The church on earth, the saints in heaven, and the angels, together with Jesus Christ, comprise the family of God their Father: the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. (Ephesians 3:14,15)
God desired that we should be part of His family before He created the world: he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself. (Ephesians 1:4,5)
Adoption as sons is not just a theory, but it has become a spiritual reality: because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (Galatians 4:6) We call God, ‘Father’ because we rely on Him as a Father. He is the one to whom we go when we are in danger, or in need of help or direction.
Because we have the same Father as Jesus, He is now not only our Master, but also our brother, as we learn from Hebrews 2:17 where, speaking of Jesus, it is written: it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren.
Even here on earth we may have the privilege of fellowship with both the Father and the Son: truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:3)
Thus we may be called, as was Abraham: the friend of God. (James 2:23) When we are God's friends He will share with us His secrets: Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. (Amos 3:7) Regarding Abraham, God said: Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do? (Genesis 18:17) And we are called the children of Abraham.
An example of this was when Jesus revealed to Peter the secret of who was going to be the traitor. According to John 13:21-26: When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. Then his disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake. Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it? Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot. If the Lord loves us He may answer some of our questions.
Of course, revelation of secrets is not the main aspect of our fellowship with the Son. More important is the daily learning from the Scriptures of the character of the Son of God, and of His power, and of His will.
If we are not experiencing the fellowship of God's Son, we are missing out on a purpose of our calling, as it is written in 1 Corinthians 1:9: ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.
The purpose of our salvation is not so that we can live forever by ourselves, but rather that we may have fellowship with God, with both the Father and the Son. Jesus said: this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3)
Having fellowship with God who made the stars is a marvellous privilege, but those who desire to attain it, must fulfil the conditions for this fellowship.
The Son of God says: Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20) Dining is the ultimate act of fellowship and we may have fellowship with the Lord Jesus as did His twelve disciples, who dined with Him.
But this promise of fellowship was conditional upon hearing Jesus' voice and overcoming all obstacles. The church to whom this promise was made had become self satisfied with riches and had neglected their spiritual condition, so Christ told them: be zealous therefore, and repent. Whatever our failing, to have fellowship with Christ, we must obey His voice, being zealous to repent.
The fellowship we may have with the Heavenly Father is promised in 2 Corinthians 6:18: I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters. But this wonderful promise is also conditional, for the Scripture continues: having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
The context also teaches that God's promise to be a Father to us is conditional upon obeying His command: Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. (2 Corinthians 6:17) So we must separate ourselves from evil company for God's presence to be with us, as God cannot be a partaker with evil.
And then, as to Moses, so also to God's separated people today, this glorious promise is given: And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth. (Exodus 33:14-16)
This separated people with whom God's presence dwells is described in 1 Peter 2:9,10: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. It is no marginal transition to become God's own special people, but it is described as a translocation from darkness to marvellous light.
As children of light, we cannot be partakers of the darkness of this world by fellowship with unrighteousness. Therefore Paul writes: Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believest with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? (2 Corinthians 6:14-16)
The reason we should not to be yoked with unbelievers is as follows: When two oxen are yoked, each affects the other. One oxen cannot just walk away if it does not like the direction. In the same way, if a Christian is yoked with an unbeliever in some cooperative venture, his power to say ‘No’ to wrong, may be severely diminished.
Some business ventures also involve being yoked together and perhaps should be avoided. However, most of us still go out into the non-Christian world to earn a living. Whilst it might be preferable to work for a company which only employs Christians, this is not a viable option for most.
Just talking to someone does not necessarily involve being yoked to them. So when Paul says, a believer has no part with an unbeliever, I do not take this to be a complete prohibition from all fellowship or cooperation.
Paul says that to some degree we are allowed to keep company with those of the world, but should avoid from close fellowship with sinning so called Christians: I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. (1 Corinthians 5:9,10 NKJV)
The greater the disposition of a person to evil the greater must be our degree of separation from them. This may be learned from the Old Testament, where God commanded a greater degree of separation from the Ammonites and Moabites than from the Egyptians and Edomites.
The Edomites and the Egyptians are spoken of in Deuteronomy 23:7,8: Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite, for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land. The children that are begotten of them shall enter into the congregation of the Lord in their third generation. Even though Egyptians were not God's people, God told His people to show some respect for them, because of the former kindness of the Egyptians to the Israelites at the time of Joseph, even though this kindness did not last. So perhaps Christians should reciprocate kindness of the heathen to other of God's people. God's people were also to respect the Edomites because they were related. They were descended from Isaac, but through Esau rather than Jacob.
The Ammonites and Moabites, unlike the Egyptians, did not help the Israelites but to the contrary led them into sin. Therefore, God ordained that there should be a greater degree of separation from them, not being allowed to enter the congregation of the Lord so quickly. God said: An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even to their tenth generation . . . because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam . . . to curse thee. (Deuteronomy 23:3,4)
It is written of this Balaam: Balaam, who taught Balak (king of Moab) to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. (Revelation 2:14 NKJV) The result of this was that: the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. For they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the Lord was angry against Israel. (Numbers 25:1 NASB) So the evil influence of these Moabites was the reason that a greater degree of separation from them was required.
