Conditions of Fellowship (Part 1)

A basic commitment to one another - "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves (Rom 12:10)

Without a basic trust, there can be no fellowship. The depth of fellowship will depend on the depth of commitment.

Our commitment must be based on 'Agape' - Agape is a one-way love which is not affected by the other person's inconsistent behaviour.  "A new commandment I give you: love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (John 13:34)

True Fellowship is Christ-Centered - Our fellowship with one another is founded in our common commitment to Christ.  "...And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ" (1 Jn 1:3)






Rev Dr. Ronnie Ng

Fellowship

The fellowship of Christians is very important for it is in our unity together that:

1. The believer is encouraged and grows in Christ " I long to see you that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong - that is that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith" (Rom 1:11,12)
2. The world comes to know that Jesus was sent of God.  "I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me.  May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me" (John 17:22,23)

Rev Dr. Ronnie Ng

Temptation

Satan attacks the individual Christian mostly through temptation.  And he focusses this assault in two spheres:

The Desires of the World

He will seek to tempt a believer to become absorbed into the world's system:

• to make the material blessings that the world offers
• to make the honour and recognition of this world an important goal; and
• to make the comfort of being one with those of this world our basis for security

The Desires of the flesh

Through Christ's work on the Cross, the true Christian is delivered from the results of sin, and from the power of sin (Rom 6:6-14).  But he still lives in a physical body that is subject to natural appetites and desires.  Satan will use these to try and get a Christian to place greater importance upon them than upon the prompting of the Holy Spirit within him (Rom 8:5-9)





Rev Dr. Ronnie Ng

Water Baptism

Jesus commanded all those who believed in Him to be baptized in water. "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matt 28:18,19).

Understanding what water baptism is all about is the key to a victorious and liberated christian life.  The act of going under the water and rising up from it again is a picture demonstrating what has happened to the Christian believer.

There are four stages of Christ's work pictured:

1. He died...I died in Him  "For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin  - for anyone who died has been free from sin" (Rom 6:6,7)
2. He was buried....I buried with Him "Don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Wer were therefore buried with him through baptism into death (Rom 6:3,4)
3. He was raised ..I have a new life in Him.  "In order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.  If we have been united with him in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his Resurrection" (Rom 6:4,5)
4. He ascended...I ascended in Him.  "And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus" (Eph 2:6)

Rev Dr. Ronnie Ng

Grace Released In Our Lives

In our relationship with God - as we walk with Him each day - we constantly meet situations that would try to overwhelm us.  Our response to God is to trust His Word.  We express our trust through obedience.

This proves we believe what God's Word says despite what the circumstances might indicate.  God's response to our faith is His Grace - His enabling power which causes us to triump in every situation.

Two important promises are:

1. "We have bold access to the throne of Grace " Let us then approach the Throne Of Grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Heb 4:16).
2. God is able - "And God is able to make All Grace Abound in you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work" (2Cor 9:8).

Rev Dr. Ronnie Ng