Fellowship in God’s Grace
Introduction. Fellowship is a “joint participation”, two or more deciding to walk together or work together. In the case of God and man, God wants to save us by grace and expects us to be submissive and thankful. While God so loved the world that He gave His only Son to save us, He also commanded us to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12). God gave the gospel, but we must hear it (Rom. 10:17), believe (Jn. 3:16), repent (Mk. 16:16), confess (Rom. 10:9-10) and be baptized (Acts 2:38-41). In this fellowship, we are saved by grace (God’s part) through faith (our part) (Eph. 2:1-10).
The grace of God teaches. There are many views today of how fellowship in God’s grace eases our burden. The only view that merits consideration is the one God revealed in Scripture. Even grace requires an appropriate response. “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.” (Titus 2:11-13). Thus, to be in fellowship with God’s grace, we must deny ungodliness and live soberly, godly and righteously! That is what the grace of God teaches us to do and the diligence, zeal, determination and drive we put into it is our part of this fellowship.
God’s grace led Paul to labor. While some believe God’s grace eases our burden, Paul saw it exactly the opposite. He considered the grace of God as the reason to work even harder. “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” (1Cor. 15:10). In Paul’s eyes, before God’s grace came to him, he was the “chief of sinners” (1Tim. 1:15). Only after Ananias arrived and “told what you must do", commanding Paul to “arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins” (Acts 9:6; 22:16), did grace gave him a second chance. He did not see it as easing the burden, but the reason to work more abundantly. It was not Paul, but “the grace of God which was with” him that led him to labor more abundantly! As he later told the Philippians, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:12-14). His zeal and determination created by grace led him toward the prize of the upward call. This is important to all Christians because of how he applied it. “Let us, as many as are mature, have this mind” and “join in following my example.” Every Christian is to use God’s grace as the reason to press on!
In grace and mercy, God gave His divine power and precious promises. “His divine power granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness,” and “He granted to us His precious and exceeding great promises.” This grace was given so that “through these you may become partakers of the divine nature.” What is the appropriate response to this grace? “For this very reason, adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue... knowledge... self-control ... patience; ... godliness ... brotherly kindness ... and ... love.” (2Pet. 1:3-12). This is the fellowship of God’s grace! He gave His divine power and precious promises and we in all diligence add on our part.
It is only after we add on our part that the next level of grace is given. Only when “these things are yours” do “they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful.” If we do not add on our part, then “he lacks these things is blind, seeing only what is near.” Again after learning all this, we must “give the more diligence” to “make your calling and election sure.” Only “if you do these things, you shall never stumble.” Thus the fellowship of God’s grace begins at the moment of our salvation. Only if we labor more abundantly, press on toward the prize of the upward call, and diligently add on our part can we receive the fullness of God’s grace!
Do not receive the grace of God in vain. “We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain” (2Cor. 6:1-2). If we do not walk in fellowship with God, using His grace to lead us to work and add, it could all end in vain! We could become one who “after they have escaped the pollutions of the world” “are again entangled in them and overcome." If we allow that to happen, it will all be vain because “the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.” What a terrible end to those who had received the grace of God. This leads to one of the most startling statements in the Gospel! “For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.” How could it ever be better not to know the gospel? How could anyone who heard the gospel be in a worse position than those who had never heard it? If what God did for them in their obedience to the gospel doesn’t lead to labor and adding, then “the true proverb” applies: ‘A dog returns to his own vomit,’ and, ‘a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.’ (2Pet. 2:20-22).
Conclusion. Some “were once enlightened,” “tasted the heavenly gift,” “become partakers of the Holy Spirit,” “tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come.” No one could deny that these people had received the grace of God. Yet, “if they fall away,” “they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.” (Heb. 6:4-8). Thus we have an important choice to make every day. “But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.” (Heb. 10:39).
The grace of God teaches. There are many views today of how fellowship in God’s grace eases our burden. The only view that merits consideration is the one God revealed in Scripture. Even grace requires an appropriate response. “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.” (Titus 2:11-13). Thus, to be in fellowship with God’s grace, we must deny ungodliness and live soberly, godly and righteously! That is what the grace of God teaches us to do and the diligence, zeal, determination and drive we put into it is our part of this fellowship.
God’s grace led Paul to labor. While some believe God’s grace eases our burden, Paul saw it exactly the opposite. He considered the grace of God as the reason to work even harder. “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” (1Cor. 15:10). In Paul’s eyes, before God’s grace came to him, he was the “chief of sinners” (1Tim. 1:15). Only after Ananias arrived and “told what you must do", commanding Paul to “arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins” (Acts 9:6; 22:16), did grace gave him a second chance. He did not see it as easing the burden, but the reason to work more abundantly. It was not Paul, but “the grace of God which was with” him that led him to labor more abundantly! As he later told the Philippians, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:12-14). His zeal and determination created by grace led him toward the prize of the upward call. This is important to all Christians because of how he applied it. “Let us, as many as are mature, have this mind” and “join in following my example.” Every Christian is to use God’s grace as the reason to press on!
In grace and mercy, God gave His divine power and precious promises. “His divine power granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness,” and “He granted to us His precious and exceeding great promises.” This grace was given so that “through these you may become partakers of the divine nature.” What is the appropriate response to this grace? “For this very reason, adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue... knowledge... self-control ... patience; ... godliness ... brotherly kindness ... and ... love.” (2Pet. 1:3-12). This is the fellowship of God’s grace! He gave His divine power and precious promises and we in all diligence add on our part.
It is only after we add on our part that the next level of grace is given. Only when “these things are yours” do “they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful.” If we do not add on our part, then “he lacks these things is blind, seeing only what is near.” Again after learning all this, we must “give the more diligence” to “make your calling and election sure.” Only “if you do these things, you shall never stumble.” Thus the fellowship of God’s grace begins at the moment of our salvation. Only if we labor more abundantly, press on toward the prize of the upward call, and diligently add on our part can we receive the fullness of God’s grace!
Do not receive the grace of God in vain. “We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain” (2Cor. 6:1-2). If we do not walk in fellowship with God, using His grace to lead us to work and add, it could all end in vain! We could become one who “after they have escaped the pollutions of the world” “are again entangled in them and overcome." If we allow that to happen, it will all be vain because “the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.” What a terrible end to those who had received the grace of God. This leads to one of the most startling statements in the Gospel! “For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.” How could it ever be better not to know the gospel? How could anyone who heard the gospel be in a worse position than those who had never heard it? If what God did for them in their obedience to the gospel doesn’t lead to labor and adding, then “the true proverb” applies: ‘A dog returns to his own vomit,’ and, ‘a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.’ (2Pet. 2:20-22).
Conclusion. Some “were once enlightened,” “tasted the heavenly gift,” “become partakers of the Holy Spirit,” “tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come.” No one could deny that these people had received the grace of God. Yet, “if they fall away,” “they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.” (Heb. 6:4-8). Thus we have an important choice to make every day. “But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.” (Heb. 10:39).