Habitation Of God In The Spirit

by R.B. Fullarton, Innerleithen, Scotland | Category: The Holy Sirit:: | Jul 1993

The one great airn of every New Testament letter is to reveal the amazing purpose of God in His Son, Jesus Christ and the working out of that purpose throu2h the Holy Spirit.

Ea~iy on the page of divine record we find the Spirit of God "moved upon the face of the waters"; He "hovered" with a view to finding a resting-place. This has ever been the divine desire. A series of momentous events follow: light, separation, gathering together, rule and productivity. These have a spiritual counterpart in the outworking of the divine will (compare Gen. 1:2, 6, 9, 16 and 20 with 2 Cor. 6:14-18) for the present era of grace.

Background

The historical narrative brings us to Exodus 25:8,9 in the expression of the Eternal for a dwelling place among His people "Let them make Me a sanc...... according to the pattern of the Tabernacle" (Heb. dwelling). God gave the plan, the people had to build.

The Temple, which filled the heart of David, was built by Solomon. It was a house of habitation for God to dwell in. He would come down and fill such with His glory (1 Kings 8:13; 9:3). The Temple was to be a place of prayer, justice and worship. His demand upon His people was separation from all others (1 Kings 8:53).

The Current Plan

Every believer is sealed with the

Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation. His incoming and indwelling presence is a work of divine ownership upon the believer. His work, following that wonderful experience, is to reveal God's will for the life of service and He alone is able to impart the ability to do just what is pleasing to Him who called us by His grace. This development is seen in three particular passages highlighting the Spirit's presence in believers together, holding the pauern of New Testament teaching concerning churches of God forming the house of God. They are:

1. 1 Corinthians 3:16,17 - emphasizing the Sanctity of God's dwelling place.

2. Ephesians 2:2O~22 with accent on the Unity of His dwelling place.

3. 1 Peter 2:~10 underlining Service within His dwelling place.

So, we are dealing with the Spirit's presence in the corporate structure of the house of God expressed in the term "a holy temple", "a habitation of God" and "a spiritual house".

1 Corinthians 3

The application of the building metaphor is applied to the Church of God in Corinth (v.9). A building is not an organic structure in itself. It is

composed of stones, bricks and mortar, bonded together to form a whole. The materials themselves and their arrangement must conform to a pattern of structure. The same principles apply in the spiritual sphere. The apostle uses the term "temple" (Greek, naos - inner shrine) to convey the truth of the distinctive position of the Church of God in Corinth being a sanctified dwelling place of the Spirit of God, a holy community by virtue of the disciples association with and obedience to the Lord. The Spirit of God was "in" the saints as a collective expression of those gathered to His Name and keeping His Word.

His deity is attested in His title. "Know ye not" is not simply the knowledge of a doctrine, but the appreciation of fact that a divine, living Person inhabited this shrine which must conform to His nature and character. Human pride, worldly wisdom and earthly defilement have no place there. His personal indwelling is not to be considered a merely abstract concept. He endows blessing and enriches experience where His presence is acknowledged.

The Church in Corinth was not one of many temples (temple is singular, ye is plural in v.16 RV) but formed part of the one Temple of God consisting of churches of God bonded together in the Lord (see Eph. 2:21). The absence of the article, in the Greek, before temple (1 Cor. 3:16) indicates its character as a fitting residence, being built according to the divine pattern given by the Holy

Spirit. This must be differentiated from 1 Corinthians 6:19 which has to do with the unconditional and abiding presence of the Spirit in the believer's body. Like the truth of the individual's dwelling, the corporate unit of testimony is to glorify God and not give expression to self-pleasing attitudes:

"Ye are not your own".

The Spirit's presence in any golden lampstand holds no guarantee of permanence where He is not allowed to live as He would and is forced to leave. In the past, Israel amongst whom God dwelt, both in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple, defiled themselves by idolatry and were judged, by God. They were to illuminate His splendour and glory, which they will do yet again when His habitation will be amongst men (Jer. 31:33). Carnal conduct and false teaching mar and can destroy God's testimony. Christ's glory is not to be diminished by moral defilement or doctrinal error.

