Fellowship is Above All Religions
Religion is man’s attempt to reach up to God. From the towel of Babel, man has
been trying to reach God their own way. Even to this day, men are trying through
all kinds of religions to reach God.
Religion is an institutionalized system of our worship of God through practices.
The Israelites’ service and worship of God had become institutionalized. God said
in Isaiah 29:13 “wherefore the Lord said, forasmuch as this people draw near Me
with their mouth, and with their lips do honor Me, but have removed their heart far
from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the precept of men”. Jesus quotes
it like this (Mark 7:6-7) “He answered and said to them, well has Isaiah prophesied
of you hypocrites, as it is written, this people honor Me with their lips, but their
hearts is far from Me. However in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines
the commandments of men”.
Fellowship involves communion and friendship with God.
Fellowship and relationship is accepting God’s way. God made His plan of
restoring mankind.
In the beginning Adam was placed in the Garden to enjoy friendship and
communion with God. When Adam and Eve chose to assert themselves rather
than live under the Creator’s gracious care, the fellowship was broken. As a
result, Adam and Eve hid themselves from the Lord’s presence (Genesis 3:8)
“and they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the
day; and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God
among the trees of the garden”. God came looking for them, and even sacrificed
an animal and made covering for them. Yet God immediately sought them out
and revealed His plan for the restoration of mankind through the work of the
Redeemer (Genesis 3:15) speaking to the serpent, He said “and I will put enmity
between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed, it shall bruise
your head, and you shall bruise His heel”.
The Old Testament tells how God began to draw a special people into fellowship
with Himself, Enoch is described as a man who walked with God (Genesis 5:
22,24). Noah, likewise, walked with the Lord (Genesis 6:9). And Abraham, the
father of Israel, is called “the friend of God” (James 2:23). No Old Testament
person had deeper fellowship with God than did Moses during his forty-day
encounter with the Lord on Mount Sinai (Exodus 33:8-10) “and it came to pass,
when Moses went out to the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood
every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the
tabernacle. And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the
cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord
talked with Moses. And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the
tabernacle door, and al the people rose up and worshiped, every man in his tent
door. And the Lord Yahweh spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his
friend”.
God and Moses talked face to face in the Tent of Meeting, just as friends do.
Why did Moses find such favor with God? it certainly was not because he was
perfect, gifted, or powerful. Rather, it was because God chose Moses, and Moses
in turn relied wholeheartedly on God’s wisdom and direction. Friendship with God
was a true privilege for Moses, yet it was out of each for the other Israelites,
because they chose to let Moses talk with God for them, instead of getting to
know God for themselves.
Later in Israel’s history, David wrote psalms that reflect a heart in tune with the
living God (Psalms 16; 34; 40; 63).
Many people call Christianity a religion, but Christianity is a relationship which has
fellowship with God through His Son.
As a result of Christ’s work on the cross, God now makes His permanent home in
each believer’s heart (John 14:23) “Jesus answered and said to him, if a man love
Me, he will keep My words; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him
and make Our abode with him”.
The fellowship that now takes place is nothing less than the spiritual union of the
believer with Christ (John 14:20-21) “at that day you shall know that I am in My
Father and you in Me, and I in you. He that has My commandments and keeps
them, he it is that loves Me, and he that loves Me shall be loved of My Father, and
I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him”.
Fellowship with God is the goal of the Christian life (I John 1:2-3) “for the life was
manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show to you that eternal
life, which was with the Father, and was manifested to us. That which we have
seen and heard declare we to you, that you also may have fellowship with us, and
truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ”.
Our relationship to God is made possible through Jesus. Jesus is talking about a
new relationship between the believer and God. previously, people approached
God through priests, after Jesus’ resurrection, any believer could approach God
directly. A new day has dawned and now all believers are priests, talking with
God personally and directly (Hebrews 10:19-23) “having therefore, brethren,
boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. By anew and living way,
which He has consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh. And
having an high priest over the house of God. Let us draw near with a true heart
in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and
our bodies washed with pure water”. We approach God, not because of our own
merit, but because Jesus our great high priest, has made us acceptable to God.
Jesus called His disciples and, by extension, all of His followers “His friends” (John
15:14-15) “you are My friends, if you do whatsoever I command you. Hereafter I
call you not servants; for the servant knows not what his lord does, but I have
called you friends, for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known
to you”.
I know that you have wondered why Jesus came against the religious leaders of
His day. Jesus Himself criticized several of their practices for having a show of
piety, but lacking true heart felt adoration of God.
Believers have fellowship with the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit (John 17:20-
24) Jesus said “neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall
believe on Me through their word. That they all may be one, as You Father, are
in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe
that You have send Me. And the glory which You gave Me, I have given them;
that they may be one, even as We are one. I in them, and You in Me, that they
may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that You have sent Me,
and have loved them, as You have loved Me. Father, I will that they also, whom
You have given Me, be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which
You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world”.
The only reason we dare to have fellowship with God, is that He has raised our
status through the death and resurrection of Christ (Ephesians 2:4-7) “but God,
who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us. Even when we
were dead in sins, has quickened us together with Christ, by grace you are
saved. And has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly
places in Christ Jesus. That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding
riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus”.
