Our fellowship with one another or together is as a consequence of our first or primary fellowship with God through Christ by the Holy Spirit. This sequence is ordained by God because He seeks to accomplish in our fellowship one with another that which is impossible without Christ. In other words, there is a fellowship with one another that is achievable without Christ Jesus.
So, a fine relationship or fellowship can exist between friends, marriages, parents and children, unions, communities, religions and countries without it being the kind God seeks or the type that Jesus Christ prayed to His Father about on behalf of His body on the earth in John 17. It is insightful that He prayed to this effect before He returned to His former glory which He laid down in order to found His Kingdom in the earth.
It remains a fact that through leadership skills, rules and regulations, justices, fear of the consequences of breaching governmental laws, zeal to attain ambitions etc the world may have fellowship or live in harmony (the tower of Babel comes to mind Genesis 11).
The saints are exhorted in the bible to pray ‘for kings and those in authority—so that we may live harmonious lives’ 1 Timothy 2:2. God’s intention through the prayers is to save those who have not received His Son, Christ Jesus—the only way to eternal life. The “harmonious living” which some people who reject and mock the return of Christ may enjoy differs from the “peaceful lives” marked by a pure and blameless call on the body of Christ 2 Peter 3: 3, 14.
The importance of the above is this; we who claim to be born again by and into the Spirit of Christ need to soberly examine what we are fervently building as fellowship on the earth today. We need to see through the eyes of the scriptures by the Holy Spirit if indeed we’re part of and participating as precious stones in the ongoing temple Christ is building through His ceaseless intercession in heaven Matthew 16:18, Romans 8:34.
His Body
What about the churches— that is, the gatherings, assemblies or fellowships of those professing Christ? Though this may alarm many people, the truth is that the churches are not the body of Christ. Please calm down! Read on and judge what is written by scriptures like the Bereans Acts 17:11.
The ekklesia popularly referenced as the Church or saints not churches is the body of Christ Ephesians 1:1, 22-23. In I Corinthians 11:16 Paul said, “…nor do the churches of God”. Here, the word is not just churches but the “churches of God”.
To understand Paul’s usage of the term “churches of God”, we have to read 1 Corinthians 11: 17-19 in which he indicates that he was writing to the church. It is on this ground that what Paul wrote then is seen as written also to all believers in all of the church ages which includes us today.
Without neglecting to be contextual, we also notice that in mentioning their specific bad manners with regards to the Lord’s Table and the factiousness, Paul was addressing it as a thing that will keep authenticating “the church” as different from those just professing Christ within the Churches.
In 1 Corinthians 11:22, Paul uses the term “the Church of God” as referring to Christ’s body. And scriptures clearly state that the body of Christ is one though made up of many individual parts not corporate parts 1 Corinthians 12:12, Hebrews 6:11.
The emphasis being; in the churches scattered all over the world, individuals within each of the churches that have received and are abiding in the Spirit of Christ, form His one body as lively stones being built up as one spiritual temple 1 Peter 2:5. So, Christ’s body does not have types e.g., evangelical, charismatic, reformed, multicultural, institutional or house churches etc.
Truly, no one has ever been or will ever be a part of the body of Christ because they belong to any of the churches no matter how well the churches presume to fair in Christ.
Paul the apostle therefore says, “But, of course, there must be divisions among you so that you who have God’s approval will be recognized!” 1 Corinthians 11:18-20. That is, “you” (who are part of His body) approved of God as genuine may be manifest—a manifestation which even creation longs to know—that is, His body, the sons of God or the “church” (not churches) of the living God Romans 8:19, 1 Timothy 3:15.
The Rewards
God has but one church or body of which there are no grades! Her individual parts are functioning differently for one purpose and one crown not many crowns. Each individual receives a crown equal in every way as it fulfils that which God had assigned Matthew 20.
While the individual parts that constitute the “one church” Ephesians 4:4 are still clothed with mortal bodies, our comprehension of crown and rewards is affected Ephesians 1:18. The perception of a lesser crown is mere thinking. Because all the crowns constitute one crown, no one will regret not doing enough that could have enabled them receive a better or more glorious crown. Christ is the reward awaiting the saints in all her sufferings! Hopefully, that means more than enough for us!
Let’s beware of the mentality of the elder brother of the repented prodigal son. Matthew 25:30 sheds spiritual light on Matthew 25: 24-29, indicating that the talent is not skills but the redemption (Christ) God has given to us.
