Visitor or Resident?
Most of us have visited a friend’s house for several days. If it’s only for a few days (and they like us), we will usually be shown around to the area’s nicest places. All of us well-dressed and cheerful, we run around to plays, museums and fine restaurants. Eventually we return home tired, pleased and relieved that things went so well.
Although not as entertaining, isn’t it better to be at home? We can walk around dressed very casually. We can sit anywhere and do (or not do) anything we please. Things are where we expect them, even if they are a bit shabby…
The differences between visiting and residing are striking, yet THEY reside where WE visit. Do they ALWAYS live the way they do when we visit?
Of course not;
-The bathrooms aren’t always that clean.
-They don’t always grill up steaks and eat with the “nice plates”.
-They don’t spend money so generously every day.
-Somebody cleaned up the place, mowed the lawn and did shopping.
In our relationship with God, are we visitors or residents?
When we pray, are we visiting Heaven or returning home for a season?
When we hear from the Lord, is He just here for a visit?
1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
Colossians 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
As a Baptist minister, I’m pretty comfortable with the idea that all born-again believers in Jesus Christ are “in-dwelled” with the Holy Spirit. We are taught this right away. It’s one of those “mysteries” that preachers tell us is unquestionably true. No matter how “carnal” the believer, the Holy Spirit is always dwelling in him…
But IS it always true?
-Is there a difference between the Holy Spirit IN you and the Holy
Spirit IN-DWELLING you?
Dwell = to reside or co-habitate.
Romans 8:8-11 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Paul is clearly making a distinction here. He says that all that are Christ’s HAVE the Spirit. And yet, it is evident that some (even many) are “in the flesh”. He encourages us to let the Spirit of Christ DWELL in us.
1 Corinthians 3:1-3 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
Why IS the Spirit of God given to us?
1 Corinthians 2:9-13 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
The Holy Spirit will tell us the things of God we could not know without Him!
Can you remember before you were saved; the Gospel and the Bible made no sense at all! I remember how it all seemed so imaginary and even silly. I remember thinking that Heaven sounded pretty boring. Sitting around singing endlessly to God seemed a waste of time…
1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
When the Holy Spirit began convicting me, I was only worried about Hell and Judgement. I didn’t really get the whole “lake of fire” thing, but I knew I was guilty and if Hell was real I was in real trouble. The idea that you die and then “nothing” couldn’t satisfy me (or any serious person) considering what a just God might do…
Romans 8:15-17 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Joint-heirs with Jesus! How can that work? We must understand that Christ living in us means that Jesus is actually doing the works of God through us.
-Not that we are not sinning.
-Not that we are doing “what Jesus would do”.
-Not that we are paying tithes and memorizing scripture.
Now we can see that we NEED the Holy Spirit or we can never DO what God has called us to do:
Romans 7:12-25 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
(v.14) I am carnal, sold under sin! Yikes!
What about believing and faith and all that stuff?
If I believe that Jesus is my Savior and that He died for my sin; does
that mean I am not carnal?
What about good works and tithing and praying and preaching?
(v.25) Only through Jesus Christ our Lord! Now, Romans 8 explains what is meant by “through Jesus Christ our Lord”…
Romans 8:1-4 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Paul here explains that not everyone that has the Holy Spirit walks in the Spirit. So far, not much of a problem; we all know “carnal” Christians (maybe we are carnal right now)…
Paul also causes us some trouble when he explains that when he refers to those that are in Christ, he is referring to those that walk after the Spirit. Paul says clearly that he means those that WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH.
We might complain about this and say; didn’t the Lord say that He would never leave us or forsake us? Paul clears this up by making a distinction between “having” the Spirit and being “in the Spirit”. He says being “in the Spirit” means that the Spirit of God “dwells in you”.
Romans 8:5-9 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Dwell = to reside or co-habitate.
Clearly, all Christians have the Holy Spirit inside of them. Unfortunately, He usually has the status of a visitor. The believer continues to live a carnal, natural life and knows it. Sin, powerlessness, fear and not winning souls to the Lord are evidences that we are “after the flesh” and cannot please God.
Remember visiting your friend’s house?
What would happen if you wanted to LIVE there?
I mean move in PERMANENTLY…
You’d need to have a meeting and make some decisions:
-He will have to trust you and you must trust him.
-You will have to suffer together; share the bills, take turns cutting the
lawn, cooking and taking out the garbage.
-You’ll have to sacrifice some privacy (in my house there is only one bath;
when someone’s in the shower, the others might use the bathroom at the
same time).
Actually, if you’re going to live there, it’s going to be YOUR HOUSE!
The importance of Faith:
Faith = to depend, to surrender to, to be satisfied with, to have
confidence, to trust.
To Believe = to have faith in something or someone.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Do you think Paul is saying that he was symbolically crucified with Christ, and that Paul
won’t have to sacrifice anything because Jesus already did?
Do you think that Paul ACTUALLY sacrificed his whole life to follow Christ?
Philippians 3:1-9 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.
2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Wow!! Christ living (dwelling) in Paul is a very big deal!
-Bigger than his religious standing in the synagogues.
-Bigger than his job and legal standing (he became a criminal).
-Bigger than his belongings and everything he had gained in the world.
Ephesians 3:17-20 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
1 John 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
What are His commandments? What kind of Law are we talking about here?
1 John 3:23-24 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
Romans 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
Isn’t it time to let the Lord move in?
Have a private meeting with Him.
Let Him do what He wants with your life.
Let’s live IN CHRIST!!
