Today I continue our new series entitled, “Power of Fellowship.” Yesterday I talked to you about the Greek word for fellowship: koinonia. I also told you that the root word for koinonia is koinós, which means: common. When we have fellowship with others, in most cases, we are connecting because of the things we have in common with them. Likewise, when we fellowship with God we should connect based on the things we have in common with Him. That’s what I will talk about today.
To get started we will go back to the beginning. In Bible College, many years ago, I learned about the law of first mention. This is basically a principle that states that if you want to know God’s original intent about something, you should to go where God first mentioned it in scripture. The first mention is normally simplest and clearest presentation of whatever truth you are studying, because it comes before there was a chance for humans to distort it. That being the case, we are going to look at the first mention of humans in the Bible.
God created the earth and everything in it in five days. On the sixth day God created man and put him in charge of everything He created. Let’s take a look at this account. I will show it to you in two translations.
(Gen 1:26-28 Easy To Read Translation)
Then God said, “Now let’s make humans who will be like us. They will rule over all the fish in the sea and the birds in the air. They will rule over all the large animals and all the little things that crawl on the earth.” So God created humans in his own image. He created them to be like himself. He created them male and female. God blessed them and said to them, “Have many children. Fill the earth and take control of it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the air. Rule over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
(Gen 1:26-28 The Message Bible)
God spoke: “Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature so they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, and, yes, earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth.” God created human beings; he created them godlike, reflecting God’s nature. He created them male and female. God blessed them: “Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge! Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth.”
In Genesis 1:26-28 we get a clear and untarnished view of what God originally intended for humans.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. God created everything in the earth first and He then created man to oversee it. From the first mention of man, humans were in charge. We were to do, “down here”, what God does from “up there”.
2. After creating the earth and everything in it, God had a conversation with Himself. The Godhead (Father, Son and Spirit), said, “Now let’s make humans who will be like us.” I’m not sure if you realize this, but you were created in the image and likeness of God Himself. You were created to reflect God’s nature on this planet. That was God’s original intent for man and it has never changed.
3. God created “man” to rule this world. He created the species, “man”, male and female. So while a husband and wife may have different roles in the household, as a man and as a woman, they have equal roles on this planet. Males and females have the nature of God. Males and females have been called to be the expressed image of our invisible God in this world. Please don’t confuse gender roles in a household with kingdom authority on this planet. Spiritually speaking, there is no difference between a man and a woman. They are both humans, and as humans, they were created by God to represent Him in this world.
4. We have things in common with God. We were created in His image and likeness. If you don’t know this, it will be difficult for you to enjoy true fellowship with Him.
5. Christianity is not a religion. It is a relationship. It’s a fellowship. The Godhead (Father, Son and Spirit) invites us to participate in their love and power. We are called to love God and one another. We are also called to yield God’s power on this planet. If we are not walking in love or power, we may have religion, but we don’t have fellowship with God.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I thank You for teaching me Your original intent for man. I was created in Your image and likeness. I was created to reflect Your nature on this planet. I was created to rule and exercise Kingdom Dominion in this world. I was created LIKE YOU! I embrace the assignment. You have graced me to live like You in this world and I shall do it. I enter into this day and every day that follows determined to be the visible expression of my invisible God. I have many things in common with You Father, and from now on, I shall live like it! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
