Robert Turner - Indwelling of the Holy Spirit

The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit Lecture by Robert F. Turner, presented at Florida College, circa 1970 Audio recording available here: Robert Turner – Indwelling of the Holy Spirit https://audio.com/eutychus/audio/robert-turner-indwelling-of-the-holy-spirit-1 Or: https://wordsfitlyspoken.org/audio/turner/#unofficial-1972-florida-college-lectures Copy and paste this link to access a fully formatted document which is easier to read and follow hyperlinks. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HfKbWauu9KOpfPZNzHLMfeTa0Rw4vvzQ0HWEtAr9dp8/edit?usp=sharing SUMMARY Indwelling of Deity and in particular Indwelling of the Holy Spirit. A clear, faith-building study of how God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit dwell with His people. Stresses objective leading through the Word, the overlapping language of indwelling/fellowship/abiding, compatibility through Christ’s forgiveness, and man’s willing response. Key scriptures: Revelation 21, Romans 8, John 14-15, Ephesians 3. Full Transcript Don't worry, don't worry, just get up there. Reminds me of that fella that woke up in the middle of the night. The moonlight on the desert showed him a big rattlesnake on his chest, waving his head in his face. First he panicked a little bit, and then he remembered some advice that his old granddaddy had given him years ago: "When you get in a tight situation, remember, don't worry, relax, just relax." So he took his grandpa's advice, relaxed, went on back to sleep. Sure enough, the next morning, the snake was gone. Now, for our lesson—see how important it is to remember advice? I consider that I have a subject that could be considered either one of the most difficult subjects I could be given, or—if I can really bring myself to believe this, as I think I should—one of the most simple. And it's just going to depend on me now to really have faith in what I honestly believe the Word of God teaches about this subject. If I believe that as I think I should, I can have the confidence, and I'm certain that this is exactly what Brother Harold was talking about, the kind of confidence I should have in what God says. Now, what He actually says about this subject. I don't know why it should be anything but a reasonably ordinary subject, if any scriptural subject can be ordinary. One that can be studied, grasped, used to great advantage—one that all of us need: the “Indwelling of the Holy Spirit”. When God wished to picture for man the ultimate blessing, the final reward, the eternal destiny of those who are acceptable in His sight, He described New Jerusalem, the heavenly home, where God dwells with His people: “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people. And God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” (Revelation 21:3) Notice how closely this description of the heavenly home fits with the language of the Old Testament, where God is said to dwell among the children of Israel (Exodus 29:45) and walk among them, and “will be your God, and ye shall be my people” (Leviticus 26:12). Then those who prophesied of redemption in Christ used the same language, adding, “I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it” (Jeremiah 31:33). God promised, “My tabernacle also shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Ezekiel 37:27). This is not the promise of a tent, but of the divine presence and portends the ultimate indwelling of God with His people. It is in this framework that I view our subject, for I believe that a proper understanding of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit can be found only in a study of the indwelling of deity as a whole. The Scriptures speak of the Holy Spirit being in some, in a miraculous measure, endowing with power, delivering all truth, enabling some to work miracles, confirming the Word. This lecture does not deal with that facet of the subject, even to classify the references, but assumes the objective student will recognize such passages by their context. It should be remembered, however, that all apostles were Christians and subject to the general principles of indwelling, even though all Christians are not apostles and are not subject to the special impartation of the Spirit and power given to the apostles and prophets. No special significance can be attached to the language of indwelling. “Oikeō” (to dwell as in a house) is “in” plus the verb form of “house,” hence “in-house.” The word is used—and watch it—of God’s Spirit: it indwells in God’s Spirit (Romans 8:11), of God Himself (2 Corinthians 6:16), same language, of the Word of Christ (Colossians 3:16), of faith (you have to sort of read that a little carefully, but 2 Timothy 1:5, talking about faith that indwells), and of the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 1:14). And even of sin (Romans 7:17). Exactly the same language for every one of those. In each of these cases, “indwell” is accompanied by an additional “en,” epsilon nu, “in.” He indwells in. Expanding our terminology to include “katoikeō” (to dwell with) or to dwell with, then we have to add Christ to that list (Ephesians 3:17). And with the word “menō” (to remain/abide) or remain, we add “Spirit of truth” (John 14:17), at least for the apostles. The language makes no distinction in the indwelling