Fellowship

I remember from Bible College days Bro C. H. Yadon saying that "fellowship was all the fellows in the same ship." I don't know if that was original with him, but that statement, although simplistic in view, is still true today. I always admired Bro. Yadon for his "horse sense." Those who knew him will know what I mean. I am reminded of an old chorus to the song "Friendship with Jesus" that goes something like this:
     Friendship with Jesus, 
     Fellowship divine. 
     Oh what blessed sweet communion, 
     Jesus is a friend of mine. 
The verses to that beautiful old song can be found at http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Friendship_with_Jesus/. I  remember when I first turned to the Lord Jesus we sang that song in church on a regular basis. I am glad that, truly, Jesus is a friend of mine.

The Gospel of John 1:1 starts off like this, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Then in verse 14, John wrote, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." That word that was in the beginning, that word that was with God, that word that was God, not only became flesh but He became my friend. I am so glad that Jesus is my friend. 

When the Lord called me to make Him my choice, He said, "read My Word and start in Matthew." I had never read the word of God but I was obedient to His command that day (and I have never quit with rare exception). There is another old song I love called, "I'd Rather Have Jesus." The chorus is as follows; 
     Than to be the king of a vast domain
     And be held in sin's dread sway:
     I'd rather have Jesus than anythin
     This world affords today.     
Again, you can find the words at the website mentioned above. 

The Apostle Paul said in  2nd Timothy 3:16-17 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." Some years ago I remember my late mother and I having a discussion about tithing (she did not believe that tithing was a New Testament command). My late stepfather was sitting there listening to the discussion and decided to come to my mother's aid by saying "its not scriptural!" Not scriptural? I wonder what the apostle meant then when he said, "all scripture?"

The Apostle Paul said in 2nd Timothy 2:15 to, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." We are to "rightly divide the word of truth," not to discount it! The Bible is "the word of truth." Human reasoning tells us that the early church did not have the written New Testament in its entirety as we have it today. It would seem that, for the most part, they only had the testimony of apostles in letters written specifically to them. Other than that, they had what we know as the Old Testament. The Old Testament then must have been what the apostle was referring to when he said,  "All scripture is given by inspiration of God..." and "Study to shew thyself approved unto God..." What the Lord Jesus told me on that day when He said, "read My Word and start in Matthew," surely meant the Old Testament also. (I don't think He intended for me to stop at Matthew!) In fact, if I had not read the Old Testament, I would never have read in Isaiah 34:16 to "Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read..." 

Apostle Paul's defense of his message is found in Act 20:26, "Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God." All the counsel of God surely includes what God said through His prophets of old. The Apostle Peter said in 2nd Peter 1:21, "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." (See also Hebrews 11) So I believe the Word of God is both the Old and the New Testaments. We are told to rightly divide what God's word says. We should never discount it.

O boy have I wandered far afield of my subject of fellowship. But then again, maybe not!  The Lord Jesus said in John 17:17, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." If, as I said in my opening remarks that "fellowship was all the fellows in the same ship," then true fellowship is to walk in the light of God's Word. The Apostle John said in 1st John 1:1-7, "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, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." 

Apostle Paul said in Rom 3:4, "...yea, let God be true, but every man a liar..." It is evident that the Apostle John in 1st John 1:1 was referring to the Gospel of John 1:1-3. So if we don't have fellowship with the word that was in the beginning, the word that was with God in the beginning and the word that was God in the beginning, how can we have fellowship with the word that was made flesh. How can we have fellowship with one another? If we reject any part of God's word, we are not all in the same ship! I would encourage you to read the Word of God. And if you have never done so and will, start in Matthew! When you do, believing God's Word, you and I can have fellowship with each other and the blood of the Lord Jesus will cleanse us from all sin.