1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, by whom you were called to the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. I. OUR DISTINCTIVE POSITION AS CHRISTIANS IS THAT WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD'S SON. Men are often marked out from others by the particular fraternity, corporation, or firm to which they belong. We as Christians are members of the firm of the Son of God; for the word here means co-partnership. 1. The grounds of this fellowship are — (1) The Divine acceptance of Christ's work. (2) "The consequent Divine grant to Christ of all the power and gifts of salvation for the benefit of all who should become co-partners with Himself. 2. Its terms or conditions — entire self-surrender. Faith receives Christ "as He is presented in the gospel," i.e., in all His relations. To Christ as a Saviour trust is reliance, as a Teacher trust is teachableness, as a Ruler it is obedience, as a Leader following, as a King homage, as a Man sympathy, as God worship. Let there be no mistake here. Many put their trust in Christ as a Saviour, but not as a King; as man, not as God. They will take all He has to give, but give nothing in return, or if anything their money, but Hot themselves. But Christ seeks not yours, but you. He requires not large capital, knowledge, skill, art, &c., although He will receive them when offered; what He does require is your whole affection and unlimited trust. 3. Its prospects. Our position is that of partners — in spiritual life, brotherhood and service; but not on equal terms. We take nothing into the concern but weakness and poverty. Without Him we can do nothing, but with Him we shall jointly realise God's ideal of humanity. Military or commercial companies have often proposed to themselves the conquest of the world; this society has the same object, and will achieve it, only in a nobler sense. II. GOD HAS CALLED US INTO THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SON. In the invitations of the gospel God is calling men to become co-partners with Christ; but mere invitation does not come up to the full meaning of the term, and our hearts must say what that full meaning is. The heart makes God the author of its whole salvation. "By the grace of God I am what I am." That grace makes all the difference between a stranger to and a partner with Christ. III. EVERYTHING MUST DEPEND ON THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD. This fellowship from first to last is His creation; on Him it depends to render it a failure or a success. 1. Therefore our confidence rests immediately on God. In worldly affairs men usually contemplate success through natural laws and material properties. Farmers trust to the virtues of the seed, &c., merchants to the winds and waves, warriors to the spirit of their troops; but even in such cases a devout spirit will recognise the presence of God in all secondary causes, and make Him at least the basis of its hope. But in this great co-partnership we have no interventions to distract our faith. We go right to God at once. 2. We rest upon the most Godlike thing in God — His faithfulness, which supports the universe. Our fellowship with Christ is thus placed beyond the possibility of failure in God. No storm can shatter our bark, no blight destroy our harvests, for God is faithful. And what a stimulus to endeavour we have in this! Because God is so faithful to me I will be faithful to Him. Consequently the fellowship of Christ becomes to us the one permanent interest in this uncertain world. There is no possibility of bankruptcy; we cannot be outbidden or undersold; for ours is the capital of God's unsearchable Fiches. His name is pledged to every acceptance in which cur safety is involved, and so long as His throne shall stand our safety and glory is assured. (Prof. J. M. Charlton.) Parallel Verses KJV: God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. |
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