Everything that has ever been created or invented has a purpose. Before man was created, God already had a plan and a purpose for man. Beginning at the first book of the Bible, Genesis 1:26, God’s intention for mankind was made known when He said “Let us make man in our own image and after our likeness”. Hebrews 2:6-7 says “But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands”. If man was to be in the image and likeness of God, this meant that of all of God’s creation, man is special and is to have a certain relationship and communion with God more than any other creature. It’s quite obvious that man is the crowning of God’s creation.
For man to have fellowship with God, man has to be in the Light by receiving the life which God offers. Man is a creation of communion, and as such, must relate and communicate with beings both in the material and immaterial world. Moses, in his writing, talked about the first men (Adam and Eve) and how they communicated with a supernatural being depicted as the serpent who led them to disobey God. When Adam and Eve disobeyed the instructions of God which was to eat or partake of the Tree of Life, sin and death crept into the world and man drifted away from God. This then set a pattern for sin in the world. While some men continually did evil in the sight of God, there were others who chose not to reject God’s instructions but to believe it. These men in their belief of God, had fellowship with Him. Men like Abel, Enoch, Noah, and Abraham amongst others had fellowship with God. The Bible talked about Enoch who walked with God. This ‘walk with God’ depicts fellowship. In a timeline where some men chose the devil over the worship of God, and built a city founded on idolatry, Abraham believed and followed the Lord. He searched for a city whose builder and maker was God.
Since the disobedience of the first men, the world is now made of two classes of men: men in light and men in darkness; men who have fellowship with God, and men who have fellowship with the devil (2 Corinthians 6:14-15). A man without fellowship with God will fellowship with the devil. There is no neutral ground because relationships are at the core of man. God has called all men to partake of His life and have fellowship with Him. What He wanted with man before the world began is still the same today. The plan has not changed, the intention is still the same.
In the redemptive work for man, Jesus dealt with sin and death [and ultimately the devil], and has given us eternal life (Hebrews 2:14). All men can now fellowship in the life of God – as many as believe can have this fellowship. 1 Corinthians 1:9 says: “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” In Christ Jesus, all men have liberty to fellowship with God. Fellowship with the Son is fellowship with God. The message of the gospel is about God reconciling all men to Himself so as to have fellowship with man. John the Apostle said in 1 John 1:3 “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ”. When you preach the gospel, it is to see men saved and have a relationship with God. Being saved is not the endpoint. It is like an entry through a gate – you are to walk the path and have interactions with your saviour – “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:6-7).
In your walk with God, you are further enlightened on all that pertains to this life that you have received, as well as have knowledge on how to fellowship with one another. In this family of God, you have interactions with angels who minister for you (see Hebrews 1:7, 1:14, 12:22). As you gain more knowledge and grow in your relationship with God, it is seen in your living and conduct in the light; how you interact with unbelievers and fellow believers. You are to love one another (Romans 12:10, 13:8, 1 John 3:11, 3:23, 4:11), edify one another (Romans 14:19, 1 Thessalonians 5:11), forgive one another (Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:13), comfort one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18), exhort one another (Hebrews 3:13, 10:25), etc. All of these apostolic injunctions are a product of your fellowship with the Father. It is from your fellowship with Him that you have fellowship with other believers. Man was not created to walk alone in this world, he is to fellowship primarily with God, and then with others. A man cannot have fellowship with God when he is in darkness and death. Fellowship is in life and in the light. Our fellowship with the Lord is a privilege that everyone can share. It is why you are to take it upon yourself to spread the good news to all and sundry so that they can have fellowship with God as well. God’s arms are unfolded for as many that come to Him. It is God’s joy when men are saved and come to the knowledge of truth by having fellowship with Him.
