May
the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the
fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
(2 Corinthians 13:14)
Paul
prays that three things would be with us. We are more familiar with
the first two—“the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ... the love of God”—and
how essential those are to life itself. However, this third
phrase, “the fellowship of the Holy
Spirit”,or
the King James, “communion of
the Holy Ghost”, is not as clear. We hear many sermons on the first two phrases, not
so many on the third. Considering
the company it keeps in Paul's prayer, I suspect it must be very
important to us.
Although
the expression, “the fellowship of the Holy Spirit” brings
comforting thoughts to my mind, grasping its meaning is a bit like
trying to hold onto an entire bowlful of jello...without the bowl. Is
this a warm and fuzzy feeling we get that confirms God's love for us
and the grace of Christ? (Of course I never really would say it that
way, but is that the thought that fills the vacuum of my lack of
understanding?) For
the last couple of weeks I've been contemplating what it means to
have “the fellowship of
the Holy Spirit”
I have focused on one facet of it and share that here.
The
Unique Nature of Our Fellowship in the Spirit
I
propose that the fellowship of the Holy Spirit is the very thing that
makes Christian fellowship unique.
Community
is a common buzz word in our culture today—both inside and outside
the church. The word translated fellowship
is
often also translated communion
which has the same root as community.
Christian
community, which is truly fellowship, is different than the community
anyone else can offer. It is the fellowship of the Holy Spirit that
makes it unique.
Make
every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of
peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to
one hope when you were called...
(Ephesians 4:3-4)
The
unity that we have as Christians has as its source the Spirit who
indwells us—the
One Spirit Who indwells all of us. We see this again in 1
Corinthians 12:13:
For
we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one
body—whether Jews or
Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the
one Spirit to drink.
Our
union together is rooted in our union to Christ by His Spirit who
dwells in us. God called us through the Gospel into fellowship with
His Son and this fellowship is intended to produce a unity amongst us
(1 Corinthians 1:9-10). The apostle John also speaks of this
uniqueness of fellowship.
We
proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may
have fellowship with us.
And our fellowship is with the Father and with his
Son, Jesus Christ.
(1 John 1:3)
John
writes so the saints will have fellowship with one another
and that fellowship
was also with the Father and the Son.
That is why he proclaimed Jesus. Through faith in Jesus
Christ we enter into this fellowship with the Father and the Son. In
our being joined to the Father and the Son we are joined to one
another. How are we joined to
the Father and the Son? “...through
His Spirit He has given us” (1
John 3:24).
So
the unity, the community, which the church is called to is
unique because its source is the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
And, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit is something in which we are
to be actively engaged.
The
Active Nature of Our Fellowship in the Spirit
Not
only do I propose that the fellowship of the Holy Spirit makes
Christian fellowship unique, I also propose that it is something in
which we are to be actively engaged.
How are we to be actively engaged in the fellowship of the Holy
Spirit? As we are devoted to one another in prayer. First,
consider our calling to be devoted to prayer.
Continue
steadfastly in prayer, being
watchful in it with thanksgiving.
(Colossians 4:2 ESV)
Rejoice
in hope; be patient in affliction; be
persistent in prayer.
(Rom 12:12 HCSB)
“Continue
steadfastly in prayer,” and,
“be persistent in prayer,” in
these two verses translate the same original expression. We are
called to be persistent in our practice of prayer, and I believe that
the phrase “being watchful” is a “one another” kind of
phrase. Since the idea behind “watching” is that of standing
guard at night (e.g. on the city wall), which is something the guard
does for the good of those who are inside the wall, it makes sense
that we
watch in prayer not only for our own protection but also for those
with whom we are joined together with in Christ.
Second,
consider that prayer is to be in the Spirit.
…praying
at all times in the Spirit,
with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all
perseverance, making supplication for all the saints...
(Ephesians 6:18 ESV)
Our
prayer is to be in the Spirit. Jude instructs us to be praying in
the Holy Spirit (Jude 1:20) So we are to be persistent in the
practice of prayer for one another, guarding one another in the Holy
Spirit. This, it seems to me, must be part of what is meant by the
fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
Third,
consider the effect of our prayer, through the Spirit, on one
another. For instance Paul writes the
Corinthians:
10He
has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On
him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11as
you help us by your prayers.
Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor
granted us in answer to the
prayers of many.
(2 Corinthians 1:10-11)
And
he tells the Philippians,
…for
I know that through your
prayers and God's provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what
has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.
(Philippians 1:19)
There
is something mysterious, even mystical, that happens when we pray one
for another! There is a help that the Spirit gives and a provision of
the Spirit that comes in consort with our prayers. Something
spiritual happens when we pray for one another that we cannot
perceive with our senses or get our minds fully around. The
fellowship of the Spirit will be increasingly manifest amongst us as
we are persistent in our prayer for one another. In order
to have true community we must be a praying community, a community
that persists in prayer one for another.
Love
the Gospel, Live the Gospel, Advance the Gospel,
Jerry