of God and that of the Holy Spirit. Now, if this reduces the Holy Spirit to an influence, as some claim, it does the same for the Father and the Son of Deity. Perhaps our reluctance to see Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all indwell is due not so much to an overemphasis upon the Holy Spirit as to an underemphasis upon the indwelling of Father and Son. If we better understood and appreciated the latter, the former would not be such a problem. The beautiful ultimate relationship of creator and creature is pictured in Revelation and is the culmination of God’s eternal purpose and is made possible by three things. Number 1. The creature was made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27), having a spirit that can respond to God’s spirit. “They that are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Romans 8:14). And intended to the glory of God (Philippians 1:11; Ephesians 3:21, so on). (See also the marvelous study in Hebrews 2.) I think this is a tremendously important point, that man is so constructed that he can respond to God’s reaching out for him, the manner and method by which God reaches for man. Long time ago, they used to put it like this, that the gospel that God made is suited to the man that God made. That’s it. That’s what I’m saying right here. And that this leading—man being led by the Spirit—that it must be objective approach to the Spirit rather than subjective—is a thing that has been mentioned many times in the course of this particular lecture, but that needs far, far more emphasis. I had a couple come to me one time wanting to get married. I happened to know something about the man, and I knew that I couldn’t have anything to do with that marriage relation—the performing of ceremony or anything else—and I told him so. But this woman assured me that that very morning, she had talked with God. I guess she went out in the garden and talked to the angel. She had talked with God that morning and that God told her that this was all right, this would be just fine. Well, I said, “Do you mind if I ask him?” “No.” So I turned over and asked him. I read from Matthew the nineteenth chapter, the third through the ninth verses. “When I finished” I said, “Well, He said it wasn’t the thing to do.” Now, there’s two different concepts about how we’re led by the Spirit. The Augustinian and Calvinistic theology—and I dare say that we scarcely appreciate what this old religious theology has done to our thinking along this line—but that old Augustinian and Calvinistic theology, which makes man incapable of that kind of leading, incapable of accepting that sort of call—I mean, God’s speaking to us through His Word—that permeates much of today’s religious thinking, is degrading and discouraging to the product of God’s creation. (See Robert F. Turner’s related article: “Depravity And The Indwelling Spirit”) . Man was made but little lower than the angels, and it is God’s intention that he should occupy a glorious position: joint heir with Christ. There’s a marvelous study of that in Hebrews the second chapter, which I’ll not have time to go into. But he emphasizes that very point. And we might outline it like this, that God made man but little lower than himself, gave him an exalted position, creator and creature. And then it was through sin, man’s own sin, that man came to such a low state. And then God sent His Son, made in the image, not of the angels, but like Abraham, made like his brethren, you see. And he became partaker of flesh and blood like these down here, so that he might elevate them, bring them back up. That’s the whole idea of the thing. God intended man to occupy a glorious position, to be joint heirs with Christ, and these all things that he does for us. There is a popular conception that what Romans eight says is that no matter what happens, that it will all turn out, God will see to it that it all turns out for your good. That’s not what that passage says. “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) Those are the ones that love God. These are parallel statements here: to them that love God. Who are those that love God? To those who are called according to his purpose. For, and watch it, for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, then he also called. And whom he called, then he also justified; and whom he justified, then he also glorified. There are five “all things,” five of these “all things” that God did that are for our good. What are those five things? He designates them, he names them here. Here are all these things that God did. So that those who are the called according to his purpose—and that’s put right in the middle of them—God’s plan, and then the working out of that plan, then the call, then the justification, and then the glorification, and all these things work for our good. For whose good? For them that are called according to his purpose. It is a false, an erroneous, very misleading concept of the matter that says, “No matter what happens, this is all God meant this to be for your good.” Well, now it’s true that we may be exercised by all sorts of things, and it’s true that occurrences in our life may awaken us to the need for God, but without these five things that God gave so that we could ultimately be glorified with him, we’re just missing the point of that passage. (See also