The work done in the Temple of God is to be of qualitative and quantitative value. We are to think reverently and practically about this gracious, holy, almighty Person from whom we receive nourishment and by whom we achieve spiritual advancement. His acquaintance should be cultivated.

Ephesians 2

Again, we come across the word naos, the inner sanctuary, corresponding to the holy of holies in Tabernacle and Temple in v.21 of Ephesians 2. The term "household (adjective -

belonging to the house) of God" denotes not the family of God but the house of God with the focus on standing and service within the house, consistent with the temple imagery underlying vv.20-22. These verses reach a high level of spiritual knowledge, a summit of divinely revealed truth regarding the purpose of God for believers in service together. From the graveyard of sin at the commencement of the chapter, we are brought to God's dwelling-place at the end, through Him who is not only our peace, the unifying bond between the divided parties of Jews and Gentiles, but who is also the Chief Corner Stone of the spiritual house.

The foundation (v.20) is that laid by the apostles and prophets not the men themselves. No such prominence is given to men. No other foundation than Christ (see 1 Cor. 3:10-11) and His teaching, given during the forty days of Acts 1:3. The apostles and prophets fulfilled their purpose and, like the sign-gifts of early New Testament times, are no longer with us, their day of usefulness having come to an end but their teaching is embodied in "the Faith" (Jude 3) for the day of grace.

Christ is the unifying bond of the Body and also the uniting stone of the spiritual temple, He is the integral and essential part, securing position and giving unity to the whole structure.

The holy temple is described "in the Lord" (v.21), not "in Christ". The latter refers to our heavenly position in spiritual union, with our Saviour, the

former to early testimony in spiritual association with others who own Him as Lord, in subjection to His will.

The one Temple (v.21) comprises every church of God (every building, cp. 1 Cor. 3:9) joined together, fitly framed according to the pattern of teaching, just as there is one Body comprising many members fitly framed together and blessed through and from the Head (Eph. 4:16). Each component of the Temple is a necessary part of the one structure, becoming such through being built in, to become an integral part of the divine structure of collective testimony (Eph. 2:21,22). As Paul could say, "in whom (i.e. the Lord) ye also are builded together ..." referring of course, to those in Ephesus linked with Corinth and other churches of God, forming the habitation of God in the Spirit.

1 Peter 2

Writing to those in churches of God in the five provinces in the northern and western areas of Asia Minor, the apostle Peter reminds them of their former vain manner of life until they came to Christ as repentant sinners and believed the Word of good tidings preached (1:25). Now, in churches of God, they "come" (continue coming) not as sinners for salvation which is once-for-all, but in collective approach as a worshipping and serving people. They draw near (v.4), offer up (v.5) and show forth (v.9). In doing this continually they reap rich blessing. This is on-going service of the people of God.

Peter has in mind the constructional

materials of a building and uses the imagery of stones to convey the spiritual truth of God's desire for united service according to a prescribed pattern. They are built up a spiritual house (v.5), living stones joined to THE LIVING STONE, bwught together and moulded together, not rough and unfmished stones haphazardly placed, but set in order i~kee~ mg with the divine plan. They were not freelance individualists going where they liked and doing what they liked. Conscious of the setting apart by the Spirit to obedience (1:2)

through the work of sancilication individually and collectively ~b. 13:12), they sought to give expression to their state as a house, a -sihood, a race, a nation and a people. Thus the Spirit of God dwelt, worked and blessed in those days, and can do, and does today among those who conform to the apostles, and p~p~ts' tehing of Christ as Lord. Sadly, men rtject the Saviour still to their eternal peril; believers can reject the Cliief Comer Stone of spiritual Zion (1 PeL 2:6) to their loss. May we own Him as Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

R.B. Fullarton, Innerleithen, Scotland | Jul 1993
The Holy Sirit::