THE BELIEVER'S FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD, PART 1

In the Apostle John’s first epistle, he references that “indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3). Fellowship is an essential aspect of the believer’s present spiritual position. Therefore, the importance of this concept of fellowship with God cannot be overstated and needs to be understood completely as we progress through John's first epistle.

Aspects of Our Present Spiritual Position “in Christ”

Examining the chart below, we should note the specific details of the believer’s present position as being in Christ. For demonstration only, the main circle bounded by solid yellow represents the entirety of the believer’s relational sphere with God. It is solid because once inside there is never the possibility for the believer to ever be outside of this eternal relationship.

There are two aspects of being in Christ: The inner realm of fellowship and the outer realm of carnality. Throughout the believer’s life we occupy either aspect, but never at the same time. This follows the teachings of John that we either “walk in the Light”—the inner realm of fellowship (1 John 1:7); or we “walk in darkness”—in carnality marked by sin (1 John 1:6). The inner realm of fellowship has a permeated line, indicating that this aspect of the believer’s fellowship with God is temporal—transitory.

Fellowship with God

The meaning of the Greek word for fellowship is that of “an association involving close mutual relations and involvement.”1 Our fellowship with God is much greater than sitting around and singing hymns or walking about pseudo-piously with eyes looking towards heaven. It is intended to be a solemn, intimate and vibrant relationship that involves our participation of commonly shared interests and as imitators of God’s characteristics—specifically His love and righteousness (Ephesians 5:1-5). It is a supernatural life which requires that believers are to be empowered by the Holy Spirit. R.B. Thieme, Jr. rightly states this, that “In the Church Age, to be ‘in fellowship’ is to be filled with the Holy Spirit”2 (Ephesians 5:18b).

The Holy Spirit is the Agent of the Godhead sent by Jesus Christ for the believer (John 16:7). He is designated as our “Helper” and has specialized ministries exclusively for believers in the Church Age. Here are a few of the His many ministries: He is the provider of the new birth in Christ (John 3:3-6); He is to guide us in the teaching of God’s absolute truth (John 16:13; 2 Timothy 3:16); He provides a variety of individual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1-11); His sealing is “the believer’s guarantee of the security of his salvation”3; He indwells the believer eternally and provides empowerment for us to be Christ’s witnesses (John 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 3:16); and “by one Spirit we were baptized into one body” the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13).

The inner realm represents the place of our fellowship with God. Consistently residing in this place of fellowship should be the objective of every believer. This requires that the believer be filled with the Holy Spirit in order that they “walk as children of Light” (Ephesians 5:8) by their holy living.

Temporal Aspect of Fellowship

Residing in the inner realm of fellowship means a life devoid of sinfulness. It is the reason that our fellowship is a temporal aspect, because sin severs the believer’s fellowship with God. For we have been called to holy living: “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:1). In contrast, the New Testament writers provide numerous examples of what constitutes sinfulness:

But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. (Ephesians 5:3–5)

Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. (1 Peter 2:1)

Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. (James 1:21)

Nevertheless, it is inevitable that the believer will sin and when that occurs they are no longer “walking in the Light” but instead they are walking in darkness and dwell in the Outer Realm of Carnality. Paul characterized these believers as unspiritual, men of flesh (carnal) “infants in Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:1). Elsewhere he is emphatic that those who are carnal and unspiritual “cannot please God” (Romans 8:8; cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:1). Paul does explain how we can please God:

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. (Colossians 1:9–10)

In Our Lord’s discourse of the “Vine and the Branches” in John 15:1-16, He further described what pleases God and that our fellowship should glorify Him: “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples...and that your fruit would remain” (John 15:8, 16). Our Lord’s desire is that our fruit bearing would not be “a mere spurt, but permanent growth.”4 The believers' exhibition of the fruit of Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) ensures that they are pleasing Him by keeping His commandments (John 13:35), abiding in His love (John 15:9-10) and witnessing so that others might believe in Jesus Christ (John 17:20). Thus, “as we bear ‘much fruit’ the Father is glorified in us.”5

However, it should be noted that Our Lord mentions in His discourse that “every branch in Me [in Christ] that does not bear fruit, He takes away” (John 15:2a). This in no way implies loss of salvation, but instead it depicts being removed from the Inner Realm of Fellowship and consequently residing in the Outer Realm of Carnality. Concerning the Greek word for ‘takes away,’ Dr. Ryrie asserts that “The word may mean this literally (as ‘Remove’ in 11:39) and would therefore be a reference to the physical death of fruitless Christians (1 Cor. 11:30).”6 The Apostle John warned that "there is a sin leading to death" (1 John 5:16). 