Most of us have visited a friend’s house for several days. If it’s only for a few days (and they like us), we will usually be shown around to the area’s nicest places. All of us well-dressed and cheerful, we run around to plays, museums and fine restaurants. Eventually we return home tired, pleased and relieved that things went so well.
Although not as entertaining, isn’t it better to be at home? We can walk around dressed very casually. We can sit anywhere and do (or not do) anything we please. Things are where we expect them, even if they are a bit shabby…
The differences between visiting and residing are striking, yet THEY reside where WE visit. Do they ALWAYS live the way they do when we visit?
Of course not;
-The bathrooms aren’t always that clean.
-They don’t always grill up steaks and eat with the “nice plates”.
-They don’t spend money so generously every day.
-Somebody cleaned up the place, mowed the lawn and did shopping.
In our relationship with God, are we visitors or residents?
When we pray, are we visiting Heaven or returning home for a season?
When we hear from the Lord, is He just here for a visit?
1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
Colossians 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
As a Baptist minister, I’m pretty comfortable with the idea that all born-again believers in Jesus Christ are “in-dwelled” with the Holy Spirit. We are taught this right away. It’s one of those “mysteries” that preachers tell us is unquestionably true. No matter how “carnal” the believer, the Holy Spirit is always dwelling in him…
But IS it always true?
-Is there a difference between the Holy Spirit IN you and the Holy
Spirit IN-DWELLING you?
Dwell = to reside or co-habitate.
Romans 8:8-11 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Paul is clearly making a distinction here. He says that all that are Christ’s HAVE the Spirit. And yet, it is evident that some (even many) are “in the flesh”. He encourages us to let the Spirit of Christ DWELL in us.
1 Corinthians 3:1-3 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
Why IS the Spirit of God given to us?
1 Corinthians 2:9-13 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
The Holy Spirit will tell us the things of God we could not know without Him!
Can you remember before you were saved; the Gospel and the Bible made no sense at all! I remember how it all seemed so imaginary and even silly. I remember thinking that Heaven sounded pretty boring. Sitting around singing endlessly to God seemed a waste of time…
1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
When the Holy Spirit began convicting me, I was only worried about Hell and Judgement. I didn’t really get the whole “lake of fire” thing, but I knew I was guilty and if Hell was real I was in real trouble. The idea that you die and then “nothing” couldn’t satisfy me (or any serious person) considering what a just God might do…
Romans 8:15-17 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Joint-heirs with Jesus! How can that work? We must understand that Christ living in us means that Jesus is actually doing the works of God through us.
-Not that we are not sinning.
-Not that we are doing “what Jesus would do”.
-Not that we are paying tithes and memorizing scripture.
Now we can see that we NEED the Holy Spirit or we can never DO what God has called us to do:
Romans 7:12-25 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
(v.14) I am carnal, sold under sin! Yikes!
What about believing and faith and all that stuff?
If I believe that Jesus is my Savior and that He died for my sin; does
that mean I am not carnal?
What about good works and tithing and praying and preaching?
(v.25) Only through Jesus Christ our Lord! Now, Romans 8 explains what is meant by “through Jesus Christ our Lord”…
Romans 8:1-4 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Paul here explains that not everyone that has the Holy Spirit walks in the Spirit. So far, not much of a problem; we all know “carnal” Christians (maybe we are carnal right now)…
Paul also causes us some trouble when he explains that when he refers to those that are in Christ, he is referring to those that walk after the Spirit. Paul says clearly that he means those that WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH.
We might complain about this and say; didn’t the Lord say that He would never leave us or forsake us? Paul clears this up by making a distinction between “having” the Spirit and being “in the Spirit”. He says being “in the Spirit” means that the Spirit of God “dwells in you”.
Romans 8:5-9 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Dwell = to reside or co-habitate.
Clearly, all Christians have the Holy Spirit inside of them. Unfortunately, He usually has the status of a visitor. The believer continues to live a carnal, natural life and knows it. Sin, powerlessness, fear and not winning souls to the Lord are evidences that we are “after the flesh” and cannot please God.
Remember visiting your friend’s house?
What would happen if you wanted to LIVE there?
I mean move in PERMANENTLY…
You’d need to have a meeting and make some decisions:
-He will have to trust you and you must trust him.
-You will have to suffer together; share the bills, take turns cutting the
lawn, cooking and taking out the garbage.
-You’ll have to sacrifice some privacy (in my house there is only one bath;
when someone’s in the shower, the others might use the bathroom at the
same time).
Actually, if you’re going to live there, it’s going to be YOUR HOUSE!
The importance of Faith:
Faith = to depend, to surrender to, to be satisfied with, to have
confidence, to trust.
To Believe = to have faith in something or someone.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Do you think Paul is saying that he was symbolically crucified with Christ, and that Paul
won’t have to sacrifice anything because Jesus already did?
Do you think that Paul ACTUALLY sacrificed his whole life to follow Christ?
Philippians 3:1-9 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.
2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Wow!! Christ living (dwelling) in Paul is a very big deal!
-Bigger than his religious standing in the synagogues.
-Bigger than his job and legal standing (he became a criminal).
-Bigger than his belongings and everything he had gained in the world.
Ephesians 3:17-20 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
1 John 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
What are His commandments? What kind of Law are we talking about here?
1 John 3:23-24 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
Romans 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
Isn’t it time to let the Lord move in?
Have a private meeting with Him.
Let Him do what He wants with your life.
Let’s live IN CHRIST!!