Think about it, God will not throw anyone into outer darkness because he or she did not use their skills. Unequivocally, the passage is actually speaking about the foolishness of burying, trampling under feet or crucifying Christ the second time Hebrews 6:6, 10:29.
The incentive to continue to abide in Christ, in His commandments by faith working through grace in our inner most being is not to get a better crown but to be redeemed to the utmost. This is the reason to submit to God, one another and resist the devil. It is not to win applause in heaven and receive a more superior crown than the others who are also redeemed.
The prize, reward or crown is Christ Jesus whom we have and will have!! For His sake and through Him, we are to continue laying down our lives that His glorious life might crown His temple for all eternity 2 Timothy 4:8, James 1:12, 1 Peter 5:4, Revelation 2:10, 3:11 “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown”.
Notice! We already have the crown. Treasure Him that no man seduce or lead you away from Him 2 Corinthians 11:3.
Rather, through Christ by the Holy Spirit’s power we are to individually grow in our fellowship with God and one another or together in the one faith, love and hope. At the consummation of all things, God himself shall be our exceeding reward Genesis 15:1NIV.
This article is geared towards encouraging you and me to submit to be led by God. It’s what our faith in Christ Jesus entails inevitably.
The perverseness of Samuels’s sons revealed the distaste Israel had over God leading their lives 1 Samuel 8:1-9. Once the opportunity presented itself, Israel used it as a ploy to demand for a king as opposed to judges. Despite the Prophet’s warning, they insisted on having a king and appeared better off than when God was their King who led them. This became the start of Human kings reigning over Israel (the people of God). They now felt like other nations whose lives were not governed by God!
But in actuality both spiritual and temporal, Israel was far better off being led by the King, the God of their forefathers. They eventually learnt in hard ways that they were better off being led by God even though it necessitated them hearing His voice that they dreaded so much because of its correcting and purifying effect.
As Christians today, learning to be led by God as our King is fraught with many “risks”, so to speak. There is the perplexities, pains, wilderness etc and as such, the temptation is to ask for kings we can see and touch (persons we can blame when things go pear shaped or praised when the outcome is fine). As a result, we always have people to accuse and punish or give the glory which is duly due to God. This accounts for why what we can see and touch is always easier for mere humans to handle but it shouldn’t be so for the spiritual people of God. For, it is given to us to understand the things of God and walk in it with Him. Once we start being led by Him, to settle for anything less becomes suicide.
So, why are an overwhelming number of us Christians more comfortable with being led by kings today as opposed to Romans 8:14? This anomaly has created an ever increasing ambition for the position of kingship (nicknamed various religious titles) serving as a source of sophisticated, subtle and deadly power tussles in the churches.
“Mere men’s” affairs! Who is the greatest?! This problem was seen among Jesus’ disciples when they had not known Him after the manner of the spirit but only according to the flesh Matthew 18:1, 1 Corinthians 3:3-4. After Christ’ resurrection and Him indwelling them by the Holy Spirit, that carnal mindedness was renewed. And, so it is today with all who truly come to know Christ Jesus in spirit and truth.
Like Israel of old that appeared to have direction and respect resulting from having kings, we too assume the same will be true of us. In all sincerity, though deceptive, those being led today by “good and smart leaders (kings)” seem to make better and steady progress so long as they continue to be led. When one leader is out, they must move to another leader who serves as their guide and protector. Obviously, the benefits are huge—riding on the back of or, progressing based on the good will of the kings.
Unfortunately, this kind of progress is not exactly the same as making progress in learning to walk in and with the King of kings and Lord of lords, our savior, Christ Jesus.
To make progress in God through the Holy Spirit calls for faith, grace, and patience—this comes only by the increasing knowledge of Jesus Christ in our daily walk with Him 2 Peter 1:2, 3:18. If I may quote George H. Warnock and T. Austin-Sparks, ‘increase in the knowledge of Christ is utterly practical’.
Paul the apostle calls it “your moderation or reasonableness”. The exhortation is for us to read through the scriptures, praying as we confront our daily situations through the Holy Spirit’s instructions Isaiah 30:21, John 10:27. By taking one step at His instruction, the knowledge of Christ is gained. By continually keeping in step in this manner there is movement in the knowledge and glory of Christ attended by stability in His peace that passes all understanding 1Peter 2:21KJV, Galatians 5:25, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Philippians 4:5-7.