The writer to the Hebrews, quoting Proverbs 3:11-12, cautions that there is the real potential of Divine discipline for a believer continually dwelling in the Outer Realm of Carnality:

And you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,

 “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,

Nor faint when you are reproved by Him;

For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines,

 And He scourges every son whom He receives.”

It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. (Hebrews 12:5–8)

When Continued in Part 2:

It will be explained how the believer can be restored to the Inner Realm of Fellowship and how they are to maintain their fellowship with God.

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[1] Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains. New York: United Bible Societies, 1.445.

[2] Thieme, R.B., Jr. (2022). Thieme’s Bible Doctrine Dictionary, Houston, TX: R.B. Thieme, Jr., Bible Ministries, p. 99.

[3] Ryrie, Charles C. (1995). The Ryrie Study Bible: Expanded Edition, Chicago, IL: Moody Press, p. 1877 note.

[4] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament. Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 5.261.

[5] Scofield, C. I. (2002). The Scofield Study Bible, New King James Version, New York, NY: Oxford University Press, p. 1478, note.

[6] Ryrie, p. 1710 note.

KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

“I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:18–19)

Having been a believer in Jesus Christ for over a half Century, something in these verses recently elicited my attention: the word keys—and the fact that it is plural. If I were to say that I had keys to my house I might be referring to front and back door locks that were keyed differently. Therefore, was Our Lord inferring that there were additional entrances to the kingdom of heaven? And if we could prove that there are many entrances into heaven, could those who proclaim that “all roads lead to heaven” be correct?

However, that would present a conflict of Scripture, for Jesus Christ stated that “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6). This concludes that the only way into God’s plan for salvation is by faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.

 Explaining the Keys

The Greek verb from which ‘key’ is derived means to shut or close.1 We find that the noun ‘key’ (singular and plural) is used in the New Testament only 6 times. But it was used in ancient writings as early as the 8^th Century B.C., as Dr. Beetham confirms that,

The noun occurs in Homer over 30 times to denote the bar to shut a door or, more specifically, a hook used to manipulate that bar. The term was then applied to a special wooden or metal instrument that served to move or unlock a bolt; thus the meaning “key.”2

However, observing the usage of ‘key’ in the New Testament, Greek scholars consistently state that it is used “metaphorically,”3 in a figurative manner. According to Dr. Unger, “the key is often used in Scripture as a symbol of power and authority, whether in church or state.”4 In this manner, Dr. Zodhiates explains its figurative meaning in the passage quoted at the outset:

The Lord designated Peter as the one who at Pentecost was going to open the kingdom of heaven to a great crowd which was of the Jewish stock (Acts 2) and later at Caesarea Maritime, which was of the Gentiles (Acts 10).5

Our Lord gave to Peter the keys—plural, being a dual authority. First, he declared the gospel of the grace of God to the Jews and secondly, he announced that this same gospel of grace was offered to the Gentiles. This is what the Apostle Paul would later proclaim as “the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God” (Ephesians 3:9).

This idea of power and authority is what shall be noted in the other uses of the word ‘key’ in the New Testament.

Key of Knowledge

“Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you yourselves did not enter, and you hindered those who were entering.” (Luke 11:52)

In the passage of Luke 11:45-52, Our Lord charges the lawyers with their malpractice in interpreting the Law. These lawyers are the Jewish scribes who were purportedly the experts in the interpretation of the Mosaic Law. Our Lord declared three ‘woes’ upon them, most notably that their interpretation of the Law “weigh men down with burdens hard to bear” (11:46) which they don’t even follow. The third ‘woe’ is that they “have taken away the key of knowledge” (11:52; cf. Malachi 2:7)—the power of knowledge. They withheld the correct knowledge of God’s Word pertaining to the attainment of eternal life. Instead they substituted “their wretched traditions”6 of a salvation obtained by works, which contradicted the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8).

