Ques. What is the difference between the unity of the Body of Christ, and the unity of the family of God? C.
Ans. The unity of the body of Christ (Eph. 4:44There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; (Ephesians 4:4); 1 Cor. 12:12,1312For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:12‑13)) was formed by the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost coming upon the disciples and thus baptizing them into one body, so that all who have received the Holy Spirit are members of Christ and members one of another (Rom. 12:55So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. (Romans 12:5)). Each believer since Pentecost has become a member of this one body by being sealed with the Holy Spirit when he believed the gospel of his salvation (Eph. 1:1313In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, (Ephesians 1:13)).
In the family of God there is oneness of life, so we are one family but all individuals, not joined together but more like a head of wheat, each grain alike but not joined together. The family is classed in 1 John 2 as babes, young men, and fathers, and "because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His son into your hearts, crying, 'Abba, Father'" (Gal. 4:66And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (Galatians 4:6)).
Ques. How are we to understand 1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7), "But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin?" Y. B.
Ans. 1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7) is an abstract statement of the believer's position, being brought to God who is light. The believer is in the light, and so walks there; it is his position. Practically our behavior is often inconsistent, but that is not the point here. Then "Fellowship one with another" belongs to that position. Again it is not looking at how much or little we enjoy it. "And the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all (or every) sin," is telling us of what fits us for that position. It is telling us of what cleanseth from sins. It is an abstract statement of what cleanses, without saying when or how. We know the value of the blood. It cleanses from all sin.
We will not understand John's Epistle if we do not read it in this way. Darkness and light, disobedience and obedience, hatred and love, unrighteousness and righteousness, are all spoken of, and the believer having been born of God is the one; the unbeliever is the other.
And. In 1 Peter 1:2323Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (1 Peter 1:23), we have the truth of being born again by the incorruptible Word of God. And in chapter 2:2 the soul is fed on the Word as its natural food.
In 2 Peter 1:33According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: (2 Peter 1:3) God's "divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us by glory and virtue," and the precious faith given (Verse 1) enables the soul to lay hold of the "exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." There is power here to repel evil that is in us, and the new character is seen further in the diligence to have faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, endurance, godliness, brotherly love and divine love.
Verse 8 declares the rich reward to those who thus live and abound in these things, in that it makes them neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Verse 9 is the contrast of one who lacks the diligence to go on. He is blind, shortsighted, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Sad state for a child of God to be in,-stunted in his growth, and ability to discern the things of the king-dam, and feeding on the carrion of this world's business and pleasure, and in uncertainty even about his salvation.
Verse 10. So a stirring exhortation to wake up and use diligence in prayer and reading the Word of God to make certain of his calling and election, for in so doing he shall never fall.
Verse 11. For so an entrance into the everlasting kingdom shall be his happy portion. The Holy Spirit ever delights to unfold to our souls the glories of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but He wants the condition of soul to be earnestly desiring His ministry. We cannot have this needed condition, except we wait on God to teach us by His Word and prayer.