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of the Holy Spirit in the believer. And especially because there's
an important link between this indwelling of the spirit,
and that which we now do by way of the supper. We looked at several
texts, scripture, emphasizing spirits indwelling, even from
the Old Testament, Ezekiel 36, 27, how God put the spirit within
them and caused them to walk. In his commandments, we saw repeatedly
in Romans eight, eight through, or nine through 11, there in
verse 18, against God, not subject to the
law of God, neither be it can it be, that those with a flesh
cannot please God. And Paul says, but you're not. Right, and all of those believers
in Rome, you're not. You're not now under the dictates
of all of humanity. If so, be it that the Spirit
of God dwells in you. Because honestly, anyone who
doesn't have the Spirit of Christ, he's not a his, he's not preferred.
Because it's what happens. Every person can burn. The spirit
of God dwells, and he not only says it there in that verse,
but then he intimates it in verse 10, but he comes to verse 11,
and he again says it twice. He dwells, he dwells, as he pointed
out. It's word related. I have a house,
it's residence. Here is where the Holy Spirit
dwells, that is in the individual believers. It's the idea of a
permanent residence of each Christian upon conversion. No more are
they carnal, hostile against God. No more are they those who
cannot please God, but rather, well, the spirit calls. We've
seen that from 1 Corinthians chapter six. So unless it's the
case that our very bodies are here called God's temple, notice
again, verse 19 of 1 Corinthians six. Or do you not know that
your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom
you have from God, in you are not. This is not to be confused with
that earlier reference, I mentioned this in the previous hour, 1
Corinthians 3, 16, 17, Paul's talking about the church, and
he uses the plural. Ye, all of you, are the temple
of God where God dwells by his spirit, meaning the gathered
saints, the loathful church, is the new covenant temple. Well, that's a glorious truth,
and that should be a controlling reality. That's why Paul says
that, so that we take care of what they do in their church
life, recognizing what they are. That was to be very real in their
thinking, controlling in their thinking. Well, this is not that. This is talking about those individuals. Your very bodies, each true Christian,
God's temple, And because God, by the Holy Spirit, dwells in
each true Christian, you are that much, and dwelt by him,
you are that much his constant temple, and this is to be a controlling
reality. It's to govern how we think.
And you recall God's regard for the Old Testament temple. You're
familiar with that? manifest his glory and so forth. Or you got Psalm 87 too, how
God loves Zion above all the homes, the gates of Zion above
all the homes, the habitations there. That is to say that this meet with his people. You've
got similar language, Psalm 132. This is my resting place forever. Here I will dwell. I have desired. You've got other statements like
that. That's how God looked at that Old Testament temple, right? This is where he chose to dwell. My brother, if that was so, that
Old Testament temple, and God speaking so highly, that which
is just stones and wood, how much more? these temples, his
own beloved children, and them, and dwelt God imparting himself
to them by the Holy Spirit. We made three observations throughout
two applications in that previous studies, and some were not here.
Let me just do a quick review. Firstly, this should impress
upon us the great grace and condescension of God. If indeed the heavens
and heavens cannot contain him, Solomon says, how much less this
temple that Solomon had built. So one of this, God would call
it the sin to dwell in that temple. But wait a minute, these temples
that God chiseled, redeemed sinners, individuals. Secondly, when the
Bible speaks of God's spirit and dwelling in us, That is to say, he's no mere
visitor, but rather he is taken up for permanent residence. He's
there to stay with his people. Remember how the Lord Jesus talked
about the Father giving you another comforter, another helper, that
he may abide and continue with you? And he says, forever! Come
what may, the Holy Spirit is there. But then thirdly, the
Holy Spirit is not simply dwelling in us, as if he's just taking
out, but rather where the Spirit is, works. And that is the emphasis. But he's not there just there.
