The Church: God Dwells Among Us

The Church: God Dwelling In Us

Posted on by Harvest COG_

Up until the Intertestamental Period, the indwelling of God’s spirit was basically experienced at the temple and the tabernacle. God dwelling in the midst of His people was through the presence and the glory of God. 

View Full Service

Paul’s First Usage Of The Imagery

John 14:15-18

  • 15 “If you love Me, [a]keep My commandments.
  • 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another[b]Helper, that He may abide with you forever—
  • 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
  • 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

These verses inform us of God’s intention to establish a new covenantal fellowship with His community of believers through a new and living way.

Hebrews 10:14-16

  • 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
  • 15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
  • 16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

 A New Heart

Ezekiel 36:26

  • 26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

2 Corinthians 3:1-6

  • Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?
  • 2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
  • 3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
  • 4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
  • 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
  • 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

A new Spirit

Ezekiel 36:27

  • 27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

This “new Spirit is the Holy Spirit of God who will assist and enable God’s people to keep His commandments, and do His will.

Hebrews 10:17- 20

  • 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
  • 18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
  • 19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
  • 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

God’s Spirit

2 Corinthians 3:5-6

  • 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
  • 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Pauls Second Use Of The Imagery

2 Corinthians 6:16-18

  • 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
  • 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
  • 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

God desires a person relationship with HIS people. He knows that will only happen if he dwells with us in Spirit and communicates mercy and grace to His Children. Paul’s theology would see that relationship as a renewal of His promise to go with His people.

Paul’s Third Use Of The Imagery

Ephesians 2:19-22

  • 19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
  • 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
  • 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
  • 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Paul’s Fourth Use Of The Imagery

1 Corinthians 3:16-1

  • 16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
  • 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

pub 2/20/22