Keys of Death and Hades

“And I have the keys of death and of Hades.” (Revelation 1:18b)

In John’s initial vision of the Revelation, Our Lord stated that He was in possession of the “keys of death and of Hades.” These are not physical keys but instead it follows the figurative meaning of the word—power and authority. This power and authority He has over the administration of these two realms: over the physical death of His creatures (Hebrews 9:27) and determining who is to be cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 21:15).

Key of David

And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this. (Revelation 3:7)

The mention of the “key of David” refers to a passage in Isaiah 22:22 where the key (power and authority) over the house of David was placed on the shoulder of Eliakim, the household administrator. Kiel and Delitzsch note:

The power of the keys consisted not only in the supervision of the royal chambers, but also in the decision who was and who was not to be received into the king’s service.7

The placement of the key on the shoulder of Eliakim alludes to Isaiah’s prophesy concerning the Christ: “And the government will rest on His shoulders” (Isaiah 9:6). And now by this declaration in Revelation 3:7, Jesus Christ, the son of David will have total power and authority over the Messianic Kingdom of David.

Key of the Bottomless Pit

Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him. (Revelation 9:1)

Here the angel is given the authority to open the bottomless pit and dispense the Fifth Trumpet judgment of locusts and scorpions.

Key of the Abyss

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. (Revelation 20:1)

In this verse we observe an angel, not physically holding an actual key, but instead possessing the power and authority to access the abyss along with a chain in order to “handcuff” and restrain Satan in order to throw him into the abyss. This abyss is defined as “a prison in which evil powers are confined and out of which they can at times be let loose.”8 Satan will stay in the abyss and be released after the thousand years of the Millennium Kingdom (Revelation 20:7).

Conclusion

The word key is never used in Scripture as an instrument for unlocking a door or a padlock. Nor is it used to describe an essential (key) person or a fundamental (key) point in a discussion. It is used figuratively of a given power or authority to open a divinely administered realm or knowledge of truth.         

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[1] Zodhiates, S. (2000). κλείω. In The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, G2808.

[2] Beetham, Christopher A. (Ed.) (2021). The Concise New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, p. 461.

[3] Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). In Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. Nashville, TN: T. Nelson, 2.341.

[4] Unger, M. F., Harrison, R. K., Vos, H. F., Barber, C. J., & Unger, M. F. (1988). In The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (Rev. and updated ed.). Chicago: Moody Press.

[5] Zodhiates, κλείς, G2807.

[6] Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc, 2.111.

[7] Keil, C.F. & Delitzsch, F. (n/d). Isaiah, In Commentary on the Old Testament (Electronic Ed.). Ages Software, p. 338.

[8] Zodhiates, ἄβυσσος, G12.

© 2024 David M. Rossi 

THE BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE OF WORK

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.

(Colossians 3:23)

The subject of work is mentioned throughout Scripture. Even prior to the Fall of Adam, there was work: God’s work of creation (Genesis 1); Adam’s cultivation of the Garden of Eden and categorization of the animals (Genesis 2:15 & 19). After the Fall, Adam and his progeny to this day, have been burdened with the toil and sweat of labor in order to maintain our physical lives.

The Lord gave this directive to Israel concerning His requirements for their work endeavors:

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” (Exodus 20:8–11)

Moses reiterated this at the second giving of the Law:

“Six days you shall labor and do all your work.” (Deuteronomy 5:13)

This mandate for work is reaffirmed in the New Testament teachings of the apostle Paul, who was a tentmaker during his missionary tours (Acts 18:3).

But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you. (1 Thessalonians 4:10b–11)

This is in harmony with Paul’s overall teaching that “whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31; cf. Colossians 3:17). This should be the believer’s principal objective in the workplace, just as in every endeavor of life.