No, he's carrying on all of his ministries right there in that
most strategic place that is in our hearts, the control center. And so we can see, for instance,
Ezekiel, I've already made reference to it, 36, 27, put my spirit
within you and cause you to walk. Well, this is the control center,
the Holy Spirit's right there causing this. Or when Paul prayed
for the Ephesians, that they would be strengthened with might
in the inner man through the Holy Spirit. Well, that's where
the Spirit is. He works. That explains you,
dear Christian. whatever it is. Two applications. Firstly, the truth of the indwelling
spirit is revealed so as to give us confidence and boldness. We
saw that, of course, in Paul's words to Timothy in 2 Timothy
1.14. You guard the gospel, Timothy. I know you're a weak constitution.
I know I'm soon to be gone. You're going to be a big task.
But wait a minute. You guard the gospel in the Holy
Spirit who dwells in us, Timothy. You and me and all the Lord's
people. He will enable you. He will aid you. Have strong
confidence in him. But then, the application number
two, experience of indwelling is great motivation to holiness. And that's why Paul wrote this
here in 1 Corinthians 6. These people were tempted to
use their bodies in sexual immorality. Well, he gives a number of arguments
against that. At least it's why the Christian
cannot go that way. But then, this one especially.
That body? You'll sin with that body? Don't
you know that body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and dwells
in you? How dare you defile God's temple
using it in sin? Well, that's so not only with
sexual immorality, but rather in other sins as well. This tongue,
these eyes, this... Take care of what you do. and then draw out an important
or a practical application. Firstly then, or fourthly, I
guess I should say, by way of observation, this grand truth
of the Holy Spirit's indwelling, it also speaks of the intimacy
between persons now and then with God. You know, we know that
it's saving us. God brought us into a special
and even a close relationship with himself. He did it. All
that was needed to bring us into that close relationship. Remember
the words of the New Covenant? I will be their God, they shall
be my people. Well, it's in that connection
in Proverbs chapter eight, verse 11. And I'm not having to teach
everybody how to know the Lord because we all know the Lord.
Not only are they all my people, but they know me. From the least
to the greatest, every one of them, they know me. Well, that
whole covenant, and all that went into establishing that covenant
by the blood of Christ, it was so that we should be made as
covenant we should be, even forever. Or you got that Titus 2.14, how
the Lord Jesus, that gave himself more of us, that he would redeem
us from every lawless deed. treasured by people distinct
from the rest of humanity and truly treasured by God. Well,
the whole design of our salvation is to bring us into that religion,
or even 1 John chapter 3 and verse 11. We should be called
God's children. He should deem us as his own
children. What manner of love is this? So the point I'm trying
to illustrate is that God brought us into a very special and a
very close relationship. by this salvation. In fact, it
all points to something that's very experiential, not just a
head knowledge as theoretically and positionally in heaven and
earth. No, this was to be lived out.
But this matter of the Holy Spirit's indwelling gives further emphasis
to this in its own special way. The idea of that closeness and
familiarity. Please come to John chapter 14.
Notice how our Lord Jesus spoke. of this in that connection. Remember
this is part of that upper room discourse that last time with
disciples before the crucifixion and later the ascension and exaltation. And he's giving the words here
for all of his people throughout the course of their lives with
them being then departed, not physically present as it were
bodily present as he had been, but for the life of the Lord's
people. That's why chapters 14, 15, 16
of John's Gospel greatly emphasize the Holy Spirit, because it would
be through that means that his people would live in glory by
him. That's what Jesus said. Having said back in verse 15,
he didn't want me to keep my commandments, he then says, verse
21 of John 14, he who has my commandments and keeps them,
it is he who loves me, and he who loves me will be loved by
my Father, and I will love him, and manifest myself we're talking
about really his post-ascension from his throne of glory. I will manifest myself too. And
you know, Judas was scared and said to him, Lord, how is it
that you won't manifest yourself to me? and not to the world. I mean, there Jesus is, the world
can see him while he's walking in this world, he's manifesting
himself, he's having fellowship with his disciples, he's closest
with these apostles in particular. Are you gonna manifest yourself
to the world? That's what Jesus said. Jesus
answered and said to him, if anyone loves me, he will keep
my word. And my father will love him.
And we will come to him and make our home We're translated here, home.