Although there is no barrier to anyone being converted and entering the congregation of the Lord today, we can learn the need of greater separation from those of greater evil, lest they teach us their bad ways. As Paul wrote: Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. (1 Corinthians 15:33)
So to walk in the new way we must separate ourselves from sinful associations: Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light. (Ephesians 5:7,8) David describes this separation ,when he said: Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners. (Psalm 1:1) The counsel and the way of sinners refer to their evil deeds, from which a Christian must separate himself, and not walk with them.
There also must be separation from those who speak evil. Psalm 1:1 describes the blessedness of him who also does not: sit in the seat of mockers. (NIV) Christians should not attend gatherings which have evil overtones. If conversation becomes evil we should leave or explain that this is wrong. Whilst we do not have to criticise the heathen for every fault which they have, or for every wrong word which they speak, we must not be involved in conversation which is in effect feeding on evil.
The conversation of saints should be as described by Paul when he admonished the saints accordingly: let it not be once named among you as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. (Ephesians 5:3,4) Those that speak such cannot be chosen to be our close companions.
Because we are a separated people, called by the name of the Lord, we do not fit in to the world. They may even mock us. Thus we may have to sit alone as says the prophet: I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts. I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation. (Jeremiah 15:16,17)
Some use the example of Jesus to deny that we should be separate, saying that Jesus ate and drank with sinners. Whilst this is true, it was only for the purpose of teaching them. And probably He only ate and drank with any given group of sinners once or twice. His regular companions were His twelve apostles and those like Mary, Martha and Lazarus, who gladly heard His word.
But sometimes Christians need the help or friendship of non-Christians. During the tribulation period, those non Christians who show kindness by giving food and water to persecuted Christians will, when Christ returns, be given the reward of entering into the kingdom of God.
Whilst there are times when Christians must separate themselves and sit alone, God does not leave us solitary. According to Psalm 68:6: God setteth the solitary in families.
As all Christians have God as their Father, and Jesus as their brother, they are all related to each other. Paul taught Timothy to: rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity. (1 Timothy 5:1,2) Although we do not come under the authority of an older man as a father, (as Jesus said: Call no man your father upon the earth (Matthew 23:9)), we are to treat older men in the church with respect and friendship.
When Jesus was on earth He showed us by His example, how to regard fellow Christians as brethren: There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother or my brethren? And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother. (Mark 3:31-35) It is only those who do the will of God, who are our true brethren. Nominal Christians who make little attempt to obey are not our true brethren.
There are times when we must follow Jesus' example and neglect our natural family in order to spend time with God's family. This does not mean, however, that we never have relations with our natural family as some false cults teach. Jesus taught, for example, that the command to honour our mother and father still applies. And we are not commanded to spend all our time doing the work of God or being with the family of God.
But we are to spend significant time in fellowship as did the early church: And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:42) We can only have true fellowship with our brethren, if we are filled by the Spirit, which only comes by continuing in the apostles' doctrine, breaking of bread, and prayers with our brethren.
This should not be thought of as a grievous command. To the contrary my times of greatest joy have been at Christian camps for bible study or good works.
It is a spiritual family where natural status means nothing: henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. (2 Corinthians 5:16) This does not mean we neglect our duty to our natural family, but it does mean that all Christians, whatever their station, are to be treated by us as brethren and as equals.
We are not to show partiality in favour of the rich or intelligent or famous, but all are to be treated with equal respect: My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; and ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? (James 2:1-4)
If, in our relationship with God's family, we only look after those who will reciprocate, we will receive no reward in heaven. But if we help those who cannot repay us, we will be rewarded in the next life. This principle was taught by Jesus, using a feast as an example, when He said: When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. (Luke 14:12-14) Jesus is not trying to teach that there should not be times when we invite only our friends to supper, but He is teaching that there should also be times when we should invite poor and sick Christians. This teaching is consistent with Paul's words: I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. (Acts 20:35)
We should also not forget to show love to elderly Christians, by talking to them and caring for them. James 1:27 says: Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction.
We must show love to other Christians if they also walk in the truth or we will not be able to enjoy the fellowship of God: he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. (1 John 4:20,21)
If elderly widows without children have been faithful, active Christians,they should be taken into the church community: Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man, Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work. (1 Timothy 5:9,10) Those taken into the number are enabled to enjoy the fellowship of the Christian community, as well as perhaps being able to assist with the work of the Christian community. This work could comprise: prayers (1 Timothy 5:5); teaching the younger women (Titus 2:3-5); and other good works. The quality of such a life far exceeds that of an old people's home where nothing important happens, and where they are isolated from the life of the community.