The Gift of Fellowship

Scores of believers, while going through some difficult trial, have said, “I don’t know how people live this life without Christ.” I agree. Much more than a cliché, this frequent phrase of the Christian experience honors Christ for the greatness of his compassion, the goodness of his shepherding, and the sweetness of his promises. Many of the ways we enjoy Christ’s virtues that bring us through our dark days are conveyed to us not through flashes in the sky, or moments of epiphany about the meaning of our trial, but through a more subtle and overlooked mechanism: the church. Our Christ-honoring sentiment might also mean, “I don’t know how people live this life without the goodness and care of Christ expressed to me through his people.”

Belonging to Christ brings untold benefits now and in the age to come. In the age to come, our light and momentary affliction gives way to “an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Cor. 4:17). Now, we possess the forgiveness of sins, justification, the Spirit, a sure hope. But an often-overlooked treasure of our current state is that we have the treasure of fellowship. We who were once not a people are now a people (1 Pet. 2:10). And we are not just any people. We are Christ’s people, with Christ in us (Col. 1:27).

This is not putting too much emphasis on the church. The church is the body of Christ (Eph. 5:23). Much more than crosses and fish bumper-stickers, the church is the most tangible display of Christ in the world. When you are sick, from where do the meals come? When you are mourning, from where does the shoulder to cry on come? When you are weak, from where does the encouragement come? When you are in trouble, from where does the help come? When you are despairing, from where does the hope come? God can use any number of means to provide help in times of trouble and hope in times of despair, but often the means are the regular ones: it comes from brothers and sisters in Christ. The meals come from a caring saint; the shoulder from a godly friend; the encouragement from a well-timed Scripture shared by a Bible study leader; the hope from a time spent with a Christian friend. The relief for life’s dark days comes from God, most often through his people.

Beloved of the Lord, what a precious gift we have in each other! We have access to other Spirit-filled, Christ-like brothers and sisters who, when sanctified, have the very mind of Christ determining their actions, words, and prayers. Through these redeemed people, Christ applies his wonderful mercy to his people, lavishly and subtly. It is lavish because the saints of God receive so much of it through other believers. It is subtle, because at times it looks so normal that you might miss it. But when you compile all the care, love, provision, protection, prayers, kindness, compassion, hope, encouragement, and tenderness received from other believers, you must admit it can only be credited to the lavish love of Christ working through his people. So, when you say, “I don’t know how people live this life without Christ,” remember how you have tasted his lavish and subtle love communicated to you through his church.