The word "communion" in this passage means "having
in common." This is the way that God has provided that Christians may live in
harmony. They have some things in common or something in common. One of the most
misunderstood passages in the Bible is Matthew 18:19, "Again I say unto you,
That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall
ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in Heaven." The word,
"agree" in this passage is the word from which we get or word "symphony."
Basically, it implies that if two parties are in tune with same with the same
object, they will be in tune with each other. Two violins will be in tune with
each other when they are in tune with the same piano. When the believer is in
tune with the Holy Spirit, he will be in tune with the other believers who are
in tune with the Holy Spirit. Consequently, the believer should not be so much
concerned about being in harmony with other Christians as much as he is about
being in harmony with the Holy Spirit. If the Holy Spirit Who leads me also
leads you, we will walk together in agreement. If you and I are in tune with
Him, we will be in tune with each other. If you and I have things in common with
Him, we will be in common with each other.
It was said of the New Testament church that they had all things common. Acts 2:44, "And all that believed were together, and had all things common." Acts 4:32, "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common." This unity of spirit was caused because they were in tune with the same Holy Spirit. Acts 2:46, "And they, continuing daily with now accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart."
When Christians are all filled with the Holy Spirit, then they have a common bond and they have a third party to Whom they are tuned, making them in tune with each other. When they all go out soul winning, it gives them something in common. When Christians walk in the Spirit and are in tune with Him, then they have many things that will keep them in tune with each other. When they love the same Book, delight and fellowship with the same God, walk in the same Spirit, sing the same songs, spread the same message and love the same Saviour, they find themselves in common or in communion with each other.
I John 1:7, "But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." Notice that the first thing we are to do is walk in the light, and then as two of us walk in the same light, as a result, we have fellowship with each other.
I was born and reared in Texas. As I travel across the country, I often meet fellow- Texans. Immediately we are attracted to each other because we have something in common, a place we both love.
In World War II, I was a paratrooper. Quite often I meet ex-paratroopers in my travels. We love to sit and talk about the training, the 34-foot towers, the 300-foot towers, the 10- mile runs, the calisthenics pit, the suspension lines, the static cord, the flying boxcars and other things that we have in common. We do not simply get together and say, "Let's enjoy each other." We center our attention of something that will tune us to itself, and in the process, tune us to each other.
On my travels I meet hundreds of our graduates from Hyles-Anderson College. We don't get together and say, "Let's have communion." We get together and talk about the experiences that we have shared, the people that we both know and love, the same places that have grown dear to both of us, and in so doing, we are in communion because we have something in common.
This means that several times a day God's child should tune himself to the Holy Spirit. If every Christian would pause several times a day to get in tune with the Holy Spirit, we would not have unnecessary church splits. We would not have the gossip, the spreading of rumors, the critical natures and the slander that we have in our churches because each of us would be in tune with the same instrument.
I love a cappella music, but it does have a weakness. Even the best of singers will occasionally gradually leave the right key; whereas, if they have accompaniment, they are more likely to stay on key. The Holy Spirit is our accompaniment. He is our tuning fork.
Young couples getting married should resolve to keep in tune with the Holy Spirit so that they can keep in tune with each other. Brothers and sisters could avoid unnecessary fussing and fighting if they would stay in tune with the Holy Spirit, thereby keeping in tune with each other. Church members could love each other again. Church splits could be avoided if the church members would tune themselves with the Holy Spirit, thereby being in tune with each other. Troubles on a church staff could be prevented if each staff member would be sure that he is in tune with the Holy Spirit, making him in tune with the other staff members that are likewise in tune with the Holy Spirit. In any relationship of life, that relationship can be one of accord and peace if each of us would pause several times a day to yield to the Holy Spirit and to tune ourselves with Him.
Michelangelo said of sculpturing as he looked at a block, "It is in there; all I must do is chop off the outside." Peace, communion and oneness are in there for the child of God. All we have to do is chop off the outside. The outside is chopped of when two of us tune ourselves with the third party. This third party is the blessed Holy Spirit. As we walk in tune with Him, we keep in tune with each other.
This same method enables us to have fellowship with Jesus and with the Father. I 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." Since the Lord Jesus is the perfect example of being yielded to the Holy Spirit, when you and I are yielded to that same Holy Spirit, we then are in harmony and fellowship with the Lord Jesus.
