Understanding the context of a passage places God’s truth in a human time and place. The English word “context” comes from the Latin “contextus” which means “a joining together.” The word originally meant “to weave together” in such a way that taking one thread from the others would destroy the fabric.

How does our passage of Scripture fit into the tapestry of God’s entire message to humanity?

Exiled on an island in the Mediterranean, the apostle John, inches away from death from old age, writes to his readers near Ephesus, about the Life that became a man and walked among them, and about the eternal life that this Life makes possible for all of us “so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3 ESV).

Martin Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) wrote in his book Fellowship with God,

“We know that WE ARE OF GOD, and the whole world lieth with the wicked one (1 John 5:19). The theme of John’s epistle is the position of the Christian, and his duty with respect to life in this world. In a “crisis situation” the Scriptures tell us to “think/understand” the incredibly important truth, that as believers we are of God.”

Peter says fellowship with God, being “of God” happens because we are “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). Paul says it is no longer just I who live, but Christ who also lives in me (Galatians 2:20). It is Christ in me, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). This whole experience is bigger than just me, more than what I could do alone, by myself, apart from being “of God.”

When we talk about Christian koinonia we are taking about a mutual bond that Christians share with each other, through and with and because of God’s Son Jesus Christ that puts us in an eternal relationship of Life, with and in and of the Father. We know life, here on earth – the things we do, the joys we have, the turmoil and tragedy, the pleasures and the pains.

But because of sin, we know life alone. Because of sin, we are separated. We no longer stroll with God in the garden, we cower away from Him, clothed with make-shift leaves to hide our most private parts from Him. All we know of God is hearing the sound as He walks.

He sent His son to reconcile us to Him – to eliminate the separation and to restore fellowship. We can have abundant life (John 10:10).

Not apart. Not alone.

Together.