Others are not likely to be as kind. They forget that the church is a hospital for saving the sick.20 How easy it is to focus on the illnesses and losses, rather than the work of mercy! Our enemy is the “devil,” which means “accuser.”21 He parades, therefore, the problems so evident in congregations like the one at Corinth (internal strife, immorality, lawsuits that publicly shame the church). He gleefully points at an entire congregation disrupted by a selfish leader like Diotrephes.22 He smugly reminds us that “everyone… deserted” someone (like Paul) in his hour of need.23 He finds plenty to criticize in most of the churches in any region.24
Yet grace is so great that these congregations still belong to Christ. As Revelation shows, Christ is the first to love them.25 In love, He is the first to expose their faults.26 He teaches His people to be honest about their sins.27 He warns that they must repent, otherwise they will, sooner or later, be lost.28 Even one as mature as Paul acknowledges that he is far from perfect.29 “I am… the worst of sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15-16), and “less than the least of all God’s people” (Ephesians 3:8). Though he works hardest, Paul remains utterly dependent on grace.30
The real issue, then, is not perfection but direction; not the perfection of our performance, but the direction of our faith.31 “Have I come into Christ? Am I continuing ‘faithful in Christ Jesus’?”32 To borrow John’s term, “Am I walking in the light?”
If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:6-7). M
John shows that “walking” means, not legal perfection, but confessing and correcting our sins as we follow Jesus’ steps.33 While we follow His direction, His saving blood continues to cleanse us.34 Following the same Leader also keeps us together as one united group: “We have fellowship with one another!”
Here is the Lord’s answer to an important and practical question: “Whom do we recognize as sharing in Christian fellowship?” Read the letter of 1 John. John describes two spiritual families: “The children of God… and… the children of the devil” (1 John 3:10). The first group are “born of God,” and recognized by their faith, love and obedience to the word.
No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God (1 John 3:9). M
And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. Whoever says “I know Him” but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps His word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him… (1 John 2:3-5). M
Christian fellowship is the birthright of every believer born of God. However, like Esau, a child can despise and lose his birthright.35 Where this is obvious, the family must discipline such a child in love, if necessary even withholding fellowship.36 Practical fellowship, therefore, belongs to God’s children that continue to “walk in the light” – just as John says.
20. 1 Timothy 1:15; Matthew 9:12-13 Mark 2:17
21. Research subject – The devil as accuser: Revelation 12:9-10; Job 1:6-11; 2:1-5; Zechariah 3:1
24. Five of “the seven churches in the province of Asia” deserved criticism, as shown by Revelation 1:4; 2:1-3:17. Jesus disciplines to save (Revelation 3:19), but Satan criticizes to challenge God and to demoralize His followers (Job 1:6-11; 2:9; 12:1-6; 13:4; 42:7-8).
26. Revelation 3:19; Ephesians 5:11,13
27. Revelation 3:17-18; James 5:16; 1 John 1:8-10 cf. Psalm 32:3-5; Proverbs 28:13
28. Revelation 2:5,16,21-22; 3:3,19-20; Acts 8:22
30. Research subject – Paul’s dependence on grace: 1 Corinthians 15:10; Ephesians 2:8-9; 3:7-8; 2 Corinthians 12:9; 1 Timothy 1:14; 2 Timothy 1:9; Romans 5:2; Galatians 1:15; 2:21; 2 Thessalonians 2:16; Titus 3:7
32. Ephesians 1:1; 4:1,17; 5:2,8,15; 6:14; Colossians 1:10,23,28; 2:6
34. The verb form in 1 John 1:7 shows that the blood continually cleanses us from all sin as we walk in the light.
35. Genesis 25:29-34; Hebrews 12:16-17
36. Research subject – The loving discipline of withholding fellowship: 1 Corinthians 5:2,5,7,11,13; 1 Timothy 1:20; Matthew 18:17; Romans 16:17; 2 Thessalonians 3:6,14-15; Titus 3:10