A Community of Fellowship
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34, 35)
The forgiveness that Jesus offers is the basis of our fellowship. We have all sinned and none of us can do anything to earn or buy our salvation. It is the free gift of grace that comes through Jesus’ sacrifice that brings salvation. This is the great equalizer. We come together as a forgiven people. None of us can boast in our personal righteousness. It is a gift from God. As a forgiven community, we are free to get rid of our masks and our pretenses. We no longer have to prove ourselves. We can admit that we fall short and confess our needs. Love can now flourish where pride once reigned.
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for each other.” (I John 3:16) We might be tempted to think of this passage only in terms of risking our personal lives for each other, but we lay down our lives each time we choose to place another’s needs above our own, when we sacrifice our time to love and care for each other, when we give of our resources, and when we forgive each other in order to preserve the fellowship God has provided.
We are to be a community that lives out the ideals of God’s kingdom. Jesus has become our peace, not only with God, but with each other. Race, nationality, gender, and culture are no longer to be divisions and obstacles. We have been commanded by God to move past these things, to accept each other, to learn from each other, to serve each other, and to grow together. A healthy Christian community pursues active and diverse fellowship. Jesus tells us that when we pursue this goal it becomes the one visible sign that we are his disciples.
Next: Discipleship