Scandalous Fellowship
scandalous fellowship
Scandalous Fellowship
Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. - 1 John 2:10
What comes to mind when you read the word scandalous?
Scandals are things that happen in the offices of politicians. Scandals are what are uncovered by investigative journalists. Scandals ruin marriages and destroy homes.
On Sunday we looked at 1 John 2:7-11. There we saw the second proof of true fellowship: love for our brothers. The brothers are those who heard the gospel and believed. John tells them that true fellowship with God is proven by love between brothers (2:11), which is obedience to God's commands (the first proof in 2:1-6).
In verse 10 it says "no cause for stumbling" this is the literal word scandal. So it could read, "in him is no scandal." In Jesus, and light-walking brothers is transparency, openness, honesty regarding one's sin and glad faith in the redemption and sufficiency of Jesus.
Verse 11 describes one who is walking in darkness. That brother is blind to his sin, does not trust Jesus, nor his brothers. To close one's self from the light of Jesus, even the light of Jesus in our believing brothers is equated to hatred.
Maybe you've felt this kind of rejection because of someone else's self-absorption. Perhaps when the scandal of a beloved parent or trusted leader is uncovered. It is easy to conclude that they must hate their family or followers as much as they love themselves.
Scandalous fellowship is surface-level, niceness between supposed believers. They would never admit to any particular sin, never trust one's spiritual family in Jesus, and avoid the light that exposes all darkness. But for those who would walk in the light, we know that Jesus takes our scandals and washes them with his word, making right every wrong through his death and resurrection.
May the Lord expose all scandalous fellowship and create at RIC true fellowship of love between light-walking brothers.
Together with you in love,
Loren