God has designed that through many trials and tribulations; the straight and narrow way should be walked and finished well by keeping this mind of Christ under all circumstances Philippians 4:8.
No shortcuts or hop, skip and jump! It is precept upon precept—meaning, step by step even if it is quick paced. The glory from this kind of progress can only be ascribed to the Spirit at work in and with the believer in Christ. This is why it is hugely accompanied with a repentant lifestyle (fruit of the spirit)
Note it is not “fruits but fruit” because it is being produced by the one spirit that indwells all true believers and all the fruit is one or, summed up as one (love). It is not surprising then that there are many progresses that are not progress in love but in fig leaves Matthew 21:19. This deception of fig leaves and its doom is what God is saving us from by leading us—even taking us through Jordan’s thickets and the valley of Baca Psalm 84.
Truly, by faith, with the hope that does not make ashamed, we must appear before the presence of God with love (Christ) 1 Cor 13:13. Nothing less will do. Therefore, even in the face of enormous wickedness rampaging both in the world and churches, we must submit to be led by God in Christ’s footsteps through the Holy Spirit’s power to the end Psalm 23:2, James 4:7.
If there be truth and light in this meditation, may the Holy Spirit help cause it to burn in our hearts and give us even richer truth and light to bless others.
Seasoned exhortation from T. Austin-Sparks taken from “All Things in Christ” CHAPTER 7
You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. (John 5:39 NIV)
Ministry is the expression of Life, and not the taking on of a uniform and a title. Once I thought that to be in the ministry was to go into a certain kind of work, to come out of business, and, well, be a minister! So one got into the thing. Many, many are laboring and toiling in it, breaking their hearts, afraid to leave that order of things, lest they should be violating what they conceived to be a Divine call. Many others cannot get out of it because it is a means of livelihood, and they too are breaking their hearts. It is all false. Ministry is not a system like that. Ministry is the expression of Life, and that is but saying in other words that it is the outworking of the indwelling of Christ. Disaster lies before the man or woman who ministers on any other ground than that. When the Lord gets a chance in us, and we really will trust Him on that ground and take our position there, He will show us that there is ministry enough for us; we shall not have to go round looking for it. The real labor so often is to get us down to that ground, the delivering of us from this present evil age even in its conception of the ministry, unto the heavenly ministry.
The Lord Jesus is our pattern. You see the spontaneous ministry, the restful ministry of that Heavenly Man. I covet that! It does not mean that we shall become careless, but it does deliver us from so much unnecessary strain. That is how it should be. May the Lord bring us to it; the heavenly Man with the heavenly Life as the full heavenly Resource.
The book of Revelation in the Bible speaks of the past, present and future in one breath making it difficult to comprehend. Selah! While all the books of the bible are inspired by God, pains were taken to notify whoever reads Revelation that it was written inspirationally—that John, who was already a Christian (had the spirit of Christ), was caught up in the Spirit to be able to receive the words of this book Revelation 1:10. This is interesting!
How anyone not caught up in the spirit can understand the book of Revelation is unimaginable. The writer was a Christian as we are today. He was lifted up in the Spirit to write to as many as would be lifted up in the spirit (those who were Christians and those who will become Christians).
Before Christ’s resurrection and the out pouring of the Holy Spirit (Whom John was lifted up in on the Lord’s day), Jesus’ disciples did not know where they were coming from, where they were or where they were going as can be clearly seen in the canonical gospels. Though they were with Christ Jesus physically and heard the sound of His voice, they hardly ever understood what He was telling them. Jesus declared that Peter’s accurate confession of Him as the Son of God was because Peter was lifted up in the Spirit at that moment Matthew 16:17.
The book of Revelation as well as the rest of the 65 books of the Bible is truly an interesting gift from God. It carries three dimensional blessings. A blessing for just reading it, blessing for listening to its prophesy and finally, another blessing for obeying what is written in it—that is, what Christ says Revelation 1:3 KJV. In reading Him, a measure of power and faith is imparted, in listening to Him another measure and in obeying Him, yet a fuller measure is imputed to the bride to finish the course.
He that obeys Him gets more grace to obey Him the more while the disobedient lose even that measure given James 1:22. He who buries the grace of God loses out completely while those who honor Him by using the grace given get imparted with more grace.
Obedience to what is written or what He says leads to an increasing knowledge of what He wants both doctrinally and in practice John 7:17. To this intent and purpose, He invites us to buy the wine and milk (oil) without money that above all other purposes our lives may be sweetened or our light may continually burn!
