The Communion of the Holy Spirit

Anonymous

‘The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all.’ (2 Cor. 13:14)

To prevent any misunderstanding, it may be stated at the outset that in the following brief remarks the words ‘communion’ and ‘fellowship’ are used interchangeably. One of these English words is of Latin and the other of English origin, but both are acceptable translations of the same Greek word in the New Testament.

Communion or fellowship in the scriptural sense implies the unity of the aims, motives and actions of believers in Christ. There is expected to be a general like-mindedness, so that as the result all with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 15:5–6). The Apostle John looks at that aspect of communion which is based upon the possession of eternal life. He teaches that, because of their new relationship, the children of God are entitled to have fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ, and also with the apostles, as well as one with another (1 John 1:1–7).

But we also gather from other scriptures that, in practice, the communion of saints is based upon the presence and action of the Holy Spirit in the assembly of God. This condition is clearly seen in the early chapters of the Acts. Before Pentecost the disciples had many characteristics in common as the followers of the Lord: they all loved their master; they believed in His resurrection and subsequently in His ascension; they had all received of Him the Spirit of life (John 20:22); etc. The possession of these common interests by the disciples constituted communion to that extent. On the day of Pentecost they were all for that reason with one accord in one place. But when the Holy Spirit in person descended upon them, there was in consequence a communion of a higher order formed which the community had not previously possessed. The communion that resulted from this outpouring arose from the fact that the adherents of our Lord Jesus Christ were all filled with the Holy Spirit. On account of the fulfilment of the Lord’s promise they were endued with power for witness in Jerusalem and to the ends of the earth. But more than that, the descent of the Holy Spirit created a new thing in the earth which had not previously existed, namely a living unity among all the followers of Christ. The Comforter came to abide forever in believers (John 14:16), and the Holy Spirit now dwells in the assembly of God (Eph. 2:21–22).

We have an instance in the New Testament of communion wrought in the whole church of God by the Spirit. John, writing of the bright and morning star, says: ‘the Spirit and the bride say, Come’ (Rev. 22:17). What is the bride but the whole church of God from Pentecost onwards to the end, all regarded as a unity moved by the indwelling Spirit to cry out with one heart and one lip, ‘Come, Lord Jesus’? This expression of the deepest desires of the renewed saints in a single utterance is the example given by inspiration of the communion produced by the Holy Spirit, surmounting all difficulties of time, space, language and race.

The Epistles to the Corinthians deal especially with matters of decent and devout procedure in the assembly of God. The instruction there recorded is of general application and is addressed to all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, as well as to the local saints (1 Cor. 1:2). Discord and disturbance existed at Corinth instead of the harmony of the Spirit. They are taught therefore that they are the Spirit’s temple; that — together with all believers everywhere — they have all been made to drink into one Spirit and that they were all baptised by one Spirit into one body; that in the Lord’s supper there is the communion of the body and blood of Christ; and that they have a responsibility to share their goods with the poor saints of other districts. The basis of an identity of aim and interest is expounded throughout the two epistles. How fitting therefore is the prayer of the apostle in conclusion that the communion of the Holy Spirit may be their experience.

Paul desired that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God might be coupled with the communion of the Holy Spirit in their cases. The apostle had given them the truth of God, that is His Word. And as the Spirit Himself is truth (1 John 5:6), it is only when walking in the truth that the communion of the Spirit can be known. Let each member of Christ seek to be obedient to the truth and so be in the plane of the activity of the Holy Spirit. There will then be unity of action and purpose.

Author unknown[1]

[1] From The Bible Monthly (1921) vol. 1 p. 73.