowship does not get its due attention. We must know that there will be no fellowship among the believers if they do not have fellowship with God. With our fellowship with God, “the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ,” we become witnesses to Christ. Every Christian can be a part of the fellowship with God and have a personal relationship with him. We must remember that we bear much fruit only by remaining in Christ (Jn.15:1-5).

 APPLICATION:  Lord Jesus said, “you will be my witnesses” (Acts.1:8). When I receive the Holy Spirit, I receive the power to become a witness to God. Having fellowship with God is not an exclusive right reserved only for great Christian leaders, pastors, and prophets who are mightily used by God. I can have fellowship with God and experience him every day with the help of the Holy Spirit. My fellowship with fellow believers is the result of my fellowship with God.

PRAYER:  Father God, thank you for your love and the call to have fellowship with you and your Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus, help me to remain in you and walk in the light of the truth. Holy Spirit, give me your strength to live in constant relationship and fellowship with God and have personal experience with God every day. Amen.

- Arputharaj Samuel
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Day – 336