ACCOMPANIED LIFE

George Fox (1624-1691) founder of the Quaker movement wrote: ‘the accompanied life is when we know that God is with us.’ In Fox’s terminology it would be to live with understanding of the ‘The Light’ within a person, or to be led by the Spirit.

Paul, an apostle, wrote forcefully in Romans 8: “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” (8:9) He contrasts it as someone who lives the accompanied life and those who do not. “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” (8:11)

Much of Romans 8 deals with walking away from a life in the flesh and receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and walking by the Spirit… walking in the Light. This is the ‘new birth from above’ mentioned in John 3. The Holy Spirit of the Lord accompanies us, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” (8:14) (The term ‘sons’ or brother may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters in this textual language)

We need never walk alone again.

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’” Jesus