Same word used earlier, this chapel, Jesus said, I go to a
better place than my father's house or any mansions. Well,
it's that idea, a dwelling place. We will make our dwelling with
this. So, the word Jesus says, those
who love him, his true people, this will be our home. Now, these
words, too, raise some questions. I mean, firstly, to whom is this
promise made? Well, obviously, it's made to
those who love Christ and out of love obey him. But is that
some special class of Christians? You have some Christians, they
love Jesus and they obey him, but then you have these other
Christians, and they really don't obey him, and they don't love
him so much, but there's some Christians, oh no. No, this is all true Christians. Faith works by love, Paul says
in Galatians. Or 1 John chapter two, here's
how we know that we know him, we keep his commandments. Or
when he puts his spirit within us and causes us to walk in his
commandments. This is what the Lord's people
do. Out of love for Christ, they do obey him. Well then how do
the father and son manifest themselves to God? these true believers,
all true believers, even, as it says here in 14.23, being
right at home with them. How's that done? Well, it's not
that the Lord Jesus Christ comes bodily. There is that glorified
humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ somewhere in God's universe. He forever retains his humanity
and that is one place at one time, a very real body of true
humanity. Obviously he's one person with
two distinct moral firm measures. But how is it that Christ then
can come and manifest himself with the Father? to all of his
people. Well, that's very much the theme
of the Solomon of Discourse chapter 14 following of coming by the
Spirit. Remember, he said, I will not
leave you orphans, I will come to you, in verse 18. And the
Spirit, the helper is with you, he will be in you. All of that
points to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. In fact, it's interesting,
there are Romans chapter 8, where if they would, you're not
in the flesh, but the spirit, if somebody, the spirit of God
dwells in you, if anyone does not have the spirit of Christ,
he's none of this, and then he goes on in 8.10 to say, Christ
in you. Well, which is, well, the answer
is yes. It's the triune God, as it were. You've got Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit, and it's by means of the spirit's indwelling
that we then enjoy fellowship closest that is by the Spirit. The very
idea being very much at home, a familiarity, an intimacy, even
mutual delight. In other words, when Jesus says
manifest, make our home, he's talking about experiential Christianity.
You love me, you keep my commandments, well, I will support you. come
from the Father, Son, and all by the Holy Spirit, ever-present,
indwelling, blessing us, known by us. Knowing God is real, even
as our delight. The Bible uses the word fellowship
to describe the Christian life, a shared life, real, knowledge
of God, knowing God, delighting in God. Again, it's mutual delight. Come and make our home. Not simply
with you, but in you. Well, for what greater interest? What nearer companionship? What higher privilege? That God
should so impart from self to each a holy spirit? And what
grace for God to do this to redeem? that is remembered, we're redeemed
sinners. For God to now dwell by his Holy
Spirit permanently in us. And all of this underscores how
thoroughly reconciled to God and right with God we are. We
are sinners, yes, but all. Such is that reconciliation in
Christ, and such is that perfection of that one offering. that it
is that God so receives us as to come and manifest Himself,
as to come and dwell within us by His Holy Spirit. What perfect
acceptance is ours through Christ and not a one-off? That's what
it underscores. The idea that now, because of
the work of Christ, by giving us the Holy Spirit, there's that
intimacy, that familiarity, that closeness, that mutual delight. Well, is that not a fitting writing
observation from what scripture says about the Spirit's indwelling. I hope I've carried your conscience
that it is. But what application? Well, surely, brethren, for us
it's to cherish the privilege and to enjoy the closeness with
God. You know, all this emphasis on
the Holy Spirit indwelling, and we'll look at other works. We'll
be looking at the baptism of the Spirit. We'll be looking
at the sealing of the Spirit, and the witness of the Spirit,
and so forth in days to come. that the crystallized, it's not
a natural life. It's not a life, well, we got a little spatter
of religion here about this. No, it's life in with, by the
Holy Spirit. It's God himself imparting himself
to us by the Spirit, even ever close in dwelling. Well, it's for us to recognize
that as a privilege. And to enjoy this closeness. to believe what God has declared
about the Holy Spirit. I must confess, I find this a
hard thing to grasp mentally. What? The Holy Spirit can go
into this body? Again, well, there it is, Lord. There it is.
