A Note from Michael Gossett
Understanding Our Fellowship with God
It was a summer night, and I truly believed I had lost my way. As kids, my friend and I loved to “explore” the undeveloped land behind our neighborhood. It was thrilling to roam through uncharted territory, find new locations for forts, and envision ourselves as explorers like Lewis and Clark. Our fun continued until one day when everything changed. My mom had a summer rule: return home before the street lights came on. That day, while wandering through the woods, we lost track of our way. We became increasingly anxious as we continued to find our way back. Then, all of the sudden, we saw a street light on through the limbs and shrubs of the woods that seemed determined to keep us. We both knew what that light was, and we started running desperately for that light. My mom had been calling for us, worried about our safety, and both she and I felt elated that we were back safe at home. You may know from experience, but there is nothing in the world like being united back at home. The Lord desires the same for us in our relationship with Him. Fellowship with God is a relational walk with the Creator, something far more intimate than simply observing religious practices or living by a set of rules. This emphasis on fellowship is something that Puritan writers like John Owen often underscored, asserting that our greatest joy is found in communion with God. The problem that you and I face so often is that it is difficult to see the light of Christ when we are covered by the woods of the world. In 1 John 1:5-7, we learn that “God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” This foundational truth teaches us what it means to be in fellowship with Him.
God Is Light
John tells us that God is light, meaning He is the source of all that is true, pure, and good. Just like physical light chases away darkness, God’s light reveals truth and exposes anything unholy. We see this reflected in Genesis, where God’s first creative act was to say, “Let there be light.” This wasn’t merely about the sun or the stars, but about God’s own glory illuminating the universe. As John Owen put it, “The glory of God is the very light and life of heaven.” God’s radiance reveals His holiness and His glory, providing the foundation for a meaningful fellowship with Him.
Living in Fellowship
To be in fellowship with God, we must walk in His light, not in darkness. Walking in darkness means living apart from God’s truth and presence, while walking in light means aligning our lives with His will. This is the gospel’s transforming power in changing our lives and bringing us into this light. Charles Spurgeon once said, “Holiness is the visible side of salvation.” When we walk in God’s light, we become visible testimonies of His transforming grace, and we enjoy the privilege of fellowship with both God and other believers.
John makes it clear that fellowship with God requires a lifestyle of integrity and obedience. He writes, “If we say, ‘We have fellowship with Him,’ and yet walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth.” This truth is at the very heart of Baptist teachings on holiness—our lives must reflect our profession of faith. A mark of a true Christian is not just in what we say, but in what we do. Walking in the light is not a one-time decision but a daily commitment to live in the truth of Jesus Christ.
Light as God’s Moral Purity
John’s description of God as light also speaks to His moral purity. John says, “In Him there is no darkness at all.” This means that God is completely free of sin, and His holiness demands that those who come into fellowship with Him must pursue righteousness. John Calvin wrote, “The brightness of God’s countenance is a light which burns out all falsehood.” In a similar way, our fellowship with God exposes our sin and calls us to walk in purity and obedience. This pursuit of holiness is fundamental to Baptist belief, as reflected in our emphasis on personal sanctification and the lordship of Christ.
The Necessity of True Confession
Living in fellowship with God requires true confession and a willingness to be cleansed by His grace. John contrasts those who walk in darkness with those who “walk in the light, as He Himself is in the light.” For us to remain in fellowship, we need to recognize our own sin and turn from it. As David wrote in Psalm 32, “When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long.” Confession brings us back into God’s favor, restoring the intimacy of fellowship that sin disrupts. John Bunyan once said, “He that is down needs fear no fall, he that is low, no pride.” Walking in the light requires humility—acknowledging our need for God’s cleansing every day.
Living in Community
To be in fellowship with God also means to be in fellowship with others. John writes that if we walk in the light, “we have fellowship with one another.” This proves the importance of Christian community being central to our growth in Christlikeness. Our fellowship is not just a vertical relationship with God but also a horizontal relationship with other believers. We are called to be part of a community where we encourage, edify, and hold each other accountable. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “The physical presence of other Christians is a source of incomparable joy and strength to the believer.”
