Fellowship
“Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.”
Galatians 6:1 NASBS
The God of heaven has not left us here as merely orphans with a darkened heart that cannot receive the eternal light of His word. No, He took upon Himself flesh to be tempted and tried as a mortal man, yet without subtracting from His divinity. He came into this darkened world to do what man could not do for himself. That is, He bore the wrath of God’s justice upon sinful humanity by laying down His life, and then He ascended to the right hand of God the Father where He reigns supreme. He sent his Holy Spirit to dwell in those whom He called, awakening them from their dead estate, giving them a new life, as it is written, “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”
Therefore as Christians, the grace of God is sufficient for us each day to help us to accomplish tasks and to overcome besetting sins that so easily entangle us. Though God has saved us and has poured out the Holy Spirit into our heart’s, He has not called us to live alone, isolated by ourselves. No, He has called us to live in fellowship with one another. One of the marks of a person who has come into relationship with Jesus Christ, having passed from death into life, is the sacrificial love that he has for other believers in Christ Jesus. The Lord has called us to come together as individuals into one entity to love one another, to care for one another, and to seek to restore those who are struggling, who have been caught in any sin. James closes out his epistle by saying, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”
Unfortunately, we live in a time when many say they can serve Christ independently apart from being committed to a local fellowship of believers. I do not see anywhere in Scripture where this is taught, but on the contrary, it teaches the opposite. The author of the book of Hebrews wrote, “Hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” If we are to live a victorious life here upon this earth, overcoming the fiery darts of the evil one, as Christians, must live life with one another turning in the word of God. To neglect assembling with God’s people is to neglect the very strength of Christ’s body, which has been distributed as individual gifts for the strengthening of the church. May the grace of God illuminate our hearts to fully understand just how much we truly need one another.