It's for me to believe in it. Whatever the ramifications are,
it starts with recognizing this is you and you're a part of yourself
to me as one of your people. to deliberately and consciously
recognize this is reality. It's God himself who has said
this to be so. It is so. And therefore, however
much I have a hard time grasping this for me to recognize it and
to believe it, so is to live it. Or put it another way, it
is the life with God, a delighting in it, a blessed fellowship and
interaction with our triune God. That's what this is about. Do you think of God out there
somewhere at a distance, though felt since his presence there
for a while, that this is the normal Christian? Well, what
we've seen shows that he couldn't get any closer to inhabitants, recognize what is true, and believe. Do you want regular nearness
or closeness with God? Well, dear brother, dear sister,
you couldn't have a closer companion? Is there always a permanent presence? Or is it from another angle? Do you see yourself as a physical
failure? I am, as a Christian. Good, I would, I don't do the
evil that I would, not that I do. I know, I know, Paul said that,
but boy, with me, it's really. But you also see this. You're the temple of the living
God, where he dwells by his Spirit. The Isle of Miserable Grit doesn't
affect this at all. We're talking about what's true. A dignity and a privilege that's
granted to each of us that's entirely due to God's grace.
But I'm in pretty good faith, so the Holy Spirit will help
me. It's to be recognized, and really,
this is reality. It's to be our reality. Do you want to know more of the
workings of the Holy Spirit? You know, we read, especially
in the New Testament, of so many workings of the Spirit, the witness
of the Spirit, the seal of the Spirit, et cetera. Or Romans
8, 13, about putting to death the deeds of the body by the
Spirit, or more of that. Or then it goes on in the next
verse to talk about the Holy Spirit meeting us every single
day. It's all in that inward work. Or it talks about the Holy
Spirit as the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry out upon it, knowing
that sense of the Father's love, and that feeling of relationship
with God, even more real. Or it talks about the Spirit
bearing witness within our spirits, and we are the sons of God. What's
no more of that? We're gonna talk some Paul's
prayer in Region 3. Pray they'll be strengthened with might by
the Spirit in the inner man. No more of these ministries of
the Spirit? Why ask? I recognize the interest, always,
always. Position, hoist, praying at hand
to help. Has God revealed this in his
word? Yes, he has repeatedly. The spirit dwells within us.
Well, why is that? Well, among other things, for
us to recognize it, to believe it, and therefore to live consistently
with it. That is for our privilege to
be cherished and this closeness with God enjoyed. That which
Christ has secured for us and given us and giving us the Holy
Spirit. For that to be very experienced I'm a great lover of Malcolm
Martyn Lloyd-Jones. I know that I'm not alone, even the most
reverent here, in that great appreciation for the doctrine.
Now, Dr. Lloyd-Jones, I couldn't always
agree with his definitions when he dealt with the Holy Spirit,
and he did so on a number of occasions. I was preaching there
now and went forth. Yeah, fair enough, he got some
things wrong, his definitions were wrong. But one of the things
that brought the doctrine to so emphasize the Holy Spirit
was because you have a bunch of eggheads theologically. People
came into the Reformed faith, and this would be in like the
1950s or so. And there was this great appreciation,
and it caught his head when you start talking about the person
of God and the psalms of God. And so there was kind of an academic
side. Well, the doctor seeing that
said, no, no, no, no, no. And therefore, this great emphasis
in his ministry of the Holy Spirit, because it's not just a matter
of etiology and notions. It's a matter of reality, of
knowing God as real. And as to that end, we've got
the Holy Spirit dwelling in all of his ministries to us, so that
we should, as it were, be very mindful and interactive with
God the Holy Spirit in all of his inner workings, indeed, from
his sin to effort. And God has not only revealed
all of this to us in his word, that we might still believe,
say, these things, but look what God's done to make this relationship. Now, all the ministries of the
Holy Spirit, all that went into making this suitable as temples
But of course, that means you have all the works. God's sending
his only begotten son to redeem sinners like us to this end,
that we should know God, that we should be known by him. Notice again the language of
1 Corinthians 6.19 and what follows in that verse. 1 Corinthians
6.19 again. For do you not know that your
body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you
have for God, and you are not your own? Now, yes, I understand
that's very related to what we'll go on to see in verse 20. But
what is underscore here? You are God's temple, you're
not your own. And you are God's temple. You do not belong to
you. You belong to God, as his temple. And then he goes on to say in
verse 20, here's why, you're not your own. For you were bought
at a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your
spirit, which are good. Christ paid that price on the
cross to redeem us, to make us his
own people. God bought us, as it were, for
himself. Or I guess I could say he bought
us again. We were his by virtue of creation. We fell on Adam,
and then he redeemed us from our fallen state, buying us back.
