Sweet, Glorious Communion

Well, folks, here it is.

We have been working on this for over a month now, and it’s finally ready.

I had wanted to write a post on church fellowship and the communion of the saints for a while. And I had also wanted to write a post with a co-writer.

So I killed two birds with one stone.

With the very necessary help of my Bible college classmate/roommate/friend – Miss Leana.

Enjoy!

Lauren: I think I'll just begin by saying this topic has been on my mind for a while now. The need for it in the church, and the joy and the blessing it is to believers. A week ago I was pleasantly surprised to meet a dear person who I was not expecting to see for a very long time. It was such a warm, unforgettable moment, and it reminded me yet again of this sweet communion with fellow believers. When it finally struck me that this particular aspect of our faith is right up there in the Apostle's Creed along with the Holy Spirit, the forgiveness of sins and the Resurrection, I began to ponder on its deep meaning and importance in the life of the church. There are so many aspects to this communion; the Lord's Supper, prayer meetings, and even just fellowship after worship on Sundays. This is deep, and I hope we can dig into it a little bit right here.

Leana: Well let’s just grab our shovels, because there is a lot to dig into with this topic. So many things came to my mind when I started thinking about the communion of saints, and I wondered where to start. But maybe it’s not about where we should start, but with whom we should start. Christ. The Saviour of His people, the author of our salvation, the giver of this fellowship. He didn't come to redeem individuals only, but all those who confess His name. And because of His work we are made fellow-citizens of His kingdom, and fellow-members of His family. His family. What a way to describe the communion of saints. Shouldn't this characterise our attitude as we gather on Sundays, as we encourage the broken, as we rebuke the stubborn? This deep reality of shared grace is a thread that weaves throughout every element of our interaction with one another.

Lauren: Yes! It should indeed characterize our actual fellowship with the saints. Excellent point. Communion with fellow believers is the greatest blessing only when we are humble in the knowledge of the grace that unites us all. And when that grace is the focal point of our fellowship we can't help but be humble, and Christ centered in all that we say and do; seeking forgiveness and pursuing ours and others' growth in the Gospel. I found that to be one of the more significant aspects of this communion: how we grow together in the grace and knowledge of our Lord. While personal devotions are so very important, we need humble correction and encouragement from the church as well. Even before the fall, it wasn't good that Adam should be alone, he needed a helper. We are no different. We need help, we need those special tools called 'fellow believers' whom God uses in our sanctification.

Leana: That is so true, that we need each other to grow in grace. I like what you said about how personal devotions are important but we still need to be kept accountable. It's also really encouraging to know that you aren't the only one struggling with sin and its effects. But while we're talking about how we interact with one another in the communion of saints, let’s go further into what you said about seeking forgiveness. It always strikes me as kind of ironic how in the Apostles' Creed, the confession that we believe in 'the forgiveness of sins' comes immediately after 'the communion of saints.' Kind of telling, don't you think? After all, when you have a group of sinful people in a community, there is going to be trouble. Sometimes we gossip, or get sinfully angry with each other, and things can get pretty bad. But thanks be to God for the blessing of the Gospel for it is through this Gospel that we are convicted and enabled to seek forgiveness from God and from one another. And we grow from that. Amazing how by His grace God takes the ugly and hurtful things and turns them into means of growth in relationships.

Lauren: Good point about the forgiveness of sins following the communion of the saints. When we say we believe in the forgiveness of sins we have to realize that it applies to more than just the forgiveness of our sins. As Christ forgave us and showed grace to us, so are we to forgive and show grace to those around us.
Personally, I wanted to end my contribution on this note: the refreshing that comes from this communion. You work all week in a secular environment, around many who do not share your faith, and then you come to church on Sunday. Oh, what a day of rest indeed! You come to those who want to rejoice and meditate on that same Rock of Salvation that helped you get through the week. These people all share one joy and one focus: the Gospel. Unlike the world around us, in the church there is no repentance without forgiveness, there is no fear without guidance, and there is no stumbling without healing. It is this communion of the saints which refreshes and refills our souls with reminders of love and grace.

Leana: That’s a great note to end on. No matter what our week has been like, we should never take it for granted that we can come together again to celebrate our Lord’s resurrection. Let’s be thankful. Let’s encourage one another by speaking about what a treasure God has given to us in Christ. So when we sit down in Church this Sunday, let’s take a moment to look around and reflect— today we will receive the Gospel together. We will hear about our Saviour, and together our souls will be refreshed with the truth that He has given us in His Word. Let’s meditate on what a tremendous blessing it is that we may together be common partakers of Christ, sharing in His blessings, loving one another. And to think it’s just the beginning.

"The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me."

- John 17:22-23

"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."

- I Thessalonians 5:11