“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
No one has seen
God but the Son Jesus Christ has manifested the invisible Father in heaven.
John uses the phrase ‘from the beginning’ to indicate the full experience of
the enrichment of life in Jesus Christ. It includes all the Christians who have
been delivered by the grace of God. The new relationship has come and begun
through the faith in Jesus Christ and by the touch of God. A new born Christian
has become a new member in the family of God, escaping from the hands of the
devil by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The salvation
comes by the coming of the Son into the hearts of people. Some two thousand
years ago, the Son was born in the small and obscure town of Bethlehem and
indwelt among the people. He ate together with the people, talked to them,
walked on the streets in the land of Palestine, slept often in the mountains
and woods, spent time with the outcast, taught all kinds of people especially
the twelve disciples, engaged in the intense arguments with the leaders of the
nation, performed the miracles that no one had ever done, healed the sick,
opened the blind, let the lame walk, let the deaf her, and comforted the
numerous.
The Word of life was
seen and heard and proclaimed by the disciples. The life contacted and touched
the numerous who received Him and entered into the intimate and friendly relationship
with Him, breaking up the unwanted and uninvited relationship with the prince
of the world. Once entered into the family of God, the unsearchable riches of
fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ are available. The relationship is what
we are and the fellowship, what we have. The fellowship means what we are
experiencing now in the Lord Jesus Christ.
We have fellowship
with one another, who shares the same life of the Lord Jesus Christ. It doesn’t
always have to be bible study but chat, coffee time, exercise, sports, walking,
whatever it may be. There is just one bundle of life in the universe. How can
it be? Yes, it is true just because no one can live alone at all. There may be a
thousand and one different roles in life but only one life. We are not in
competition or rivalry with one another in defending and advancing the gospel.
We also have
fellowship with God the Father and the Son Jesus Christ. What a fellowship it
is! We may continually have overflowing life since we have access and privilege
to the throne of grace where we are fully enriched through the fellowship. We may
continue to be fully satisfied and filled because He pours out love in our
hearts by the Spirit. We may be always filled with heavenly joy because He is
the fountain of joy. We may be completely and perfectly in peace because He is the
father of peace. What a life it is!
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