the full discussion in Romans 8.) But now that, the first point is that God made man so that he could respond to his call. Second, but man used the free agency with which God endowed him to reject God. He chose as a free agent, he chose evil rather than good, and in so doing, he separated himself from God. Now, I can’t go into all the theology of that point, but—we are responsible beings before God, hence the necessity for the second step, namely, God so loved man that he gave his own Son to die on our behalf (John 3:16). Through Christ, we are forgiven, justified, and the compatibility necessary for indwelling is made possible. That’s the point of the Roman letter, especially of the early part of it. Verse twenty-three of the third chapter says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Man was made up here in this glorious position, but he sinned. Then it says, “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:24) And you know the rest of it. And as we go on, I shall try to impress upon you the fact that without this, without this gift of God’s Son that man might be forgiven of his sins, the compatibility necessary for indwelling could not be. But God and darkness just do not mix. Without this perfect offering, this continual cleansing, man could have no fellowship with God. (1 John 1:6-7) And God would not tabernacle with man. “Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate; and I will be your Father, and ye shall be my sons and daughters.” (2 Corinthians 6:17-18) That’s the only way the compatibility can be established by which God will tabernacle with man. God has amply demonstrated his desire to indwell his creatures and has made compatibility possible through Christ, but man must supply the final leg to this triad. Number 3. Man must freely submit his own spirit to the spirit of God. Only in this total submission of will, this giving of oneself, can man establish true fellowship with God and enjoy the blessings of indwelling. I think it not unreasonable nor unscriptural to suggest that the whole of God’s dealings with man from the time of Adam’s sin has been to instruct, encourage, and persuade man to this end. Hereby is man blessed and God glorified. So we come to the thesis of what I want to put before you this morning. Here is the core of it. We’ll state as clearly as possible our thesis for this subject. It is according to God’s eternal purpose that he dwell in, be manifested through, and glorified by his creatures. The nature of man, the sacrifice of Christ, and the manner by which God calls or draws his creatures all contribute to the final realization of this indwelling. (Three contributing factors.) The indwelling of which we read in the New Testament is a foretaste, an earnest of that which is to come, and is relative to the degree that each man partakes of the divine nature. Indwelling in this time of preparation is inseparably related to our acceptance and response to the Word of God, in that the Word is the only media by which God’s Spirit expresses the things of God to the spirit of his creatures. It must be an objective, not a subjective approach to the Word of God. An objective, not a subjective approach to God himself. To God himself. These two things cannot be separated. The ultimate indwelling of God with his people is forecast in many ways throughout the divine revelation. God dwelt in the tabernacle, later in the temple, among the people of Israel (Exodus 40; 1 Kings 8). Of course, the presence of God was by way of manifestation, shekinah. Even Solomon knew that God in very deed did not have a limited dwelling place (1 Kings 8:27 and following expresses that). Then came the supreme manifestation of God in the flesh, Jesus of Nazareth. Here, Son of Man and Son of God was blended, and in a sense—and I wish you’d underscore or circle that—”in a sense”, the perfect example of indwelling was set before man. Let me say briefly but emphatically, I do not believe that Jesus Christ is nothing more than a sort of a supreme case of indwelling. That’s not what I’m saying. But in a sense the indwelling of God with man was—we were given the perfect example. He was called Emmanuel, or “God with us,” and in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9). He is our mediator, our advocate, the link between humanity and deity, the means by which man has fellowship with God, and the final indwelling is consummated. We see—that is, perceive or understand— God in Christ (John 14:7-9). We come to know God in Christ (1 John 2:3). “We have fellowship with God in Christ” (1 John 1:3, 6-7), and we abide in God through Christ (John 14:23). These passages and their many, many counterparts all emphasize the necessity for our being faithful to Christ. And how else than by means of the teaching or words of Christ to assure our abiding in God and God in us. We must abide in Christ and Christ in us in order to bear fruit (John 15:1-7). And in the fourteenth chapter, John verse twenty-three, we read, “If a man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him.” The word for “abode” here is the same as that used in John fourteen, two: John 14:2 KJV “In my Father’s house are many mansions, or abodes.” John sums up the matter beautifully when he says, “He that keepeth His commandments dwelleth in Him, and he in Him” (1 John 3:24). Now the second part of