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.