"Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us." [1 Jn 2:18-19]
One of the most miraculous things Jesus has done for us in salvation is making us new creatures. Paul tells us in one of his letters,
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new.” [2 Cor 5:17]
We have been born again as it were, receiving a new heart and a new spirit, as God says, “a new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.” [Ezek 36:28] This implantation of a new heart and spirit is accomplished in us by “the circumcision made without hands,” [Col 2:11] of which God spoke, saying, “and The LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart…to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.” [Deut 30:6] We have been conceived anew by God’s holy Seed, that “engrafted word, which is able to save your souls,” [Jam 1:21] and we, as Jesus said we must, have been “born again,” that is, “born…of The Spirit,” for, “that which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of The Spirit is spirit.” [Jn 3:3-6] Paul speaks of this elsewhere as well, writing by the inspiration of The Holy Spirit,
“But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of new birth, and renewal of The Holy Spirit; who He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.” [Titus 3:4-6]
If we have been Christian for any length of time, we have most likely come across this very foundational truth already: that in order for a man to be saved, He must be born again; that is, He must receive the Holy Spirit and a new heart. That old man must die, and that man, through Christ, must be risen again, resurrected with Christ as a new race of man, complete with new desires and new capacities. And if we have not come to learn this, let us remember what is written in Romans,
“Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of The Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with [Him] in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection.” [Rom 6:4-5]
And again,
“But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath made us alive together with Christ (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus.” [Eph 2:4-6]
We have, as God says, “put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him that created him.” [Col 3:9-10] Though we have died as it were, yet we live. That old man has been crucified alongside Christ, and been raised up a new, spiritual man who is made in the image of – and ever growing in likeness to – Jesus Christ, The Last Adam. For again we read,
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” [Gal 2:20]
Seeing then that we have become new creatures, a new man as it were, we are more equipped to examine ourselves under the second test of genuine salvation: fellowship with Christian brethren. For nature itself teaches us that creatures of one type have fellowship with those of the same. Sheep fellowship and congregate with other sheep; the sheep lies and sleeps with other sheep, it does not travel to the wolf’s den for a nap nor for intimacy. Likewise, the rabbit does not partake in fellowship with fowls of the air, nor with fishes of the sea: but rather, with fellow rabbits. Moreover, how many of us have seen the common robin or sparrow peaceably fellowshipping with the hunter or the dog? Are not creatures most always found in dens, families, groups, of their own kind? Even so it is with Christians, and not just because we see so in nature. And though the Christian once was named among the “fornicators…idolaters…adulterers…effeminate, [and] homosexuals,” yet no longer, for, “such were some of you: but ye have been washed, but ye have been sanctified, but ye have been justified in the name of The Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” [1 Cor 6:9-11] And though we used to fellowship intimately with such, yet no longer, for, “evil companionships are corrupting good habits.” [1 Cor 15:33] For we are told,
“But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus is cleansing us from all sin.” [1 Jn 1:7]
And again, we see that true Christians abide in fellowship, for John writes,
“…If they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.” [1 Jn 2:19]
Notice in these verses that first of all, those who are walking in the light, or practicing truth as we have seen, not only are being cleansed by Jesus’ blood, but are experiencing a lifestyle of Christian fellowship. For John writes , “but if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another.” And secondly, see that those who John says “were not all of us,” but were “antichrists,” [1 Jn 2:18] were those who “went out” from the brethren, not abiding in fellowship with them, but instead departing. Even so, the true Christian must maintain a lifestyle of Christian fellowship, for it is an evidence that they have been made into a new creature, that they indeed have The Spirit of Christ and so long to fellowship with others who are and have the same.
But what is fellowship? We mustn’t take the world’s definition, which merely equates to hanging out with another person. For that is not fellowship as defined by God’s scripture. Therefore, let us define the word fellowship, that fellowship which is evidence of true, saving faith.
The Greek word for fellowship is “koinonia,” spelled, κοινωνία. This word is used twenty times in the New Testament text, and means “communion, association, partnership.” As The Spirit shows us through The Word, this term relates an intimate connection, as strong as that which we enjoy through salvation with Jesus. For it is written, “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord;” [1 Cor 1:9] and, “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of The Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen;” [2 Cor 13:14] and again, “truly our fellowship is with The Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.” [1 Jn 1:3] Moreover, it speaks of partnership, wherein two opposing things cannot coexist, as it says, “what communion hath light with darkness?” [2 Cor 6:14] Several times the word is used in relation to giving a contribution to fellow-saints in Christ. That is, coming into partnership with their lives by way of a financial gift. [Rom 15:26, 2 Cor 8:4; 9:13] We see through this that the word indicates a partnership over a common goal or thing; in the case of the New Testament scriptures, the commonality is glorifying Jesus Christ through the “fellowship in the gospel.” [Phil 1:5]
Through the uses of the word, we come to learn that koinonia speaks of a partnership between two or more parties, each of whom have a personal and intimate communion with God, for the express purpose of glorifying Jesus Christ and the good news surrounding who He is and what He has done. This occurs through study, through prayer, through church gatherings, through service, and any other thing which expressly holds the intent to glorify Jesus our Lord.
When we come to understand the true definition and context of this word, this second test becomes more clear, more logical. For when Christians gather together, with Christ in their midst, (for He says, signifying His nearness in our gatherings, “in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto Thee” [Heb 2:12]), the light of His glory shining from out of us and within us, this light repels those who love the darkness and hate the light. An unsaved man can easily have so-called “fellowship” with other Christians, if that “fellowship” is merely fun-and-games, never glorifying Christ, nor having Him at the epicenter. It is quite easy and enjoyable to say “oh, yes I fellowship with my brethren,” when that fellowship is always easy and never hard; always fun, and never serious contemplation over scripture truths. But alas, this is not the fellowship The Bible speaks of when it tells us we must have it. The man who has been truly made a new creature takes delight in the glory of Christ and in church gatherings, even as David said, “one thing have I desired of The LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of The LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of The LORD…” [Psa 27:4] and, “I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of The LORD.” [Psa 122:1] He will long for and search out and abide in that type of fellowship. But the man who is not saved will not be able for very long to abide such fellowship: the light of Jesus’ true glory, the conviction of sin, the gravity of God’s Holy Word – the man who is unregenerate has no lasting desire for such things. And so, we have concluded our second test.
To see past and future posts in this series of Testing Your Salvation, click here.