that verse, twenty-four b, “We know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us,” is in a context that clearly indicates an objective, not a subjective test for indwelling. We are to try the spirits, whether they be of God, and this trying is to be done by comparison with apostolic teaching (1 John 4:6). “He is not of God, heareth not us.” 1 John 4:12 reads, “If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.” Now, I’m assuming that these passages just say what they mean to say and that man is so equipped that when he’s ready to just look at them, take them in their context, that he can accept them exactly the way they’re given, and that is the context, that is the context of the statement. But we can know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which is given. That is the context. We’re talking about the context. We’re in a book that was written to Christians to promote a closer, finer sort of a fellowship or indwelling, as one may suspect from passages already cited, fellowship. Knowing oneness and abiding or indwelling of God and man are not different relationships, but one relationship differently described. There’s no difference in them. In the final outcome, when you put it all together, you’re talking about the same thing. Now, I don’t mean those terms are interchangeable, like kingdom and church refer to the same people, but refer to different aspects of the single relationship. So here, I don’t mean you can just insert this term “indwell” wherever you find “fellowship,” oh no. But when you talk about a person who is in fellowship with God, really and truly, you’re talking about a person in whom God dwells, really and truly. We’ll keep going on this. The Father and Son are in us to the extent the truth is in us, and the point embraces far more than an intellectual knowledge of truth. It concerns a response to truth, whereby the Father and Son are manifested in our lives. 1 John 2:24 reads, “Let that abide in you which ye heard from the beginning. If that which ye heard from the beginning abide in you, ye also shall abide in the Son and in the Father.” Compare 1 John 1:6-7. “If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin.” In this consistent overlapping of indwelling and fellowship with God, of knowing in the sense of relationship (see Vine on *ginōskō* in the context of Galatians 4:9 or 1 Corinthians 8:3, where “known of God” carries the sense of approval/relationship), and being known of him, we are being taught concerning the oneness of God and man on earth, whereby we are prepared for the ultimate heavenly indwelling. , and being known of him, we are being taught concerning the oneness of God and man on earth, whereby we are prepared for the ultimate heavenly indwelling. I just don’t see how you can ignore the tremendous and repeated overlapping of these terms. And they do overlap time, time, time again. The things of God, his nature, will, the very manifestation of God in Christ, are made known to us by the Spirit of God through chosen messengers. And I’m passing this point rather rapidly because I assume that you surely have studied such points as First Corinthians two (1 Corinthians 2), where God hath revealed these hitherto unknown things, God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit. The “us” here are inspired men. Oh, I know. It’s popular nowadays. In fact, several years back, a Firm Foundation article carried the whole point here was just as Calvinistic as it could be, that the Holy Spirit’s the glasses. You can’t understand, and then you put on the glasses, and then you can understand. And they made the “us” just anyone who would be trying to understand. That’s not what they’re talking about. The “us” there are inspired men. They’re the same kind of men under consideration in Ephesians, the third chapter, when God, when Paul says that, “This dispensation of grace which is given unto us where God by revelation through his Spirit has made known unto me certain things, which I wrote before in few words, whereby when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ.” (Ephesians 3:2-4) Here was something hitherto unknown. God made it known to Paul, if you’ll excuse the reference here to myself as the middleman, God made it known to Paul by his Spirit, by revelation. And he goes on to say, which he made known unto the apostles and prophets by his Spirit. There’s your “us,” the apostles and prophets of the New Testament, by Spirit. And then we wrote. And you, when you read what we wrote, you can know what we know. How did you know it, Paul? God revealed it unto me. How can I know it, Paul? You can take what I say, Paul said. You can listen to what I say. You can receive what I’m setting forth here. This is God’s plan, and it must be accepted objectively. These truths must be objectively determined and accepted by the spirit of man. We must look outside ourselves to that which God has provided, then taking this—what God has provided—taking this to heart (Romans 2:29), the Jew circumcised in the heart, we are motivated thereby and seek to conform our lives to the divine will. Indwelling is the result of the marriage of God’s spirit and man’s spirit. A blending, knowing, abiding or oneness that is initiated by the love of God, but is consummated only when the free will of man acquiesces so that the two spirits