Union & Communion

Our feelings of connection stem from the quality of our relationships with others. This is no less true for believers in Christ. I have many conversations with people who feel something is missing in that relationship, they may have union, but miss communion which brings that deeper sense of belonging. Union is a gift of God, but communion is often given up by believers and I want to remind you today that you can enjoy both.

J.C. Ryle puts it this way:

We must seek to know something of heart-felt, experimental communion with Him. Never, never let us forget, that “union” is one thing, and “communion” another. Thousands, I fear, who know what “union” with Christ is, know nothing of “communion.”  – J.C. Ryle.

Believers are united with Christ by the spirit because of His great love for us. This is something God does when we are made alive in Him at salvation.

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. – Ephesians 2:4,5.

We were dead in our sins and dead men can do nothing, but God made us alive in Him, which is the union we have with Him. God’s love for us never changes and is not influenced by our feelings.

All believers are called to work with God and in His strength to achieve His purposes. We are also invited to have a relationship with God as part of our communion with Him. Neither our works nor our feelings of closeness will effect Gods love toward us. His love is part of the union we have with him. Nothing can separate us from that love.

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38,39.

Our communion with God is not limited to taking the lords supper. The word communion in our bible, comes from the Greek word koinonia, which means friendship, or close fellowship. We come closer to God in this when we worship Him and pray continually. We enjoy feelings of closeness to God at times and our communion is sweet. But we often fall away and feel far from God.

I praise God that even when we walk away from Him or don’t feel so close, God’s love for us never changes toward us, thanks to the great union He brought about. His arms are always open wide and we can enjoy the heart felt love, friendship and connection which communion brings today.