Relationship and Fellowship

“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, concerning the Word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. 1 John 1:1-4 NKJV

When the moment we received Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior, we have belonged to the family of God. It’s called a conversion or being born again. The new relationship has begun with God, the relationship of love and peace, after the longstanding of hostility and enmity ended in Jesus Christ. By and through faith we have been born again spiritually in Him. What follows after conversion? No change in life? No, there is a remarkable change. Yes, the glorious fellowship with God and the Son Jesus Christ is available personally to every believer now and forevermore.

What is fellowship? It means experiencing of God right now. His presence in our midst, His love, peace, and joy are all ours, even in our sufferings. The full riches of the Father and the Son Jesus Christ is all ours since we have access to the throne of grace as the beloved children of Him. So, relationship is what we are in Him and fellowship is what we have in Him. Relationship is we are in Him and fellowship, He in us.

Every Christian has an exquisite experience of joy and release from guilt and shame when receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The glorious liberation from the bondage of sin and death has come home. His unending grace and mercy are pouring out unto us like an avalanche. Everyone who came to Christ Jesus should have experienced the ecstasy of His love.

Now, do not stop there. We don’t have to stop there. We can still have that exciting and glorious fellowship with our Lord Jesus Christ and the Father God. The question is how we can maintain that remarkable fellowship with Him all the time. John who Jesus loved gave us exhortations how to maintain the fellowship. “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7 NKJV)

“Walk in the light as He is in the light.” Walking in the light is the key to maintain the fellowship. To walk in the light means to live a life worthy of calling of the Lord. It’s a life that is transparent and open toward the living God. It’s a life that we continually confess [admit] our wrongdoings to the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s a life that we keep on fixing our eyes on Jesus Christ in the midst of struggles and sufferings. It’s a life that we don’t hide anything from the living God since He sees our hearts.

It’s a life what our Lord Jesus said to His disciples—self denial and taking up the cross and following Him. “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Mark 8:34b NKJV) We are not following the doctrine of Christianity. We are not following the religious activities. What we are following is the Person, Jesus Christ. We follow Him because He is the supreme commander in chief of all.

When we follow Him, we can walk in the light, because He is the light of the world. He is the ultimate truth and reality of everything. Where do we start following the Lord Jesus Christ? It’s the cross. That’s where we start because there is no life without death. When we stand on the cross with the Lord Jesus Christ, we impart His life of resurrection. That’s the source of glorious fellowship. When we admit our shame and guilt, the Father pumps a new life into our hearts out of rivers of living water. God fills us with the Holy Spirit.