bear witness together. It is in this vein—keeping God and the Spirit of God united as deity—that the church is called the house or temple of God, where dwells the Spirit of God. It’s a temple of God, where dwells the Spirit of God. See 1 Corinthians 3. On an individual basis, the saints are urged to flee fornication because one’s body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:18). Paul prayed that the Ephesians might be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man (Ephesians 3:16-19). Here we see God’s Spirit in man’s spirit. And I wish I had the time to study that passage with you. Particularly is it important here, and I don’t mean to say that you can’t understand it in English, but here, if you knew just a little bit about Greek and the word “hina,” or “in order that,” you would find perhaps different outlines of those sentences sixteen through nineteen than you had thought of before. Paul prayed for something. What he prayed for, maybe I ought to take just a moment. What he prayed for is set forth here. Just fudge a little do this in here. What he prayed for was that we might have two things here: be strengthened with might by the Spirit in the inner man, and then this next—that is not a “hina” at all, verse seventeen is not “hina”. It’s just a comparable statement. These are comparable statements, compatible statements. “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, the length, the depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:18 KJV What he’s really saying is, there’s two big things here that I want for you, and they sum up finally in your being filled with the fullness of God, and I pray in order to these two big things. They all amount to saying that God may dwell in you. That’s exactly what they amount to saying. When Christ dwells in us, we are rooted and grounded in love, a parallel with Romans five, five, where we’re told the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us (Romans 5:5). We’re filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18) when we let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly (Colossians 3:16). One must shut his mind to an enormous overlapping of terminology in order to conclude that the Holy Spirit dwells in a Christian in a way different from the indwelling of the Father and the Son of deity. Our tendency to complicate the subject and gag at the difficulties of our own making has precedence in sacred history. In John four, ten to fourteen (John 4:10-14), Jesus tells the Samaritan woman of living water, which one may have in him, a well of water springing up unto eternal life. She did not understand how this could be. Then in John six, thirty-one to thirty-five (John 6:31-35), Jesus describes himself as the true bread from heaven which giveth life unto the world. Later, he expanded the figure to include meat and drink, saying, “He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me, and I in him.” “He that eateth me, he also shall live because of me” (verses 56-57) (John 6:56-57). Romanists absurdly interpret this as referring to the Lord’s Supper. People in Jesus’ day were offended by it and walked away saying, “This is a hard saying, who can hear it?” (John 6:60) But Jesus gave a clear explanation: “It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are s(S)pirit, and they are life” (verse 63) (John 6:63). Christ dwells in us and we in him to the extent we feed on him. This is done by receiving his words, assimilating that food, digesting that food, allowing them—his teaching—to become a part of us. It’s not just the intellectual knowledge of the matter, but the assimilation and use of it that makes for the indwelling. They produce spiritual life to the extent we live by them, following Christ. Peter understood this, for when Jesus asked if he would go away, he replied—and watch his reply—“Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life” (verse sixty-eight) (John 6:68). We cannot separate the lordship of Christ from the Lord’s decrees. Whatever the Lord says, you can’t separate that. You can’t say that you are a servant and citizen under the lordship of Christ and pay no attention to what the Lord says. But—and this is an important statement also—but we must not conclude that man saves himself by the use he makes per se of the Word of God. Now, this is not a system of law. Man cannot achieve compatibility with God through a system of law, no matter how sincerely he tries. Nor can he summon the Spirit of God by his intellectual grasp of Christ’s teaching. A central factor of our thesis, yet undiscussed, is the forgiveness of sins made possible by the death of Jesus Christ, and without which there could be no indwelling. We now invite your attention to the seventh and eighth chapters of the Roman letter. In chapter seven, seven and following (Romans 7:7), Paul says that having the law of God was not enough, that it did in fact work death in him. Oh, you say, “Yes, but that’s what the old law, and you keep following it.” The fault was not in the law, which he said was holy, just, and good, but the trouble lay in Paul. “I delight in the law of God after the inward man,” (Romans 7:22) Paul says, affirming that his spirit wholly desires life. “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” (Romans 7:22-23). He says the answer for this, a joyous answer, is