What is more, Paul had a warning for those who refused to work:

For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. (2 Thessalonians 3:10–11)

Yet the main difference between God’s works and man’s is this: God’s works are righteous, supernatural and eternal acts of creation and redemption; while man’s works are often times characterized as dead (Hebrews 6:1; 9:14), evil (2 Timothy 4:18; 1 John 3:12; 2 John 11, and ungodly (Jude15). The righteous works of believers are only those which are executed while empowered by the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8; Romans 8:4, 14; 1 Corinthians 12:7; Ephesians 3:16). Dr. Francis Schaeffer aptly points this out:

There is no source of power for God’s people—for preaching or teaching or anything else—except Christ Himself. Apart from Christ, anything which seems to be spiritual power is actually the power of the flesh...The Lord’s work in the Lord’s way is the Lord’s work in the power of the Holy Spirit and not in the power of the flesh. 1

These works, empowered by the Holy Spirit, glorify God and may involve everyday activities—in the workplace, recreation, with family, and even mundane housework. Glorifying God is not just doing ‘religious’ works or church work or ‘spiritual’ stuff, but it is serving the Lord full-time, empowered by the Holy Spirit. For this is what true spirituality is all about: a moment-by-moment relationship with God—thinking His thoughts and glorifying Him by all that we do.

Our Lord’s Work

When we come to the New Testament, we see that the religious Jews were highly critical of any work performed on the Sabbath. They criticized Our Lord for healing (Luke 13:14; John 7:23; 9:16); and He and His disciples for working to obtain food (Matthew 12:1-2); and of a man who carried his bed after being healed (John 5:8-10).

In John’s gospel account, more so than the synoptic gospels, he draws attention to the subject of the works which the Father had sent Our Lord to accomplish. This was concisely stated by Our Lord:

“But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John 2; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works that I do—testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me.” (John 5:36; cf. John 10:25, 37-38)

And in John chapter 9, we see Our Lord expanding the scope of responsibility for doing the works of the Father with His disciples. Here Jesus and His disciples happen upon a man blind from birth. The disciples naively ask Him who had sinned that caused his blindness, his parents or himself. Jesus answered them:

“It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” (John 9:3–5 [emphasis added)

In verse 4 of this passage, Our Lord states that “we must work the works of Him who sent Me.” The “we” refers specifically to Himself and His disciples as coworkers in performing the Father’s work. What must not be confused is that the “Father’s work” which Our Lord is conscripting His disciples for, is not entirely the same as the Father’s work for Jesus—His was to preach, to perform miraculous wonders and to procure redemption. Jesus summarized what this work was when He stated:

“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him [Jesus Christ] whom He has sent.” (John 6:29)

Believing in Jesus Christ is tantamount to obeying His commandments (1 John 2:4) and emulating His holy/sinless character (1 Peter 1:15-16).

Incorporating His disciples into His work is mentioned on another occasion. At His post-Resurrection appearance to his disciples, Jesus stated: “as the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (John 20:21). Redemption had already been accomplished, so therefore, the sending of His disciples was for a different mission—their sending was to testify to the world of the reality of Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah and therefore the proclamation of the gospel of salvation.

Three decades later, the apostle Paul wrote of God’s logical order for the preparation of believers to do His work of service, which applies to all believers today:

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11–13)

The body of Christ will be successful at doing His work when three factors are realized: 1) the unity of doctrine is achieved; 2) the individual is mature (the completed training of the inner man); 3) to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ, i.e. the demonstration of the mature inner man to the surrounding world.

This is how His work will be accomplished here on earth. There is no other way. It must be done in the Lord’s prescribed way—in the power of the Holy Spirit. Any other methodology, system or human energy dishonors God and is nothing more than wood, hay and straw (1 Corinthians 3:11-15). It must be just as Dr. Schaeffer stated: "The Lord's work in the Lord's way."

 

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[1] Schaeffer, Francis A. (1985). The Complete Works of Francis A. Schaeffer. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 3.42-43.

[2] John the baptizer