GOD'S INVITATION

THURSDAY 12 AUGUST 2021

The Christian life is a life we live by the grace of God on the strength of partnership with Christ Jesus, our Lord. For those who already believe in Christ and those that are being saved, this invitation to partner with Christ is rightly understood to be God's authorized system of communion with Him. It is also the very channel through which His power is made available to us for our benefit and usefulness.

Reference: 1 Corinthians 1:9 New Living Translation (NLT) "God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."

God has invited us into partnership with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. In several translations, the word "partnership" is used interchangeably with "fellowship." God called us into fellowship with His Son when we received salvation. This shows that salvation is the great mystery of divine partnership and association. Through His death and resurrection, Christ Jesus made a clear path for all who will come to Him by faith - to fellowship with divinity - and this means that there is no divine fellowship or partnership with Christ outside of salvation.

This knowledge is important for us to grasp because our salvation is not just an automatic ticket to get to heaven - but a glorious calling and invitation in which we have bold access to God in Christ Jesus while we are still on earth, and so through Him and the workings of His grace, we are called into the fullness of fellowship we now have with the Divine.

Why did God invite us into fellowship with His Son? It's because Christ is the answer to all we need in life and for a successful Christian living. Whatever problems we have or challenge we face, God has given us all we need to prevail - in Christ. Christ is the basis for our salvation. He is the head of the church; the Author and Perfecter of our faith; our precious cornerstone for a sure foundation. Although the list is endless, Christ is the wisdom, the perfect gift, and the fulfilled promise of God to the saints.

We cannot deny the truth that Christ is the foundation of our Christian faith. Just like a literal cornerstone, we are plunged into the death of Christ and raised with Him in His likeness as new creations and now, we are united to Him. Therefore, consistent partnership or fellowship with Christ must be in place in order for us to experience more of God's faithful and live according to His will and plan for our lives. In fact, the entirety of the Christian life is the expression and living of our union with Christ on the strength of this fellowship. So this partnership or fellowship builds us up to become who we are created to be in Christ, and to function accordingly.

Our referenced Scripture starts with "God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says." What is He going to do? He will keep us firm to the end, so that we will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we eagerly wait for Him to be revealed. See earlier verses (1 Corinthians 1:7-8 NIV). To accomplish this, He introduced us into the wisdom of partnership with His Son. Therefore continue to stand and walk blameless before God, who is forever faithful and has called us into the fellowship of Christ. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - John 17:23; Romans 8:17; 1 Corinthians 6:17; 1 John 1:3-7; 1 Corinthians 12:12.

Guided Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank you for inviting me to participate in divine fellowship through my faith in Christ and the abundant grace that is made available to me in Christ Jesus. I'm dedicated and devoted to Christ and I'm enriched by this fellowship with all spiritual wisdom and understanding. I'm forever grateful for the blessing of salvation which has qualified me and ushered me into consistent dining partnership with Christ in Jesus' Name, Amen!