Union And Communion

by Jarvie, G. | Category: For Young Believers | Jul 1954

"Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1.27).

"That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith "

(Ephesians 3.17).

These two Scriptures show us union, and communion with Christ. These two conditions are different, and in this short article the writer would like to discuss them, for the help, particularly, of young believers. It is possible to be in union with Christ and yet not have communion with Him.

Every born-again person is united to Christ. He is a member of Christ (1 Corinthians 6.15), and Christ in the believer is the believer's hope of glory. Apart from this union we have no hope. Praise God this union can never be broken

With Christ Jesus, by eternal union one."

This certainly is a grand anchor for our souls. Whatever may happen to us on our journey through life, one thing cannot happen, we cannot be severed from Christ. We are in Christ, and Christ is in us; He is our hope of glory.

"Loved with everlasting love,

Led by grace this love to know,

Spirit breathing from above,

Thou hast taught me it is so.

Oh, this full and perfect peace!

Oh, this transport all divine!

In a love which cannot cease,

I am His and He is mine."

What about communion with Christ? This is the greatest need in the life of every believer. This is one of the lessons which the Master has taught us in John 15.

In Revelation 3.14-22 we read the words of the Lord to the Church in Laodicea

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear

My voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me."

Why was He knocking? and what door was He knocking at? Were they not all believers? and was not this a church of God? Oh yes! Why then did He need to knock? and why was He outside? Oh, there was no communion with Christ in the hearts of the believers in Laodicea!

They thought themselves to be happy, but He knew they were miserable! They considered themselves to be rich, but He said they were poor! They prided themselves on their knowledge, but He saw them as blind-they had no vision! Wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked! How was this possible for believers in divine testimony? They lacked fellowship with Christ! Therefore they had nothing. They were united with Him, but they had no communion with Him. Poor Laodiceans! Yet He loved them, and because He loved them He rebuked them, and called upon them to repent. Repent of what? of their lukewarmness. What is lukewarmness? It is an absence of love for Christ, that is all. But Christ is all and in all, and if we lack Him we lack everything!

Are we warm-hearted? Do we really love the Lord? Are we rejoicing in Him day by day? Someone has written

"Lord Jesus, make Thyself to me

A living bright reality;

More present to faith's vision keen

Than any outward object seen;

More dear, more intimately nigh

Than e'en the sweetest earthly tie."

"That Christ may dwell (or settle down) in your hearts through faith," wrote Paul. We can hardly imagine such an epistle as that to the Ephesians being written in a prison. Yet it was! Paul was able to rise above his surroundings and his sorrows because Christ was dwelling in his heart. Christ was supping with him, and he with Christ. The Master was at home with him.

What is the secret of this communion with Christ? It takes place, "through faith." What does that mean? It means hearing His voice, and obeying Him. Faith is impossible unless we hear His voice. The hymn says

"More about Jesus in His word,

Holding communion with my Lord;

Hearing His voice in every line,

Making each faithful saying mine."

It takes time to hear His voice, and it takes love also to listen. But if we love Him, and listen for Him, we shall hear His voice. When He speaks we shall know His voice-" The voice of my Beloved." What then? Let us obey; let us rise up at once and open the door. What door? The heart's door! It is in our hearts, in our affections, He wants to dwell. Let us remember that if Christ is not dwelling in our hearts, then we are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. No matter how much we know or how much we have, we know nothing and we have nothing, if we do not have communion with Christ. We may preach, but we shall have nothing to say that is worth listening to. How can we help others if we are not in the enjoyment of Christ indwelling ourselves? Frances Havergal wrote

"Jesus, Thy life is mine!

Dwell evermore in me;

And let me see

That nothing can untwine

My life from Thine,"

Yes, we must have communion with Christ, whatever the cost. Without this, service is fruitless and joyless, having no virtue nor sweetness, but only a formality with no power. It will mean searching of heart and humbling of heart. It will mean confession of sin, and seasons of prayer. It will mean esteeming each other better than ourselves. It will mean caring and praying for others.

Oh give us hearts to love like Thee,

Like Thee, 0 Lord, to grieve

Far more for others' sins

Than all the wrongs that we receive."

It will mean looking out on the harvest field, as the Master did, and it will mean loving men as He loved them. It will mean going out, if by all means we may save some. But we shall have joy in all these, if only we walk with Him, if only He comes in to abide with us.

There can be no blindness if we walk with Him, no poverty and nakedness, but we shall have fine gold and white garments. Ah, we could go on for ever talking about the Master, and we shall when we are at home with Him. We feel that henceforth we must have that day-by-day communion with Him, whatever the cost. We must make it the first and chief aim in our lives to "know Him" (Philippians 3.10).

Jarvie, G. | Jul 1954
For Young Believers