Jesus Christ, who makes forgiveness possible through his self-sacrifice (25th verse) (Romans 7:25), and of course, we’ve already studied Romans 3:23 and following (Romans 3:23-24). Note that the answer for the problem of man is not a new set of laws—although that difference does exist—but the answer is the blood of Christ, by which forgiveness is possible. Those whose spirits earnestly yearn to serve God in Christ—and that was, that’s for us too, today, with the new covenant—we’re faced with the same conflict described by Paul. “The good that I would, I do not; the evil which I would not, that I do.” (Romans 7:19) We receive the Father, the Son, Holy Spirit willingly enough—we—but despite our earnest endeavor, we sin. There is no compatibility between God and darkness (1 John 1:5-7). And if we persist in sin, we have no fellowship with him. But those who desire to be free from sin, who sincerely strive to walk according to his Spirit’s directions, have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous (1 John 2:1). By whom forgiveness is possible. Through Christ, a fellowship with God, an indwelling is made possible which could not otherwise exist. It is to Christians, to those who have this advocate, this forgiveness, that Paul directs the eighth chapter. Then when you get into the eighth chapter, notice that the will of man, the mind, the inward man of chapter seven, is the spirit, man’s spirit, of the early part of chapter eight (Romans 8). Don’t let the capital S’s fool you there. Keep it in its context. Paul contrasts the carnal mind, desirous of fleshly satisfaction, with the spirit of man that desires to serve God, but desire alone is not enough. Our spirit must find compatibility with the spirit of God so that they can bear witness together, verse sixteen (Romans 8:16), that we are children of God, awaiting ultimate glorification. And that’s why there must be coupled with this our dependence upon the forgiveness that is made possible through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. I’m the one who sinned, but Christ is the one who died. I’m the one to whom the strokes were due, but he’s the one who received the strokes. You leave that out of this picture, and there is no compatibility. Why? Not because God doesn’t desire it? But because he made us free agents, go right back to our thesis, because he made us free agents, and because being free agents, we sin. There must be forgiveness, or there can be no compatibility. Now, these Christian people—people who are striving to serve God, who have put their dependence upon Jesus Christ and look to him for this forgiveness, and who now attune their spirit to his spirit, his spirit in their spirit, and their spirit in his, you see, the sort of coupling that is here shown us—these are the kind of people in whom the Spirit of God dwells today. Notice that verse nine uses “Spirit of God” and “Spirit of Christ” interchangeably. And verse ten continues by saying, “If Christ be in you.” (Romans 8:9-10) The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is a means of describing the close fellowship that exists between God and those of his creatures who earnestly desire and endeavor to partake of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), become partakers of his holiness (Hebrews 12:10), and through forgiveness in Jesus Christ are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:18). The ultimate end of such a life is our acceptance into the heavenly habitation, where God will dwell with us and we with him throughout all eternity. God bless you. DETAILED OUTLINE I. Introduction and Opening Illustration Rattlesnake anecdote and granddaddy’s advice: “When you get in a tight situation, remember, don’t worry, relax, just relax.” Importance of remembering good advice. Subject: The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit — potentially one of the most difficult or simplest topics, depending on faith in what the Word of God teaches. Emphasis on having confidence in what God actually says (referencing Brother Harold). II. Heavenly Home and Old Testament Background God’s picture of the ultimate blessing: New Jerusalem, where God dwells with His people. “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people. And God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” (Revelation 21:3) Parallel Old Testament language: God dwelling among Israel (Exodus 29:45) and walking among them. “Will be your God, and ye shall be my people” (Leviticus 26:12). “I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it” (Jeremiah 31:33). “My tabernacle also shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Ezekiel 37:27). This points to the divine presence, not merely a tent — the ultimate indwelling of God with His people. Framework: A proper understanding of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit requires studying the indwelling of deity as a whole. III. Distinction: Miraculous vs. General Indwelling The Holy Spirit in a miraculous measure (power, truth, miracles, confirmation of the Word) is not the focus of this lecture. All apostles were Christians subject to general indwelling principles, though not all Christians received the special apostolic impartation. IV. Language of Indwelling (No Special Significance) “Oikeō” (to dwell as in a house) = “in” + verb form of “house” (“in-house”). Used