Graceful Truth

THE HEART AND JOY OF TRUE CHRISTIANITY

August 20, 2024

THE HEART AND JOY OF TRUE CHRISTIANITY


There is no other religion on the face of the earth (nor has there been or can there be) that offers what authentic Christianity provides. The heart of our spiritual life is about fellowship with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Listen to the actual testimony of one who walked intimately with Jesus when He was on the earth.

1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life—
2 and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us—
3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.
4 These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete. (1 John 1)

 

FELLOWSHIP

This word is strong. Fellowship (koinonia) means "close personal association" or the "sharing of the common life." It means that we are connected to a living God. Ours is not a religion that merely bows down before a stone or is the mere keeping of rules and regulations. We are joined and filled with the God of the universe through our introduction by Christ's work and the personal filling of the Holy Spirit who has come to dwell in us.

We are destined for this, called, cleansed, and brought into His presence by God so we could experience endless fellowship with Jesus.

God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:9)

There are, though, times in our lives when we are not experiencing this fellowship, this presence in its fullness. And sin is always the culprit in this interruption. We have been transformed precisely for the purpose of experiencing in real time the presence of God and communion with Him. (Why else are we continually reminded to pray?)

But at times, there is a problem.

5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;
7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1)

 

CONFESSION

If the essence of the Christian life is this fellowship, and sin interrupts this fellowship, our main concern should be this: Is there anything between us and the Savior? Is there any sin in my life that is unconfessed and undealt with? Am I harboring that which is aborting fellowship with Jesus, who is Light? Is any darkness in my life more valuable than intimate, personal fellowship with Him?

We have the blessed promise that if we see our sin as God sees it and agree with Him and turn (this is called “repentance”) He will forgive us. But not only will we know His forgiveness, but His cleansing. Day by day, repentance by repentance, our minds, hearts, and lives will be increasingly conformed to the image of His Son. The fellowship with Him will merely increase, for the pure in heart see God, unclouded by the flesh and the darkness of this world. Until one day, we will see Him face to face!

If we know Him and cooperate with Him, our life is destined for an unbelievable future of increasing fellowship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! And we are the most blessed in heaven and earth for all eternity!

 

 

 



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