The beauty of Christian companionship

         In the book of Romans Paul uses the word “if” 71 times. It appears there are a lot of contingencies connected with what he has to say to the believers in Rome. Eight of the 71 “ifs” are in chapter 8: Here are three of them:
         If Christ is in you (v, 10)
         If we are God’s children (v. 17)
         If God is for us (v. 31)
Each is followed by a result, and in order they are: you will have life, you are heirs of God, and, no one is against us – obviously great benefits.
         So let’s take one of the 8 “ifs” of the chapter and see what it says about the result of living in a certain way. Verse 9 reads, “If a person doesn’t have Christ’s Spirit living in them they do not belong to Christ.” The first thing that catches our attention is that having Christ's Spirit is a necessary requirement for salvation. We do not become a Christian by agreeing intellectually that Jesus died for our sins. Christianity is not a social movement built around the religious insights of a Galilean peasant. Christianity is God himself in the person of the Holy Spirit entering into the heart of the believer and taking complete control. You can become a Republican by joining the Republican Party or a Girl Scout by joining the local chapter, but you cannot become a Christian by joining a Christian church. Christianity is not an organization but a designation for those through whom God is carrying out his work in this world.
         What is it like to have the Spirit of Christ alive and well in a person's heart? One thing for sure is that, as the great old song as it, "You’ll never walk alone.” The dearest friend you will ever have is there with you to enjoy the victories of life and encourage you when everything seems to be going the wrong way. There is nothing quite like a good friend and Jesus is ready and able to be that friend. Not only is he available for strength but also for good solid advice. He wants to point out the right way in every decision and warn you about that challenge you will meet just around the corner. He is a very essence of that Greek term, now familiar in English,
koinonia,  “companionship, having in common.” What an incredible relationship for us and what a remarkable condescension on the part of the infinite God!
         God’s companionship is too wonderful to be expressed in words. It surpasses the most elegant attempt to do it justice. When we personally experience the indwelling Christ we will understand what koinonia really means. In the meantime, when we meet one another as Christians, a powerful sense of companionship in Christ begins to rise and we get a sense of what’s in store for us in the eternal fellowship of God’s presence.