“WHAT FELLOWSHIP HAS LIGHT WITH DARKNESS?”

We saw today how Paul put the above question to the Corinthians in his 2nd letter (6 v.14) – the answer should be obvious.  Yesterday  in ch. 4 v.6, we read, “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”    Light and darkness cannot exist together – yet in one sense, they have to in our world, but the light must strive to challenge the darkness – not the reverse!  The reverse obliterates the light!

A vital question?  What is fellowship?  In one way the answer is simple – fellows in the same ship – rowing together – heading – in the same direction.  When we stand back however  – and try to put this into the context of our present lives – does not the answer appear to be a contradiction? How can we do otherwise – the “ship” of this world – is also our ship!  

Well, in one sense it is – or has been – but our world has become motivated to an almost total degree by the spirit of godlessness.  There are so few today, especially in Australia, that have any sense that there is a God – a Creator – and His Son is a Saviour – and their aim should be – must be – to become related to him – and then – to make sure they sense the wonder of that relationship by the way they think – resulting – in the way they live.

One of the most challenging verses in God’s word is Paul’s declaration that “‘In him (God) we live and move and have our being‘ ” [Acts 17 v.28]  We are all challenged to sense the reality of this – day after day.

In his message to the Corinthians, we saw today how Paul plucked some verses from what God inspired Moses and Isaiah to write – words which Paul, as a Pharisee would have known – but only after his conversion would they have come ‘alive’ in his mind!  Let us make sure they have come alive in ours!  

Paul quoted –  “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,  and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”