BASIC WORD THE FUNCTION OF THE FELLOWSIP OF LIFE

THE FUNCTION OF THE FELLOWSHIP OF LIFE—SUPPLYING US WITH ALL THE RICHES OF THE DIVINE LIFE

If the fellowship of life did not have a function, it would be meaningless. The function of the fellowship of life is to supply us with all the riches of the divine life (John 15:4-5). The more the divine life flows within us, the more supply of life it carries to us. A good picture of this is the flowing of the river of water of life in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 22:1-2). In that river is the tree of life. The tree of life indicates the supply that goes along with the flowing of the river of water of life, which is the fellowship of life. Thus, the tree of life going along with the river indicates the function of the flowing of the river of life. This function is to supply us with the riches of the divine life.

John 15:4-5 says that we abide in the vine, and then the vine abides in us. This abiding supplies us with the life-juice of the vine. We know this because our abiding eventually issues in fruit-bearing. The fruit-bearing proves that the abiding supplies us with the rich life of the vine tree. The fellowship of life functions in this unique thing—to supply us with the riches of the life of Christ.

                                                 THE ISSUE OF THE FELLOWSHIP OF LIFE

A. Bringing Light to Us

The first issue of the fellowship of life is that it brings light to us (1 John 1:5-7). God is light, and if we have fellowship with Him, we are in the light.

B. Bringing the Practical Cleansing of the Blood to Us

The fellowship of life not only brings light to us but also brings the practical cleansing of the blood to us. The blood’s cleansing might be a mere doctrine and an objective fact to us. It may be there doctrinally as a fact, but it has nothing to do with us until we are really in the fellowship. First John 1:7 says that when we are in the light, we have fellowship, and the blood cleanses us. If we are not in the fellowship, we may say that we apply the blood and we may believe that the blood cleanses us, but actually the cleansing is not there. The blood actually cleanses us and is applied to us when we are really in the fellowship. This point is quite crucial.

Many Christians believe that the blood cleanses them, but this cleansing is not practically applied to them because they are not in the fellowship. The blood does not practically cleanse us outside the fellowship. We must be in the fellowship. There is only one verse in the whole Bible that tells us how the cleansing can be practical. That verse is 1 John 1:7. It says that when we are in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from every sin.

C. Keeping Us Abiding in the Lord

The issue of the fellowship is that it keeps us abiding in the Lord (John 15:4-5). Actually, the abiding is the fellowship, and the fellowship is the abiding.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEENTHE FELLOWSHIP OF LIFE AND THE SENSE OF LIFE

A. The Fellowship of Life Being Realized by the Sense of Life

If we do not have the sense of life, we cannot realize the fellowship of life. The fellowship of life is known, sensed, realized, by the sense of life. How can we know that we have the fellowship of life, the flow of the divine life, within us? It is by the sense of life. We can illustrate this with our physical body. When our physical body has no illness, no problem, we do not have any feeling, but when we are ill, we are full of feeling. When we feel something in our stomach, this means that we have stomach trouble. When we do not feel anything, this means that our stomach is okay. It is the same with the fellowship of life.

Usually, when we have the fellowship of life, we do not feel that much, but when there is something wrong with the fellowship of life, the flowing of the divine life, we sense it. If we are walking in the light, in the fellowship of life, we do not have any special sensation. When we have a negative and abnormal sensation, that proves we have the fellowship of life, but it also proves that something is wrong with the fellowship of life. Thus, the fellowship of life is realized by the sense of life.

B. The Sense of Life Preserving the Fellowship of Life

The fellowship of life is preserved, safeguarded, protected, by the sense of life. With our physical body it is the same. Our feelings of pain or discomfort are a protection and a safeguard to us. Thus, to realize the fellowship of life and to safeguard, keep, and preserve the fellowship of life are all by the sense of life.

                                      THE BREAKING OF THE FELLOWSHIP OF LIFE

Our relationship of life with the Father can never be broken, but the fellowship can be broken. The breaking of the fellowship of life is like the breaking of the electrical current. Even a small thing can cut off the electricity, and this breaks the electrical current.

A. By Sins

The breaking of the fellowship of life is first by sins. If we do something that we know is sinful, this breaks, cuts off, the fellowship of life.

B. By Disobedience

If we disobey God, this surely cuts off the fellowship of life.

C. By Not Caring for the Sense of Life

We must care for the sense of life. If we do not care for it, this will break the fellowship of life.

D. By Not Following the Inner Anointing

The main things that generally cut off the fellowship of life are sins, disobedience, not caring for the sense of life, and not following the inner anointing. First John 2:27 says clearly that we have to abide in the Lord according to the teaching of the anointing.

                                        THE RESTORATION OF THE FELLOWSHIP OF LIFE

After the fellowship of life is broken, we have to restore it.

A. By the Confessing of Our Sins

We have to confess our sins. First John 1:9 says that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. He forgives us according to His word faithfully and also according to the redemptive work of Christ righteously. Thus, by confessing our sins, our broken fellowship of life can surely be restored.

B. By the Cleansing of the Blood

The confessing is on our side, and the cleansing is on God’s side. If we confess, surely the blood cleanses us, and the broken fellowship is always restored.

The focus of this lesson is as follows: the fellowship of life, being the flowing of the divine life, comes from the life of God and is preserved by the sense of life to supply us with the riches of the divine life.