And what Paul here says, it was to be his temple. For this closeness,
this relationship, this fellowship, he's already said back in chapter
one how we've been called into fellowship with his son. God did this. His will. Can I dare say it, Reverend?
His desire. You know, we can at times think
only in terms of what we want. I want more fellowship with God.
I want more reality. I want more nearness. I want
a life with God. But see this desire, see His
design, see His love. See Christ and the price paid
to have you. to be this temple, where he dwells
by his spirit. Brethren, we must never think
that, you know, I want this closest, but God's not willing. No, no,
look what he's done. Therefore, see what we are, see
our great privilege. And think this way, because again,
you remember the wording with which verse 19 opens. Do you
not know? You do know, you've been taught, you've seen this
in your Bible, you know this. You see, you're not thinking
this way. You're not living this way because you're not thinking
this way. Well, brethren, we should know these things. Live especially in light of the
great price that was paid. How it is that we are reconciled
to God and forever blessed, and we are God's temples. Well, so it is that the Lord's
Supper is very relevant to this truth as to all our salvation. Brother, we come. We come to
remember. We come to remember the price that was paid, that
bond that was broken, that blood that was shed, and all that the
Savior endured in our stead, all that wrath of God poured
out, all the justice required. Before, he said, do this in remembrance
of me. Remember who it is that paid
the price. for ourselves. So it's time to
come to supper to be brought to reality or brought back to
Christ himself. To know him now, to know him
every day. To love him who still loves us,
who desire to spend and desires still. It's his own specialty. May God help us use the supper
to that good end. You're sitting here, this means
absolutely nothing to you. You have no concern, no desire. Why is that? Why is that? Well,
it's because you're dead. You're dead, trespassing consent.
I know I've used this analogy many times. You take the best
ice cream in the world, you hold onto a corpse. It means nothing
to him. He's dead. That's bad enough. It's because
your carnal mind is hostile against God and you're not subject to
the law of God, neither be you can. Nothing you do pleases God. All that is deserved by you is
utter damnation. And how much more so since you
care nothing about knowing this great and gracious God in Jesus
Christ, the one who sent his son into the world to save sinners.
But get this, God deals with you every day in abundant and
great kindness. He gives to all life, breath,
and all things, every breath you take, all the food you eat,
all the clothes on your back, all that you enjoyed as providence.
Romans 2.4 says it's the goodness of God that's designed to lead
you to repentance, to change your mind here about God, about
sin, about where you're going, to turn to God through Christ. In all God's goodness to you,
here's one. He lets you hear good news. Christ Jesus gave
this world a safe service. That's called the grace of God.
Over in 2 Corinthians 6-1, you're told not to receive the grace
of God, and this grace even cured and offered salvation. You hear
that there's a Savior, died to save sinners, who lives to save
sinners, and saves all who put their trust in him. That's good
news even here. And then you think of that great
salvation that he secured and freely offers. When we have Christ,
If you have that salvation, well what way it comes? It's from
Christ. Do it tonight. Believe on the Lord Jesus. Trust
in him. Recognize who he is and trust him. Peace in sinners.
Bought To Be God's Temples
Series The Order of Salvation
Pastor McKinnon expounds how the death of Jesus Christ purchased His people to be the Temple of God.
| Sermon ID | 29241825555706 |
| Duration | 31:59 |
| Date | |
| Category | Sunday - PM |
| Bible Text | 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 |
| Language | English |
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