True forgiveness from God naturally leads us into fellowship with others. We walk together, we pray for one another, and we challenge each other to grow in Christ. This is why we continue to emphasize our Connect Group Ministry at Green Acres because it is central to discipleship. Spiritual growth happens best in the context of community. When we walk in the light, we demonstrate God’s transforming grace through unity and love for other believers.
We must remember that fellowship with God is about walking in His light. It’s more than a set of beliefs—it’s a lifestyle. By acknowledging that God is light and striving to live in alignment with Him, we open ourselves to a transformative relationship that brings us into deeper community with others and into the light of God’s glory. In the words of Richard Baxter, “Let your heart be much in heaven, and your conversation much with God.” Let us strive to walk in the light of God daily, so that we might enjoy true fellowship with Him and with one another.
Questions to Consider
- What does it mean for you personally to walk in the light of Christ?
- How does the concept of God as light challenge your current lifestyle?
- In what ways does fellowship with other believers help you grow spiritually?
- Are there areas in your life where you are walking in darkness rather than light? How can you address these?
- How can true confession and humility restore your fellowship with God?
Pray
Heavenly Father, thank you for being the light in our lives and for calling us into fellowship with you. We ask for your grace to walk in your light each day, to live in integrity, and to pursue holiness in all we do. Forgive us for the times we fall short and help us to come before you in true confession and repentance. May our lives reflect your glory and help me to walk in unity with other believers. Guide us, Lord, that we may grow deeper in our relationship with you and with one another. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The Christmas Season is getting close! Make plans now!
The annual GABC Christmas Tree Lighting is Friday, December 6th from 6:00pm – 8:30pm! This is a free event for our whole community and church family! I want to invite you to not only be a part of this incredible event, but also be in prayer for God to use this night to reach people all over the city of Tyler. We want to make every effort to make this fun for the evening, but to make an eternal difference in the lives of people. Cannot wait to see you there!
Mark your calendars for Sunday, December 15, at 6:00pm! We are excited to tell you that we will have a multigenerational Christmas concert featuring our Worship Choir & Orchestra, Highest Praise Senior Adult Choir, Student Worship, & Kidz Praise! This concert is for the whole family! Don’t miss this opportunity to come together and celebrate the arrival of the Light of the World!
One of my most favorite Christmas traditions for our family is to attend the Christmas Eve service together! This year, on Tuesday, December 24, our Christmas Eve services will be held at 4 PM and 6 PM and include fun and dynamic worship music, a Kids element, the Lord’s Supper, and a candlelight element.
We are 3 weeks into our World Mission Offering! Learn more about how you can serve or give at www.gabc.org/missions
We continue to work towards easing our budget deficit before it affects our ongoing ministries. So, as you consider your year-end giving, please consider contributing to the General Budget here at GABC. You can give next time you’re on campus, or anytime at www.gabc.org/give.
I want to invite you to join my wife, Katie, and me on a journey of a lifetime. We are going back to visit the sites primarily focused on Paul’s second missionary journey, October 26-November 4th, 2025. I have mentioned these sites in my sermons from Philippians because it was on Paul’s second missionary journey that the Lord brought him to Philippi. However, there is much more on this trip! Here is the itinerary of all the places we have planned to visit. This is certainly a trip that will help the Bible and the Apostle Paul come to life!
Come and join us on this incredible trip! You can sign up here! Space is limited, so please sign up as early as possible.
And before I close, please read this note from Todd Haymans, Executive Pastor of Ministries:
At the direction of our Personnel Committee and Executive staff, I am pleased to share with you that we have asked Will Renfroe to serve as Interim Worship Minister and Tim Nipp to serve as Worship Ministry Director. The two will serve alongside each other in leading the staff and all areas of the worship ministry. We have an incredible worship ministry team and feel confident in the direction the Lord is leading during this interim season. I am eager to see what the Lord will do through our worship ministry in 2025 and believe the best is yet to come!
With the love of Jesus,
Todd
You are loved and prayed for!
Michael Gossett