The gospel restores fellowship not only with God but also among believers. the
hearts of the Lord and His followers were knit together by a deep sense of love
and commitment. Later the disciples discovered that their own hearts were
strongly united out of their common loyalty to Jesus. Following the cross and the
outpouring of the Spirit, the church was born that new society of people in
fellowship with God and with one another.
The Christian fellowship is represented as the “one new man” or the “one body”
(Ephesians 2:12-16) “that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from
the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having
no hope, and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who
sometimes were far off are made near by the blood of Christ. For He is our
peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition
between us. Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of
commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself of two one new
man, so making peace. And that He might reconcile both to God in one body by
the cross, having slain the enmity thereby”.
In spite of the great differences in the body, the Holy Spirit binds believers
together into a single being (Ephesians 4:4-6) “there is one body, and one Spirit,
even as you are called in one hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, one
baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you
all”. In this fellowship of love, no believer is unnecessary. Each member has
been given gifts for the spiritual building up of the entire body. Scripture gives the
basis of fellowship in (I John 1:7) “if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we
have fellowship with one another”. Jesus Christ, then, is the source of all spiritual
communion.
The classic New testament passage on religion is in the book of James; James 1:
22-27 says “but be you doers of the word, and not hearers only; deceiving your
own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like to a man
beholding his natural face in a glass. For he beholds himself, and goes his way,
and immediately forgets what manner of man he was. But whoso looks into the
perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a
doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you
seems to be religious, and bridles not his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this
man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is
this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself
unspotted from the world”. Again faith devoid from deeds is as a lifeless corpse
(James 2:15-17), says “if a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food.
And one of you say to them, depart in peace, be you warmed and filled;
notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needful to the body;
what does it profit? Even so faith, if it has not works is dead, being alone”.
The State run churches in the 1700’s fell apart, the church of England could no
longer control the direction of religious life as Americans of every right realized
that God’s gift of salvation was available to all who believed. However there are
times that the churches slumbers and falls back into mere religion. Centuries
after century we have had many awakenings, we need to pray continually for
revival in our times.
Many people in the church today are religious, enjoying the social part of
fellowshipping with others, yet they do not know Christ. Remember that the word
“know” indicates having a personal relationship with.
Let us know not be like the Israelites were, they had the opportunity to come
before God and hear His words, but were afraid, and they asked Moses to speak
to God, and then tell them what to do. But they could not fulfill it because it was
not in their heart.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: August 17, 2010
Religion is man’s attempt to reach up to God. From the towel of Babel, man has
been trying to reach God their own way. Even to this day, men are trying through
all kinds of religions to reach God.
Religion is an institutionalized system of our worship of God through practices.
The Israelites’ service and worship of God had become institutionalized. God said
in Isaiah 29:13 “wherefore the Lord said, forasmuch as this people draw near Me
with their mouth, and with their lips do honor Me, but have removed their heart far
from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the precept of men”. Jesus quotes
it like this (Mark 7:6-7) “He answered and said to them, well has Isaiah prophesied
of you hypocrites, as it is written, this people honor Me with their lips, but their
hearts is far from Me. However in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines
the commandments of men”.
Fellowship involves communion and friendship with God.
Fellowship and relationship is accepting God’s way. God made His plan of
restoring mankind.
In the beginning Adam was placed in the Garden to enjoy friendship and
communion with God. When Adam and Eve chose to assert themselves rather
than live under the Creator’s gracious care, the fellowship was broken. As a
result, Adam and Eve hid themselves from the Lord’s presence (Genesis 3:8)
“and they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the
day; and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God
among the trees of the garden”. God came looking for them, and even sacrificed
an animal and made covering for them. Yet God immediately sought them out
and revealed His plan for the restoration of mankind through the work of the
Redeemer (Genesis 3:15) speaking to the serpent, He said “and I will put enmity
between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed, it shall bruise
your head, and you shall bruise His heel”.
The Old Testament tells how God began to draw a special people into fellowship
with Himself, Enoch is described as a man who walked with God (Genesis 5:
22,24). Noah, likewise, walked with the Lord (Genesis 6:9). And Abraham, the
father of Israel, is called “the friend of God” (James 2:23). No Old Testament
person had deeper fellowship with God than did Moses during his forty-day
encounter with the Lord on Mount Sinai (Exodus 33:8-10) “and it came to pass,
when Moses went out to the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood
every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the
tabernacle. And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the
cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord
talked with Moses. And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the
tabernacle door, and al the people rose up and worshiped, every man in his tent
door. And the Lord Yahweh spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his
friend”.
God and Moses talked face to face in the Tent of Meeting, just as friends do.
Why did Moses find such favor with God? it certainly was not because he was
perfect, gifted, or powerful. Rather, it was because God chose Moses, and Moses
in turn relied wholeheartedly on God’s wisdom and direction. Friendship with God
was a true privilege for Moses, yet it was out of each for the other Israelites,
because they chose to let Moses talk with God for them, instead of getting to
know God for themselves.
