LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
The Spirit of Fellowship
“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14).
This verse tells us about three aspects of each person of the Godhead. The first is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The grace of the Lord saved us, sustains us, and will sustain us for eternity. Without it, no one could be saved, much less stand in the presence of the Lord.
The second aspect mentioned is the love of the Father. Love is the first attribute that came from the Father, even before the foundation of the world. God loved the world and gave proof of this love for us. Because even though we were sinners, God sent his Son into the world to die for us, so that we could live for Christ. Before we could love God, he loved us first with everlasting love.
The third aspect is the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who maintains for eternity the grace of Jesus Christ and the love of the Father in perfect harmony. It is he who provided in eternity a perfect communion between the three persons of the Godhead in grace and love.
Paul goes on to say "...be with you all". This teaches us that it is to that fellowship of grace and love that we have been called. "Faithful is God, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Cor. 1.9). And not only to this fellowship, as if we were summoned to an individual fellowship, but to the fellowship of all the brethren.
The joy of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit will only be complete when we have fellowship through the Holy Spirit with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ and fellowship with one another. This is the eternal purpose of God: that, conformed to his Son, we live in that full fellowship of grace and love that they had in eternity.
For this reason, we will persevere in growing in grace, in love, and in communion, taking care not to grieve the Spirit with disputes, jealousies and divisions that fight against God’s divine purpose.
May the purpose of all of us, his church, be to follow this Word: "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity" (Col. 3.12-14).