 |  |
the rejoicing is in the truth. This word is closely allied to chara which is rendered "joy"
in I John 1: 4, II John 12 and III John 4.
Combining all these items, we arrive at the conclusion that true fellowship is centred
in the Person of the Son of God, and the true joy of that fellowship is in the blessed
recognition of the truth that in the Son, and in Him alone, can we have access to
fellowship with the Father. If we rejoice in this truth, how can we at the same time, say
"Hail", "Rejoice", or "God-speed" to any that deny it?
#3.
Life made manifest in light.
pp. 117 - 119
The fourfold fellowship of I John 1: is divided, as is nearly all Scripture, into two
parts--doctrine and practice. In order to see the relationship between the parts we must
look at the four phases as a whole.
Fellowship in
I John 1:
A |
1-3.
That which was seen and heard and declared.
\ LIFE.
B
| 3.
With the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
/
A |
5, 6.
The message heard and declared.
\ LIGHT.
B
| 7.
With one another. The blood of Jesus Christ His Son. /
The word that is insistent in the first pair of passages is LIFE--the Word of life, the
life manifested, the eternal life which was with the Father. The word that is insistent in
the second pair is LIGHT--"God is light"; "If we walk in the light"; "He is in the light".
The first group represents basic fact, the second resultant walk. The first is cause, the
second effect; the first, the root, and the second the fruit.
The whole subject is summarized in the words of John 1: 4: "In Him was life and the
life was the light of men." We see first in the structure above the declaration concerning
the Person of Christ and the privilege of access unto the Father; and then the declaration
of the character of this fellowship and the provision made for its permanence:--
"This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that
God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with
Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth" (I John 1: 5, 6).
We may test the principle that darkness and light are concerned with practice and walk
by observing the other passages in which they occur in this epistle:--
"Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in Him and in you,
because the darkness is past and the true light now shineth. He that saith he is in the
light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother