When we are called by God to
follow him, we are not called to walk alone in this pilgrimage. When we are
called into a relationship with God, this relationship doesn't just grow
vertically, but horizontally. In our pilgrimage, God prepares companions for us
because
The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I
will make a helper suitable for him." (Genesis 2:18).
This verse usually quoted by many
people to show that it is normal for man to feel alone and want to seek for a
partner in marriage, but this verse doesn't just mean that God prepares a
partner in marriage for man, but God want us to walk along with other
believers, to grow along with other believers.
But...
Why it is so important to grow
together?
Why is it so important to be in a
fellowship?
Why is it so important to prayer
together?
Why is it not good for man to be
alone?
Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot
should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,"
it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear
should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,"
it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body
were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an
ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts
in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all
one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one
body. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the
head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" (1 Corinthians
12:14-21)
A believer is not given with all
spiritual gifts, each are given with different gift, in order to help one
another and build up the body of Christ. Just as the eye cannot say to the
hand, "I don't need you!", and the head cannot say to the feet,
"I don't need you!" so a
believer cannot say to another believers, "I don't need you!".
Let us see what J. I. Packer’s帕克opinion about fellowship.
We should not…… think of our fellowship with other Christians as
a spiritual luxury, an optional addition to exercises of private devotion. We
should recognize rather that such fellowship is a spiritual necessity; for God
has made us in such way that our fellowhip with fellow Christians, and requires
to be so fed constantly for its own deepening and enrichment.
So you can see that to fellowship
together is not a option, rather it is a necessity.
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so
that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. (Hebrews 3:13)
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their
work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep
warm. But how can one keep warm alone? (Ecclesiastes 4:9-11)
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
Both the Hebrews’
writer and Solomon recognized the importance of fellowship. Two are better than
one, first because of the synergistic effect增效的作用. An iron cannot sharpen itself, so do a Christian cannot sharpen
his faith by himself. Two Christians sharing the Word together can learn more
than two of them studying individually, they stimulate one another. Two can
also help one
another when others are weak or struggling with something, lest that we fall
into temptation.
Some people might heard before a
book called Pilgrim's Progress 《天路历程》 written by John Bunyan 约翰班扬. It is an allegorical tale of Christian's journey
from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City 描述基督徒从毁灭城到天堂城路途的寓言故事.
One of the most interesting part
is when the author tried to emphasizes the importance of fellowship together
with each other. When Christian 基督徒 and Hopeful 希望 are walking through the Enchanted Ground 被施了魔法的土地, Hopeful feels so drowsy and wants to sleep, but
Christian reminds him by quoting "Let us not sleep, as do others; but let
us watch and be sober." (1 Thessalonians 5:6), because if they should
sleep at the Enchanted Ground, they will never wake up again from their sleep.
Hopeful realizes his mistake and said "Two are better than one."
(Ecclesiastes 4:9)*. So they decided to have a discussion to keep them awake.
Later Christian sings a song,
When saints do sleepy grow, let them come hither 这里,
And hear how these two pilgrims 朝圣者 talk together;
Yea, let them learn of them in any wise,
Thus to keep ope 开放 their drowsy 困倦, slumb’ring eyes.
Saints’ fellowship, if it be managed well,
Keeps them awake, and that in spite of hell.
to help when other falls down
to keep each other warm.
So have you commited in a
fellowship?
If yes, continue in it.
If no, find a fellowship.
Remember that we are not to
commit to the meeting itself, but we are to commit to Jesus Christ and to one
another.
Here is a last verse for all of
us to think about.
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of
doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day
approaching. (Hebrews 10:25)
