Daily EncouragementSample

The proclamation of the Christian message is essentially an invitation to fellowship. In the gospel God calls us “into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” This is the essence of real Christianity - we submit to him and walk with him, listening to him through his word, speaking to him in prayer, knowing his love, working with him. But the fellowship is horizontal as well as vertical. We come into fellowship with other Christians. We become members of the body (1 Cor. 12-13), part of the family of God (Gal. 3:26). Here we are reminded that the state of our fellowship as Christians will affect our communication of the gospel. There is to be no divorce between fellowship with other believers and fellowship with God. It is significant that John puts “fellowship with us” first. Understandably so, because it is the visible fellowship which attracts or repels the outsider. There is always the danger of being faithful in proclamation and yet failing in fellowship. The test is whether fellowship with us will lead others into fellowship with God. No wonder revival always begins with the fellowship and results in a renewed proclamation of the message.