Communion with God
By Ward Fenley

I was asked the question:

"Okay, then if they are at their final destination, and I am at my final destination, why aren't I aware of them?  If we are perfect in our final form, then we should be able to commune with them.  Why can't we?"

To which, I reply:

Only the High Priest could commune with God under the Old Covenant.  Now in the New Covenant we commune with God because of the work of the High Priest who would able to make one perfect sacrifice bringing many sons to glory (the holiest of all) so that we could commune with the Father. We commune with the Father and the Son yet can we prove this? No, it is spiritual communion. Since the bride is Christ's body, she is spiritual. We commune with her. The communion is marital communion and fellowship. "We have come to the spirits of just men made perfect."

Communion is a spiritual reality in Christ, not to be experienced with the five senses. "Those that worship God must worship him in spirit and in truth."

The problem is that people are identifying "consciousness" with their own experience based upon the five senses. Paul said:

Romans 14:17  For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Here Paul eliminates the possibility of a sensual heaven. There is one kingdom of God, kingdom of heaven, kingdom of the Father, and kingdom of Christ:

It is the heavenly Temple. The transition saints were in the first part of the tabernacle; therefore, for them complete communion in the holiest was not established until the Temple was destroyed:

Hebrews 9:8  The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all is not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle is still standing:

They were translated into the kingdom of heaven but could not enter the holiest, but rather were entering it:

Hebrews 6:19-20  Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which is entering (present tense) into that within the veil; 20  Whither the forerunner is for us entered (past tense), even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

This is why Paul could say:

Colossians 1:13  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

Remember, there is only one kingdom.

Indeed, we are communing with God:

Ephesians 3:8-9  Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; {9} And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

What is this mysterious fellowship?

Ephesians 3:5-6  Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; {6} That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

1 Corinthians 1:9  God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

This fellowship is obviously non-physical, for if it is physical, then does our fellowship suddenly cease when we physically die?

Philippians 2:1  If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

Certainly our fellowship in the Spirit manifests itself in our physical fellowship with one another, but the actual spiritual communion is not physical.

1 John 1:3  That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

This communion is not physical. Physical fellowship is more of a proof of our spiritual fellowship. But even the first century saints knew this, as is testified by their urgency:

Hebrews 3:13  But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Hebrews 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Colossians 3:14-16  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. {15} And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. {16} Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

If we find ourselves isolated from others of like precious faith, then it is unhealthy. We should always be searching to manifest the communion we have with God.

Isaiah 60:4-5  Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. {5} Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.
Isaiah 60:7  All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.
Isaiah 60:13  The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious.

That chapter has got to be one of the greatest kingdom chapters in the Bible. Personally I feel it is somewhat of a "key" to understanding Biblical Theology and New Covenantal performance, as we consider what Christ accomplished through His ministry and work.

We are communing together if we are in Christ, wherever we are located. We do not have to travel to a location in some material or sensual Jerusalem in order to worship God. No, quite the contrary:

Isaiah 2:2-5  And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. {3} And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. {4} And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. {5} O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.

 

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