Fellowship, with God

God’s fellowship with his people is shown by his presence

God’s presence with Israel

Leviticus 26:12 NASB95

‘I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people.

See also Ex 33:14; Is 63:9; Hag 1:13

God’s presence in the tabernacle

Exodus 25:8 NASB95

“Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them.

See also Ex 29:45–46; Ex 40:34–36; Le 26:11; Dt 12:11

God’s presence in the temple

1 Kings 6:12–13 NASB95

“Concerning this house which you are building, if you will walk in My statutes and execute My ordinances and keep all My commandments by walking in them, then I will carry out My word with you which I spoke to David your father. “I will dwell among the sons of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel.”

See also 1 Ki 8:29; 2 Ch 7:1–2; Is 6:1

God’s presence in the new Jerusalem

Zechariah 2:10–13 NASB95

“Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for behold I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” declares the Lord. “Many nations will join themselves to the Lord in that day and will become My people. Then I will dwell in your midst, and you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. “The Lord will possess Judah as His portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem. “Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord; for He is aroused from His holy habitation.”

See also Eze 37:26–28; Eze 43:4–7; Eze 48:35; Re 21:3

The church’s fellowship with God

Fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit

John 14:23 NASB95

Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.

See also Jn 14:7; Jn 14:16–17 fellowship with the Spirit

Fellowship is made possible through Jesus Christ

Ephesians 2:18–19 NASB95

for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,

See also Ro 5:10; 2 Co 5:18–19; Col 1:20–22; Heb 10:19–22

Fellowship with Jesus Christ

1 Corinthians 1:9 NASB95

God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

See also Mt 28:20 Jesus Christ’s presence with his disciples; Jn 15:4–5 abiding in Christ; Ro 6:4–5 united with Christ in his death and resurrection; 1 Co 10:15–16 communion with Christ at the Lord’s Supper; Php 3:10 sharing in Christ’s sufferings

Fellowship with God is inseparable from fellowship with one another

1 John 1:3 NASB95

what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

See also Mt 18:20; Mk 9:37; Jn 17:21; 2 Co 13:11

The demands of fellowship with God

Holiness

Le 20:26; 2 Co 6:14–18

See also Ex 34:12–14; Ezr 6:21; 1 Co 5:11; Eph 5:8–11; Jas 4:4

Obedience to God’s will

1 John 3:24 NASB95

The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

See also Is 57:15; Mt 12:49–50; Jn 14:21

Sin separates people from fellowship with God

Is 59:2; 1 Jn 1:5–6

See also Ge 3:8; Eze 39:23

Examples of fellowship with God

Ge 5:22 Enoch; Ge 6:9 Noah; 2 Ch 20:7 Abraham

Moses:

Ex 33:11; Nu 12:3

Jos 1:9 Joshua; Mal 2:6 Levi