Summarising ch. 8 of John Flavel, The Method of Grace.

Psa 45:7 ‘Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.’

This psalm prefigures the espousal of Christ and the church. Here we have,

1. The saints’ dignity, that they are fellows and co—partners of Christ, 1 Jn 2:27; Rev 1:6.
2. The pre—eminence of Christ.

By ‘the oil of gladness’ we understand, the Spirit of holiness, Acts 10:36. This oil makes them beautiful; it makes them shine with glory; it equips them for every good work. But Jesus was anointed ‘above his fellows’.

These words teach us:

That all true believers have a real communion or fellowship with Christ.  This takes the form of graces and spiritual privileges, Eph 1. If we have Christ, we have all things, Rom 8:32; 1 Cor 1:50.

It is helpful to distinguish between acts of communion, such as prayer, and a state of communion.  It is this latter which is here treated.

Believers are co-heirs with Christ, Rom 8:17.

FIRST, In what Christ and believers have fellowship

Not in divine attributes, nor in mediatorial work, nor in inherent righteousness, nor in saving ability, but,

(a) in his names and titles. He is the son of God, and so are we, in a lesser sense, Jn 1:12. Heirs, Rom 8:17. Kings and priests, Rev 1:6.

(b) in his righteousness. 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9. ’Even as a poor woman that owes more than she is worth, in one moment is discharged of all her obligations by her marriage to a wealthy man’.

(c) in his holiness 1 Cor 1:50; Heb 2:11.

(d) in his death. Gal 2:20

(e) in his life and resurrection, Rom 8:2; Eph 2:1; Gal 2:20.

(f) in his glory, 1 Thess 4:17; Jn 17:22, 24; Rev 5:21,

SECOND, The ways and means by which we come to have this fellowship

(a) It is faith that unites us to Christ, Jn l:12f.

(b) The degree of fellowship is according to the gift and the measure of Christ. There is no difference as to justification, but only as to sanctification. 1 Cor 3:1; 2 Thess 1:5.

(e) This fellowship comes through various means.

(b) All believers have all the spiritual blessings.  The world makes many differences between men, but not so Christ, 1 Cor 5: 22f.

(e) This fellowship is a mystery, Eph 3:8, 1 Pet 1:12, 1 Cor 2:9f.

THIRD, the dignity and excellence of this union

See  Jn 17:22.

Consider,

(a) with whom we are associated, even the Son of God.

(b) who we are who are dignified with this title: wretched sinners by nature, yet we are, and will be even more, glorious, 1 Jn 5:26.

(c) the manner in which we are brought into this fellowship, 2 Cor 8:9.

(d) the reciprocal nature of this union: we partake of what is his, and he of what is ours. ‘He has fellowship with us in all our wants, sorrows, miseries and afflictions, and we have communion with him in nis righteousness, grace, sonship and glory.

(e) the perpetuity of this privilege. Rom 6:17.

Inferences

(a) See the honour of being in fellowship with (Christ

(b) See how abundantly God has provided for all the necessities of believers. Phil 4:19.

(c) See how absurd it is, to withhold any thing from Christ by which he may be served and honoured.  He has given all for us; shall we not give our all in return?

(d) No man can be supposed a loser “by conversion, seeing from that day Christ becomes his,

(e) The security of the saint’s inheritance.

(f) The richness of Christ, who has given abundantly, and yet still has infinitely more in himself than has ever been received by them.

(g) The delightfulness of the communion of saints, on account of their communion with Christ.

(h) They only have a ground to claim an interest in Christ, who show the fruits of their union and communion with him.