Spiritual Life: Fellowship with God

After Peter drew his sword in Jesus’ defense, so that He would not be arrested in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus said to him:

“Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?” (John 18:11)

Jesus drank the cup to the very dregs. You see, Jesus’ work was not completed on the cross. In fact, the bitterest dregs came after physical death. In every sense, Jesus exhausted the cup. First, there was spiritual death; second, physical death; and third, spiritual banishment from God.

Jesus tasted death for every person so that we might have life. And we have life in the three aspects of life that Jesus forfeited. The parallel is exact.

First of all, we have spiritual life—we are brought into union and fellowship with God here in this life, right now, through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus was joined to the Lord; He lived by the life of the Father. He said, “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30). This was the case until He took our iniquity upon Himself and was separated from the Father. He was cut off that we might be united. Through faith in Jesus, you and I can be joined to the Lord in the Spirit and walk this life in union with God, just as Jesus walked His life in union with the Father by the Spirit. This is the end purpose of the gospel.

First John 1:3 states:

“That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.”

Jesus forfeited the fellowship so that I might enter into the fellowship.