Today’s Scripture: Mark 1-3
God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. – 1 Corinthians 1:9
It is essential for every Christian to understand the difference between relationship and fellowship. Relationship is fixed and cannot be broken. Once we come to God through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, we are His sons and daughters, and nothing can change that.
I remember talking to a businessman who was bowled over by this truth. He couldn’t fathom the depth of the grace of God. He was convinced there was something he had to do, some work that would buy him a ticket to heaven. I told him it was too late, Jesus Christ had died on the cross to pay the penalty for his sins, and nothing more was needed.
Fellowship, on the other hand, is fluid and must be constantly renewed. We do it by confessing our sins and asking His forgiveness. Once restored, we must maintain our fellowship with God. In Mark 1:35, we read these words about our Lord Jesus Christ: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” The previous verses tell us that the evening before, the whole town had gathered at Jesus’ door after sundown, and He had healed many. No doubt He had been up late. But long before sunrise, He left His bed and went to prayer.
Have you come to God through faith in Jesus Christ? If so, nothing can change your relationship with Him. But are you spending time with Him each day in prayer and reading the Word? Relationship and fellowship–one depends on God’s action, the other depends on our own.
Prayer
Lord, it is beyond my understanding that You have made me Your child–forever. Please give me the faithfulness to come to You every day in fellowship. Amen.
To Ponder
Relationship has to do with our standing in Christ while fellowship concerns our walk with God.
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