What is it God wants with us? It is the goal of creation, of salvation, of our worship service. Yes, the end for which God created the world is His glory. How does He get glory? How do we give it? What does the Lord’s Table have to do with it?
The glory of God includes His sovereign, holy, gracious, and loving overflow of Himself to His creatures. He made us to know Him, to enjoy Him, and to fellowship with Him. He made us to delight in Him, and as we do so, fruit comes out.
Fellowship with God is a supernatural gift. It is a supernatural purchase. It is a supernatural protection.
When the church, under the authority Jesus described in John 20:23, declares forgiveness and withholds forgiveness, she is declaring fellowship and denying fellowship. When the church removes her affirmation of an unrepentant member, handing him over to Satan as described in 1 Corinthians 5:5, that member is cut off from fellowship and from its gladness and guardianship.
It is not something we see without eyes of faith, but that doesn’t make it an illusion. Our communion is not just something we’re called to protect, our communion is part of our protection. Glory to God that He has called us to Himself in fellowship that we may bear fruit for Him.