Come to the Table: The Real Reason the New Testament Was Written

A man with open Bible enjoying fellowship with the Father and Son.

An Invitation You've Already Been Holding

You've read the New Testament. Maybe dozens of times. But have you noticed what it actually is? Not a rulebook. Not a theology textbook. An invitation. A personal, hand-delivered invitation — from God Himself — to walk into the fellowship that the Father and Son have shared for all eternity.

John lays it out right at the start of his first letter.

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled concerning the Word of Life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ." (NKJV)

They Touched Him

Catch what John is doing here. He's not passing along secondhand information. He heard Jesus. He saw Jesus with his own eyes. He touched Him. This isn't a theologian writing theory at a desk. This is a man saying, "I was there. I know Him. And I'm telling you what I saw."

The Reason It Was Written

Now look at verse 3 — because John tells us why he's writing all this down. Not so we'd have correct doctrine. Not so we'd pass a Bible quiz. He wrote it "that you also may have fellowship with us" — that's the apostles — "and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ."

Read that again slowly.

God, through the apostles' pen, is handing you an invitation to step into the very fellowship the Father and Son share together. That's the end purpose of the entire New Testament. Miss that, and you've missed the reason it was given to you.

Where It Leads

John adds one more thing. Verse 4:

"These things we write to you that your joy may be full." (NKJV)

Not partial joy. Not occasional joy. Full joy. And it comes from one place — fellowship with the Father and the Son. Stop short of that fellowship, and you stop short of the joy God has made available to you.

The end purpose is fellowship with God. Everything else flows from there.

Prayer Response

Father, thank You that You have invited me into fellowship with You and Your Son Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, that my joy may be full. Please help me to fully accept that wonderful invitation. In Jesus' name, amen.

Pastor Dick's Devotionals