identically of: God’s Spirit (Romans 8:11) God Himself (2 Corinthians 6:16) The Word of Christ (Colossians 3:16) Faith (2 Timothy 1:5) The Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 1:14) Even sin (Romans 7:17) Each case includes the additional “en” (in). “He indwells in.” Expanding terminology: “Katoikeō” (to dwell with) → adds Christ (Ephesians 3:17). “Menō” (to remain/abide) → adds “Spirit of truth” (John 14:17), at least for the apostles. No distinction in language between the indwelling of God and the Holy Spirit. Reducing the Holy Spirit to an “influence” would do the same for the Father and Son. The reluctance often stems from underemphasis on the indwelling of the Father and Son. V. The Ultimate Relationship of Creator and Creature (Made Possible by Three Things) The beautiful ultimate relationship (pictured in Revelation) is the culmination of God’s eternal purpose, made possible by three things: 1. The creature was made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27), having a spirit that can respond to God’s spirit. “They that are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Romans 8:14). Intended to the glory of God (Philippians 1:11; Ephesians 3:21). Marvelous study in Hebrews 2. Key point: Man is constructed to respond objectively (the gospel God made is suited to the man God made). Leading by the Spirit must be objective, not subjective. Anecdote: Couple wanting to marry; the woman claimed God told her directly; speaker read Matthew 19:3-9 and noted God’s Word disagreed. Critique of Augustinian/Calvinistic theology: It makes man incapable of responding to God’s call through His Word and is degrading to God’s creation. (Related article: “Depravity And The Indwelling Spirit” by Robert F. Turner) Man was made “but little lower than the angels” and intended as joint heir with Christ (emphasis in Hebrews 2). Popular misunderstanding of Romans 8: Not “everything turns out for good no matter what,” but: “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) The five “all things” God did (for those called according to His purpose): Foreknew Predestinated (to be conformed to the image of His Son) Called Justified Glorified (Full context: Romans 8) Three contributing factors to the final realization of this indwelling (thesis core): The nature of man The sacrifice of Christ The manner by which God calls or draws His creatures VI. Compatibility Through Christ and Man’s Response (The Three Factors Continued) Man used free agency to sin and separate from God. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:24) God so loved man that he gave his own Son (John 3:16). Forgiveness and compatibility made possible through Christ. God and darkness do not mix (1 John 1:5-7). “Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate; and I will be your Father, and ye shall be my sons and daughters.” (2 Corinthians 6:17-18) 3. Man must freely submit his own spirit to the Spirit of God (total submission of will) for true fellowship and the blessings of indwelling. VII. Thesis and Objective Nature of Indwelling According to God’s eternal purpose: He dwells in, is manifested through, and is glorified by His creatures. New Testament indwelling is a foretaste/earnest of the ultimate heavenly indwelling, relative to the degree each man partakes of the divine nature. Inseparable from acceptance of and response to the Word of God (objective, not subjective approach to the Word and to God Himself). VIII. Biblical Examples of God’s Dwelling and Christ as the Perfect Example God in the tabernacle/temple among Israel (Exodus 40; 1 Kings 8) — shekinah presence. Solomon knew God does not dwell in a limited place (1 Kings 8:27). Supreme manifestation: Jesus Christ — “Emmanuel, God with us”; “in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). We see, know, have fellowship with, and abide in God in Christ: (John 14:7-9; 1 John 2:3; 1 John 1:3, 6-7; John 14:23). Jesus’ words: “If a man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him.” (John 14:23) Abide in Christ to bear fruit (John 15:1-7). “He that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him” (1 John 3:24). Objective test for indwelling: Try the spirits by apostolic teaching (1 John 4:6); love one another (1 John 4:12). IX. Overlapping Terms: Indwelling, Fellowship, and Knowing Father and Son are in us to the extent truth is in us (response, not mere intellect) (1 John 2:24; compare 1 John 1:6-7). Knowing in the sense of relationship (see Vine on ginōskō in the context of Galatians 4:9 or 1 Corinthians 8:3, where “known of God” carries the sense of approval/relationship**). Revelation of God’s things by the Spirit through inspired messengers (1 Corinthians 2; Ephesians 3:2-4 — “This dispensation of grace...”). Indwelling results from God’s Spirit and man’s spirit bearing witness together (objective acceptance of the Word; Romans 2:29). X. Temple Language and Ephesians 3:16-19 Church as temple of God (1 Corinthians 3). Individual body as temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:18). Paul’s prayer: strengthened by the Spirit in the inner man; Christ dwelling by faith; filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:16-19). Parallels: love of God shed abroad by the Holy Ghost (Romans 5:5); filled with the Spirit when the Word of Christ dwells richly (Ephesians 