So the book of Revelation is saying, darkness and night has been increasing and will yet increase. Therefore it is encouraging this one purpose above all other purposes that we “let our light shine, let it burn”, drink the oil– it is without cost—it is paid for. Let nothing else occupy or consume our minds other than the oil. The key being, you, let the grace of God in you burn and give out the light. Don’t neglect to use the oil or use it unwisely which leads to burn-out which can be avoided Matthew 25:9. The five wise virgins knew they did not have inexhaustible oil. So in truthfulness and compassion, they kindly advised those that needed oil to go buy though it became too late for them Matt 25:10, Ecclesiastes 3:1.
The grace of God as oil is raining on the earth, whoever will stand under its rain by faith and be soaked will be saved. Now is the time—which is the message of the book of Revelation. The sin the world needs to repent of is their rejection of Christ Jesus, the grace and oil of God.
And for those engrafted into the commonwealth of Israel (born again), we need to repent of all iniquities by retaining the fire of our first love for Christ not just doing good deeds. Can we have the Spirit of Christ, good deeds and yet, shrink back from loving His Spirit? Yes!
According to the book of Revelation, despite the commendations from God about the good deeds of the Ephesians church Revelation 2: 2-3, 2: 6, they had backslidden from their first love for the Holy Spirit Revelation 2:4. This should not be confusing because all of their mentioned good deeds can be found with “some good people” who do not have the Spirit of Christ and the fire of love for the Spirit in their heart and soul. In other words, there are hardly any good deeds Christians can engage in—in this life that some natural good people don’t do. This is why the difference between the body of Christ on the earth and those outside His body is the possession of His Spirit and an unrelenting love for His Spirit. So, one can have the Spirit of Christ but begin to relent or withhold loving the Spirit. And God does not take it kindly Revelation 2:4-5.
Therefore, we are called upon to measure our oil and not presume. Presuming caused the foolish virgins irreparable loss Matthew 25:10. This calls for a humility that eradicates laziness—buy when the oil is low and patiently wait on God all the time. There is a sudden mercy and graces as it were that lifts us up in the Spirit as we practice obedience and waiting on the Lord on the Lord’s Day (everyday) —though we are in the spirit. Amen!
God is eager to help all of those who have the Spirit of His Son in every way spiritual and temporal. This is why, the past, present and future has always belonged to the sons of God.
If you are yet to receive the Spirit of Christ, know assuredly that you are the reason He was born, died and resurrected—receive Him today into your heart. Gain life in Him, in Him alone!
And “If”, we have the Spirit of Christ Jesus, let us walk with Him as He walks with us daily. For most assuredly, the past, present and future was and is designed for our salvation to the utmost.
The Jews are a blessed and favored people by God, the Creator of the world, its peoples and everything in the world. It is not so wise an idea to begrudge God or the Jews for this divine orchestration. For as long as the earth remains, neither elemental spirits nor humans puffed-up in themselves can change this sovereign ordination of the Great I Am. The Jews are God’s deliberate natural sign on the earth just as the rainbow is!
However, this blessings and favor bestowed on the Jews is only global since it does not pass into eternal abundant life. Why so?
While the Bible supplies ample scriptures for it, Acts 4:11-12 sums it all up. As sovereignly ordained, eternal abundant life is an exclusive, blissful and God given right only for those who accept, receive and abide in the Lily of the Valley, the Rose of Sharon, the Son of the Living God, the Eternal narrow Way, the First born Son of God from the dead—the awaited Great God and Savior, the Living Christ Jesus and mankind’s (men and women) only hope of glory Titus 2:13, Colossians 1:27, 17-18.
This is why the godly song written by Elisha Albright Hoffman is asking people of every race, tribe, language and nation?
Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow’r?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white!
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Will your soul be ready for His presence bright,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
O be washed in the blood of the Lamb.
And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation Revelation 5:9.
Our fellowship is with God—and one another.
step even if it is quick paced. The glory from this kind of progress can only be ascribed to the Spirit at work in and with the believer in Christ. This is why it is hugely accompanied with a repentant lifestyle (fruit of the spirit)
Selah! While all the books of the bible are inspired by God, pains were taken to notify whoever reads Revelation that it was written inspirationally—that John, who was already a Christian (had the spirit of Christ), was caught up in the Spirit to be able to receive the words of this book Revelation 1:10. This is interesting!