Secrets of Fellowship

Scripture Reading: 1 John 1

Today's Treasure: "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:8-9).

Have you ever wondered what motivates your pastor's relentless drive to preach the Gospel? The apostle John wrote, "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. We write this to make our joy complete" (1 John 1:3-4). For John, it was the desire for others to join in the fellowship of God and man.

The Greek word for "fellowship" is koinonia. The Amplified Bible illustrates: "What we have seen and [ourselves] heard, we are also telling you, so that you too may realize and enjoy fellowship as partners and partakers with us. And [this] fellowship that we have [which is the distinguishing mark of Christians] is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ (the Messiah)" (1 John 1:3).

Several verses later John tells us the secrets to sharing a life of fellowshipping with Christ. "If we confess our sins." The basic Greek word for "confession" is homologeo, which is derived from two other words. Homou means "at the same place or time, together." Lego means "to say."*

In essence, confession is agreeing with God about our sins. The portion of the definition that holds the primary key to remaining in koinonia is the expediency of "the same place or time." I have confessed and turned from some sins in my life that profoundly interrupted koinonia. Why? Because I waited too long to agree with God about them and turn. I still found forgiveness, but koinonia was broken through the delay. As God began to teach me to walk more victoriously, I learned to often respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit at the "same place or time," thereby never leaving the circle of fellowship or the path of "light."

You see, some of us think fellowship with God can only be retained during our "perfect" moments. I want you to see how 1 John 1:8 refutes that philosophy. "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."

You might ask, "How can a person sin grievously and still remain in fellowship?" Please understand, all sin is equal in its demand for grace, but not all sin is equal in its ramifications (see Ps. 19:13). A person who commits robbery, adultery, or vicious slander departed from koinonia when he or she refused to agree with God over the sin involved in the thought processes leading up to the physical follow-through. Think of koinonia like a circle representing the place of fellowship. We don't just walk in and out of that circle every time a flash of critical thinking bolts through our minds. I don't even think we leave that circle if a sudden greedy, proud, or lustful thought goes through our minds.

If we're in koinonia with God, the conviction of the Holy Spirit will come at that place and time and tell us those thoughts or initial reactions aren't suitable for the saints of God. We never depart koinonia if we respond with something like: Yes, Lord, You are absolutely right. That's not how I want to think. I do not desire to entertain those kinds of destructive thoughts. Forgive me and help me to have thoughts that are honoring to You and unharmful to me. Confession without delay not only helps keep us in koinonia; it is part of our koinonia!

I have had many conversations with people who can't imagine being that honest and "out front" with God over their thought lives. If we don't learn to get honest with God over our thought lives, we will never allow Him to teach us new ways to think. If we never develop renewed minds, consistent victory and glorious koinonia will tragically elude us. Dear one, God already knows your thought life! Our conviction is telling us not only that He knows but that He wants to apply His grace to the problem and correct it. By agreeing with God, we bring our thoughts or initial actions straight from our minds and mouths into the light! But I'd rather keep them hidden in the dark; I'm too humiliated, some might say.

We're not keeping anything hidden in the dark from God. Psalm 139:11-12 tells us that darkness can't hide us because God sees in darkness as if it were bright day. The only thing we accomplish when we leave our sins in the dark is opening a door for the enemy to tempt us to the next level. Ultimately Satan's goal is that we heap sin upon sin. Our joy and protection is right in the circle of koinonia light!

Here's one catch: We can respond to conviction and agree with God expediently over our sin and still inadvertently exit the circle of koinonia. How? By refusing to accept and believe God's forgiveness and our fresh purification. You see, agreeing with God over our forgiven state is just as important as agreeing with God over our sin! If Satan can't tempt us to hide our sin and refuse to confess, he'll tempt us not to accept our forgiven and purified state. If we persist in feeling badly, we will think destructively and then ultimately act it. Don't let the devil get away with that! Koinonia is your right in Jesus Christ! Make His joy complete.

Father, thank You for bringing me into fellowship with You and Your Son. I regret the time I've spent out of koinonia because of my refusal to confess sin or accept Your forgiveness. Teach me to confess as soon as I feel the Spirit's conviction. Please help my unbelief when I think and act like one who is not forgiven and cleansed. For Your glory, renew my passion to see the lost come into fellowship with You. In the forgiving, redeeming name of Jesus, Amen.

*Spiros, Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary; New Testament (Chattanooga, Tenn.: AMG Publishers, 1994), #3674, 1046, #3670, 1045.

Adapted from The Beloved Disciple, by Beth Moore, pages 194, 196-198. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2003. Used by permission.