5:18; Colossians 3:16). XI. Figurative Teaching (Living Water, Bread of Life) Living water (John 4:10-14). Bread from heaven (John 6:31-35). “He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me, and I in him.” “He that eateth me, he also shall live because of me.” (John 6:56-57). Explanation: “It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are s(S)pirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63). “This is a hard saying, who can hear it?” (John 6:60). Peter: “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68). XII. Romans 7–8: Conflict, Forgiveness, and Indwelling Law reveals sin but cannot solve the problem (Romans 7). “I delight in the law of God after the inward man.” (Romans 7:22). Answer: Jesus Christ and forgiveness through His sacrifice (Romans 7:25; Romans 3:23ff). “The good that I would, I do not; the evil which I would not, that I do.” (Romans 7:19). Advocate: Jesus Christ the righteous (1 John 2:1). In Romans 8: Man’s spirit attuned to God’s Spirit; they bear witness (Romans 8:16). Spirit of God / Spirit of Christ used interchangeably; “If Christ be in you.” (Romans 8:9-10). XIII. Conclusion The indwelling of the Holy Spirit describes the close fellowship that exists between God and those who earnestly desire and endeavor to partake of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), become partakers of His holiness (Hebrews 12:10), and are changed into the same image (2 Corinthians 3:18). The ultimate end of such a life is our acceptance into the heavenly habitation, where God will dwell with us and we with Him throughout all eternity. God bless you. . Condensed Outline: The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit Robert F. Turner (Florida College, circa 1970) I. Language of Indwelling No special significance attaches to the term “indwell.” Oikeō (in-house): used of God’s Spirit (Romans 8:11), God Himself (2 Corinthians 6:16), the Word of Christ (Colossians 3:16), faith (2 Timothy 1:5), the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 1:14), and even sin (Romans 7:17). Katoikeō (dwell with): includes Christ (Ephesians 3:17). Menō (abide/remain): includes the Spirit of truth (John 14:17). The language makes no distinction between the indwelling of God and the Holy Spirit. II. Ultimate Relationship of Creator and Creature Made possible by three things: Nature of man – Created in God’s image with a spirit that can respond to God’s Spirit (Genesis 1:26-27). “They that are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Romans 8:14). Intended for God’s glory (Philippians 1:11; Ephesians 3:21; Hebrews 2). Sacrifice of Christ – Provides forgiveness and compatibility. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). God so loved man that He gave His Son (John 3:16). “Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate…” (2 Corinthians 6:17-18). God and darkness do not mix (1 John 1:5-7). Man’s willing response – Free submission of his spirit to the Spirit of God. III. Thesis It is according to God’s eternal purpose that He dwell in, be manifested through, and be glorified by His creatures. The New Testament indwelling is a foretaste of the ultimate heavenly indwelling. IV. Objective Nature of Indwelling Indwelling is inseparably tied to acceptance of and response to the Word of God (objective, not subjective). The Word is the only medium by which God’s Spirit reaches man’s spirit. V. Biblical Examples of God’s Dwelling Tabernacle and Temple (Exodus 40; 1 Kings 8). Jesus Christ: “in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). Jesus’ words: “If a man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him.” (John 14:23) Abide in Christ to bear fruit (John 15:1-7). “He that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him” (1 John 3:24). VI. Overlapping Terms Indwelling, fellowship, and knowing overlap. Knowing in the sense of relationship (see Vine on ginōskō – Galatians 4:9; 1 Corinthians 8:3). Revelation through inspired men (1 Corinthians 2; Ephesians 3:2-4). VII. Temple and Inner Man Church as temple of God (1 Corinthians 3). Body as temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:18). Paul’s prayer: strengthened by the Spirit, Christ dwelling by faith, filled with the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:16-19). Parallels: love shed abroad (Romans 5:5); Word of Christ dwelling richly (Colossians 3:16). VIII. Figurative Teaching – Feeding on Christ Living water (John 4:10-14). Bread of life (John 6:31-35). “He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me, and I in him.” “He that eateth me, he also shall live because of me.” (John 6:56-57). Explanation: “It is the Spirit that quickeneth… the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63). IX. Romans 7–8: Conflict, Forgiveness, and Indwelling Struggle with sin (Romans 7:22; Romans 7:19). Solution: forgiveness through Christ (Romans 7:25; Romans 3:23-24; 1 John 2:1). In Romans 8: man’s spirit attuned to God’s Spirit (Romans 8:9-10; Romans 8:16). X. Conclusion The indwelling of the Holy Spirit describes close fellowship for those who partake of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), His holiness (Hebrews 12:10), and are changed into the same image (2 Corinthians 3:18). Ultimate end: God dwelling with us eternally. God bless you. 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