Grace Fellowship Church Pastor/Teacher Jim Rickard Sunday, June 15, 2008

1 John Series 1 John 4:4, The Indwelling Spirit.

Doctrine of the Church Age Believer as the Temple of God 1 Cor 3:16-17; 6:19; 2 Cor 6:16; Eph 2:21

B. 1 Cor 3:16-17

B. 1 Cor 3:16-17 The Spirit takes up residence in our soul for, 1) Creating a dwelling for the Shekinah Glory, and

B. 1 Cor 3:16-17 The Spirit takes up residence in our soul for, 1) Creating a dwelling for the Shekinah Glory, and 2) For the empowerment of the believer so that he can fulfill the spiritual life.

Verse 16, "That you (believers) are", is a statement of absolute status quo - you keep on being the temple of God.

The Spirit may be grieved or quenched, (Eph 4:30; 1 Thes 5:19), or He may fill, (Eph 5:18), but He always indwells.

Eph 4:30, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

Verse 17, "If any man destroys the temple of God", = false teaching and false doctrine has penetrated your soul as a result of someone's false teaching.

“Destroy” - PHTHEIRO To destroy, corrupt, spoil, ruin, waste, or lead astray.

To corrupt someone mentally, to lead someone astray mentally, to change their viewpoint and give them a wrong view of life.

There is no reason for the Holy Spirit to indwell a believer, unless His power is going to be used in the believer’s life.

When we are controlled by the Sin Nature, the purpose of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is neutralized.

To defile the temple of God, means that because of some false viewpoint in your soul, you adopt a system of pseudo spirituality.

"God will destroy him," is referring to the false teacher(s) and what God will do to them.

PHTHEIRO or "destroy", Future Tense

Discipline towards the believing false teacher and judgement is towards the unbelieving false teacher.

The unbeliever is judged in eternity, 2 Peter 2:3, 9, and the believer can only be disciplined in time.

2 Peter 2:3, “And in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”

2 Peter 2:9, “Then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment.”

The reason that the temple of God is holy is because both the Spirit and Jesus Christ are Holy. "Holy" means separated unto God.

The moment we accept Christ as Savior, we enter into union with Christ, and share His holiness.

The second hindrance is found in verses 18-20, arrogant human viewpoint.

Offering

Grace Fellowship Church Sunday, June 15, 2008 Tape # 08S-024 The Indwelling of God the Holy Spirit, Pt 3 1 John Series 1 John 4:4; 1 Cor 3:16-21 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2008