Our Reason: Spiritual Fellowship (6)

by John M. Duvall

(January, 2004)

In part five of our study, we showed several areas of physical sharing enjoyed by those in fellowship with the heavenly Father. These areas of sharing included worshiping the heavenly Father, working together to teach the spiritually lost, and helping needy saints. It is important to understand that the privilege of sharing together in these areas, especially in worshiping the Lord, comes as a direct result of one being in fellowship with God. A person who is not in fellowship with God cannot enjoy the wonderful benefits which come with fellowship. This fellowship separates Christians from everyone else in the world. This fellowship separates those baptized into the body of Christ from those who have not been baptized into the body of Christ. The person who did not believe in Jesus and was not baptized in order to be saved is not in fellowship with those who did as Jesus commanded in Mark 16:15-16. The person who was unwilling to repent of his sins and to be baptized into Jesus Christ for the remission of his sins is not in fellowship with those who did as Peter commanded in Acts 2:38. As a result, the person who is not in fellowship with the Lord and Savior will not be able to truly share in the wonderful benefits of that fellowship. (We will return to this point later in our study.)

When Does One Sever His Fellowship with God?

A Christian can sever his fellowship with the heavenly Father by walking in darkness. The apostle John wrote, "If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth." (1 John 1:6) John warns that if a Christian, a child of God, claims to have fellowship with God while walking in darkness, then that Christian is telling a lie. To walk in darkness is to walk opposite of the Light, of Jesus Christ. A person who is walking in darkness is engaging in sinful activities, being unwilling to repent and turn away from those activities.

If the person walking in darkness will confess his sins to the Father and repent of those sins, then God will forgive him. John writes, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us." (1 John 1:8-10) It is possible for the Christian who has been walking in darkness to be restored to God's fellowship. The sinner must confess his sins, repent of those sins, and turn away. Restoration to God's fellowship is made possible by Jesus Christ, the Advocate. John writes, "My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world." (1 John 2:1-2)

In next week's article, we will continue to answer the question, "What can remove a person from the fellowship of the heavenly Father?"