VAGUE and indefinite thoughts as to what is meant by " the communion of Saints," and what is the blessedness of it, are too common in the present day. The extent of the ignorance is indeed fearful, because it is amongst Saints who ought to be living
in the known and felt enjoyment of their communion, instead of standing in need that any one should teach them as to its nature and extent. The following citations are from the passages in which the term κοινωνια [communion] or some word kindred to it occurs. It will be seen at once that COMMUNION means simply to possessing in common." Two or more are said to have communion in that which is common to them all." " Possessing in common" then, and not " sympathy" as is generally thought, is the correct meaning of communion.
κοινος (Acts 2:44.)-And all that believed were together, and had all things common.
Acts 4:32.-The multitude of them that believed.... had all things common.
Titus 1:4.-Mine own son after the common faith.
Jude 3.-Write unto you of the common salvation.
Komovio) (Rom. 12:13)-Distributing to the necessity of Saints.
Rom. 15:27.-The Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things.
Gal. 6:6.-Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
Phil. 4:15.-No church communicated with me as concerning giving.
1 Tim. 5:22.-Neither be partakers of other men's sins.
Heb. 2:14.-As the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same.
1 Peter 4:13.-As ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings.
2 John 2.-is partaker of his evil deeds.
κοινωνία (Acts 2:42)-in the Apostle's doctrine and fellowship. Rom. 15:26.-A certain contribution for the poor.
1 Cor. 1:9.-Ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus.
1 Cor. 10:16.-Is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? the bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ
2 Cor. 6:14..-What communion hath light with darkness?
2 Cor. 8:4.-And take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
2 Cor. 9:13.-For your liberal distribution unto them. 2 Cor. 13:14.-And the communion of the Holy Ghost. Gal. 2:9.-The right hands of fellowship.
Eph. 3:9.-What is the fellowship of the mystery.
Phil. 1:5.-For your fellowship in the gospel.
Phil. 2:1.-If any fellowship of the Spirit.
Phil. 3:10.-And the fellowship of His sufferings.
Philem. 1:6-That the communication of thy faith.
Heb. 13:16.-And to communicate forget not.
1 John 1:3.-That ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father.
1 John 1:6.-If we say that we have fellowship with him.
1 John 1:7.-We have fellowship one with another.
κὸινωνικος (1. Tim. 6:18)-willing to communicate.
κοινωνος (Matt. 23:30)-partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
Luke 5:10.-Which were partners with Simon.
1 Cor. 10:18.-Are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers? &c.
1 Cor. 10:20.-I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
2 Cor. 1:7.-As ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be, &c.
2 Cor. 8:23.-Titus, he is my partner and fellow-helper.
Philem. 1:17-If thou count me therefore a partner.
Heb. 10:33.-Ye became companions of them that were so used.
1 Peter 5:1.-Also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed.
2 Peter 1:4.-Ye might be partakers of the divine nature.
From these passages I gather assuredly that the meaning of communion is " possessing in common." But what is it which is now possessed in common by the Saints? I would answer this by a few citations and passages illustrative of the use of the Greek preposition συν, which present to my own mind in a very pointed and forcible way, the perfection of the union of Christ and the Church, and the wonderful unsearchable glory made ours in Him.
Rom. 6:8.-If we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.
Rom. 8:32.-He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things.
2 Cor. 13:4.-We also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God.
Col. 2:13.-And you... hath He quickened together with Him.
Col 2:20 ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world.
Col. 3:3, 4.-Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.
1 Thess. 4:14.-Them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.
1 Thess. 4:17.-And so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1 Thess. 5:10.-Who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
And more clearly still is the same pressed upon our notice, by the words compounded of this same preposition; see for instance, συμφυτος (Rom. 6:6)-If we have been " planted together" in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection.
συσταυροω (Rom. 6:6)-Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him.
Gal. 2:20.-I am " crucified with" Christ:. nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.
συναποθνησκω (2 Tim. 2:11)-if we be dead with Him, we shall also, &c. &c.
συνθαπτομαι (Rom. 6:4)-we are "buried with" Him by baptism into death.
Col. 2:12.-" Buried with" Him in baptism.
συξαω (Rom. 6:8, 2 Tim. 2:11)-if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him.
συξωοποιεω (Eph. 2:5)-Even when we were dead in sins, bath quickened us together with Christ.
Col. 2:12.-And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him.
συνεγειρω (Eph. 2:6)-hath raised up together.
Col. 2:12.-Ye are risen with Him.
Col. 3:1.-If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
συγκαθιξω, (Eph. 2:6)-and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ.
συνεργος (1 Cor. 3:9)-we are laborers together with God.
συνεργος and συνδοξαζομαι (Rom. 8:17) -we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.
συμβασιλευν (2 Tim. 2:12)-If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him,
Such is the chart of the blessed privileges of those who are συμβασιλευω (Rom. 8:17), joint-heirs with Christ, they are predestinated to be (σνμμορφοι) Rom. 8:29, conformed to the image of the Son-even their bodies of humiliation fashioned like unto His glorious body (Phil. 3:21), and therefore now likewise called (Phil. 3:20) to be made conformable unto His death.
I see nothing lacking here-if a joint heir with Christ, planted in His death, crucified, dead, and buried with Him; neither the guilt of the old man, nor its deeds, can rise Against me: and if alive with Him, quickened, raised up, made to sit together with Him where He sits-with the certain promise of being glorified together and reigning with Him, radiant with all the beauty of His likeness, even to the change of this vile body, like unto His own glorious body,-I can see every reason why I should be a fellow-worker, gladly suffering with Him until the hour of His glory be come—but oh! the wondrous riches of that love which gave us this and far more than this, even the person of the Lord Himself for our possession!-Debtors to grace! may we learn to walk worthy of the high calling in meekness and in love towards all who share with us these unsearchable privileges.