1. Fellowship Within the Godhead
Rev J R Tallach
The Greek word for fellowship is koinonia, and the basic meaning is participation in, having a share, or giving a share. This noun does not occur in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew to Luke), but the spirit of it was diffused through the early Church, which was characterised by spiritual light, liberty, union and communion.
1This is the first part of a paper given at last year’s Theological Conference. It draws largely from Hugh Martin’s The Atonement, John Owen’s treatise on “Communion with God”, in his Works, vol 2, Francis Turretin’s Institutes and John Calvin’s Institutes.
The paper will be divided into three parts: (1.) The fellowship which exists within the triune God as Head and Lord, and God over all; (2.) The fellowship which exists between God and His people; (3.) The fellowship which exists between believers in the Church of God on earth.
First, the fellowship within the Godhead. Hugh Martin deals with this under the heading of “The Blessedness of God”. “The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king. He will save us” (Is 33:22). The absolute sovereign rule of the Judge, Lawgiver and King is the great source of our confidence and comfort. He rules out of His own perfections without consultation with anyone; no one says to Him, “What doest Thou?” This rule is as blessed as His nature is blessed; He the blessed and only Potentate.
Martin sees this blessedness as an expression of the fellowship which exists within the Triune God. The relationship of Father, Son and Holy Spirit is eternally and infinitely blessed and is expressed in the fellowship which exists between the three persons of the Godhead. Such a fellowship must be worthy of God’s nature and satisfying to God’s infinite powers of fellowship.
Martin sees the concept of a uni-personal god as inconceivable. Such a being would be without converse or love; he could not be loved, dwelling in an infinite silence and solitude. Such a god would be cold, distant and repulsive. Martin doubts that a uni-personal god could be self-aware. He would be therefore unable to say, “I am”; a god without relations could not say this. Yet God says, “I am that I am”, and man, made in the image of God and reflecting that image, says, “I am”. When man was created, he was able then to say to God, “Thou art”. This was an expression of recognition, and recognition reciprocated, which is the foundation of fellowship.
But, Martin argues, this was surely not the first time that God had entered into fellowship. God’s roots are in eternity and it is from this everlasting root that such fellowship springs; it did not begin with the creation of frail man. Did He not say to another: “Thou art My Son”? Again “unto the Son He saith, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever”. Martin finds it impossible to conceive of a uni-personal god being a creator at all. God says, “Thou art”, to man; He does so as the God who had eternal converse with One who is co-equal with Himself. The Son was the beginning of the creation of God. We cannot conceive of a uni-personal eternal god without relations or fellowship. Christ was the beginning of creation and He was the Word. There was eternal fellowship.
The unity in God is essential to all His works and must be set over against the fellowship found within the Godhead. To this point the Word Himself speaks: “The Lord possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: while as yet He had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When He prepared the heavens, I was there: when He set a compass upon the face of the depth: when He established the clouds above: when He strengthened the fountains of the deep: when He gave to the sea His decree, that the waters should not pass His commandment: when He appointed the foundations of the earth: then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight [see here the blessedness of God the Father in fellowship with His Son], rejoicing always before Him” (Prov 8:22-30).
The Son then sheds light on the blessedness of God, and is a light to men. The presence of the Spirit prevents the fellowship within the Godhead being between two only. Thus the Father and Son can go beyond “I am” and “Thou art” to say, “He is”. The blessedness of God lies in the fact that the Father and the Son have fellowship in the Spirit and concerning the Spirit, and the Son and Spirit concerning the Father.