Later in Israel’s history, David wrote psalms that reflect a heart in tune with the
living God (Psalms 16; 34; 40; 63).
Many people call Christianity a religion, but Christianity is a relationship which has
fellowship with God through His Son.
As a result of Christ’s work on the cross, God now makes His permanent home in
each believer’s heart (John 14:23) “Jesus answered and said to him, if a man love
Me, he will keep My words; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him
and make Our abode with him”.
The fellowship that now takes place is nothing less than the spiritual union of the
believer with Christ (John 14:20-21) “at that day you shall know that I am in My
Father and you in Me, and I in you. He that has My commandments and keeps
them, he it is that loves Me, and he that loves Me shall be loved of My Father, and
I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him”.
Fellowship with God is the goal of the Christian life (I John 1:2-3) “for the life was
manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show to you that eternal
life, which was with the Father, and was manifested to us. That which we have
seen and heard declare we to you, that you also may have fellowship with us, and
truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ”.
Our relationship to God is made possible through Jesus. Jesus is talking about a
new relationship between the believer and God. previously, people approached
God through priests, after Jesus’ resurrection, any believer could approach God
directly. A new day has dawned and now all believers are priests, talking with
God personally and directly (Hebrews 10:19-23) “having therefore, brethren,
boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. By anew and living way,
which He has consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh. And
having an high priest over the house of God. Let us draw near with a true heart
in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and
our bodies washed with pure water”. We approach God, not because of our own
merit, but because Jesus our great high priest, has made us acceptable to God.
Jesus called His disciples and, by extension, all of His followers “His friends” (John
15:14-15) “you are My friends, if you do whatsoever I command you. Hereafter I
call you not servants; for the servant knows not what his lord does, but I have
called you friends, for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known
to you”.
I know that you have wondered why Jesus came against the religious leaders of
His day. Jesus Himself criticized several of their practices for having a show of
piety, but lacking true heart felt adoration of God.
Believers have fellowship with the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit (John 17:20-
24) Jesus said “neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall
believe on Me through their word. That they all may be one, as You Father, are
in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe
that You have send Me. And the glory which You gave Me, I have given them;
that they may be one, even as We are one. I in them, and You in Me, that they
may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that You have sent Me,
and have loved them, as You have loved Me. Father, I will that they also, whom
You have given Me, be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which
You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world”.
The only reason we dare to have fellowship with God, is that He has raised our
status through the death and resurrection of Christ (Ephesians 2:4-7) “but God,
who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us. Even when we
were dead in sins, has quickened us together with Christ, by grace you are
saved. And has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly
places in Christ Jesus. That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding
riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus”.
The gospel restores fellowship not only with God but also among believers. the
hearts of the Lord and His followers were knit together by a deep sense of love
and commitment. Later the disciples discovered that their own hearts were
strongly united out of their common loyalty to Jesus. Following the cross and the
outpouring of the Spirit, the church was born that new society of people in
fellowship with God and with one another.
The Christian fellowship is represented as the “one new man” or the “one body”
(Ephesians 2:12-16) “that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from
the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having
no hope, and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who
sometimes were far off are made near by the blood of Christ. For He is our
peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition
between us. Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of
commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself of two one new
man, so making peace. And that He might reconcile both to God in one body by
the cross, having slain the enmity thereby”.
In spite of the great differences in the body, the Holy Spirit binds believers
together into a single being (Ephesians 4:4-6) “there is one body, and one Spirit,
even as you are called in one hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, one
baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you
all”. In this fellowship of love, no believer is unnecessary. Each member has
been given gifts for the spiritual building up of the entire body. Scripture gives the
basis of fellowship in (I John 1:7) “if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we
have fellowship with one another”. Jesus Christ, then, is the source of all spiritual
communion.
The classic New testament passage on religion is in the book of James; James 1:
22-27 says “but be you doers of the word, and not hearers only; deceiving your
own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like to a man
beholding his natural face in a glass. For he beholds himself, and goes his way,
and immediately forgets what manner of man he was. But whoso looks into the
perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a
doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you
seems to be religious, and bridles not his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this
man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is
this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself
unspotted from the world”. Again faith devoid from deeds is as a lifeless corpse
(James 2:15-17), says “if a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food.
And one of you say to them, depart in peace, be you warmed and filled;
notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needful to the body;
what does it profit? Even so faith, if it has not works is dead, being alone”.
The State run churches in the 1700’s fell apart, the church of England could no
longer control the direction of religious life as Americans of every right realized
that God’s gift of salvation was available to all who believed. However there are
times that the churches slumbers and falls back into mere religion. Centuries
after century we have had many awakenings, we need to pray continually for
revival in our times.
Many people in the church today are religious, enjoying the social part of
fellowshipping with others, yet they do not know Christ. Remember that the word
“know” indicates having a personal relationship with.
Let us know not be like the Israelites were, they had the opportunity to come
before God and hear His words, but were afraid, and they asked Moses to speak
to God, and then tell them what to do. But they could not fulfill it because it was
not in their heart.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: August 17, 2010
