Category Archives: Dwelling

Bible, Christ, Dwelling, Holy Spirit, Indwelling, Romans, Scripture

WHO GIVES YOU LIFE?

ROMANS 8:10

“If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.”

I have shared about my two stem cell transplants in the past. Do you understand what that entails? After my body was “prepared” to receive the stem cells through chemotherapy and other drugs, I was left in an immune-depressed state. I had to be isolated to reduce the risk of infection since I had nothing in my body to fight even a slight cold. My bone marrow was essentially killed off. But then…I received back into my body the life-giving stem cells that had been harvested from me. Those stem cells resurrected my physical body from the point of death.

Paul tells us in today’s verse that it is Christ in us Who gives us life through His Spirit. I was instantly reminded of my life verse found in Galatians 2:20. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” This mystical indwelling of the Spirit of Christ cannot be explained in human terms. It can only be experienced.

APPLICATION

I want to urge you to look up Albert Barnes’ commentary on this verse (https://biblehub.com/commentaries/romans/8-10.htm). It is worth the read. Let me give you just a sample of what he writes. In speaking about the Spirit of Christ which indwells followers of Christ, he says, “This spiritual presence, which is the bond of union, is manifested immediately upon a man’s reception of Christ by faith. From that hour he is one with Christ, because the same Spirit lives in both.” I just love that.

We are told by Jesus in John 14:20, “‘On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I in you.’” One chapter later in John 15:4 we read this, “‘Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself but must remain in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me.’” Take a minute and read all of John 15 to get a good mental image of this indwelling Paul is talking about.

Just as I depended on those stem cells to “indwell” me to give me physical life, I depend on the Holy Spirit to indwell me to give me spiritual life. My physical body will die one day. My disease will probably return which will require another treatment. But my spiritual life is sealed with His Spirit, and He will indwell me until my last breath when I will then be with Him in glory. So, the question is “Who gives you life?

You are the life in me that drives me daily to do Your will, O Lord.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Belong, Bible, Dwelling, Eternity, Heaven, Holy Spirit, Indwelling, Romans, Scripture

BELONGING

ROMANS 8:9

“However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”

I belong to Jack and Mack (real names were James and Maxine) Willis from Pelham, GA. I have been able through a few genealogy sites to trace my Willis heritage back to Londonshire England and to the year 1555. I am from English, Scottish, Irish, Finish, French and Spanish bloodlines. Belonging to something means something. It is just natural for everybody to want to belong to someone else.

I just love how Paul says in today’s verse that if we do not have the Spirit, we do not belong to God. So, the opposite must be true. If we have the Spirit of God within us (which is only possible through faith in Christ Jesus), then we belong to the Father. Add that to the long line of my genealogy. I belong to God. And I will always belong to God. Nothing can separate me from His love.

APPLICATION

The Greek actually reads in that last phrase of the verse “he not is of Him.” We will see in the last verse of chapter 8 that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (verse 39). Listen friend, if you are in Christ, there is nothing on earth or in the heavenlies that can separate you from Him. Nothing!

Our world doesn’t believe in that kind of love. Why? Because our love is so fickle. We fall into and out of love so easily, it seems. Forty years and beyond marriages are relics of the past. When we hear of someone having a 50 year marriage celebration, we stand in awe. My wife and I have hit forty, and I am praying we can make it to fifty or more. But God’s love has no end is sight. His love will continue throughout eternity.

That’s true belonging. Jesus told us He was going to prepare us a place. Jesus isn’t building a shanty. He is building us an eternal home. This will be a “belonging” home, one built with an eternal love. How is that even possible? Because it is being built with eternal products made in heaven. Can you even imagine? So, rest easy dear one. If you are in Christ, if the Spirit of God dwells in you, you belong to Him.

Dear God, I cannot even begin to comprehend Your eternal love for me. I am so thankful for it.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Confession, Dwelling, Holiness, Holy, Indwelling, Scripture, Sin

DO YOU HEAR AN ECHO?

ROMANS 7:20

“But if I do the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me.”

Have you ever gone to a cave or a cavern and yelled in it to hear your echo? Pretty cool, isn’t it? Your voice bounces off the walls of the cave or cavern and comes back to you. Depending on the depth of that cave or cavern, it may take a few seconds for the echoed sound to reach you. I can still remember doing that as a child.

Are we hearing an echo in today’s verse? Didn’t Paul just say this back in verse 17 which reads, “But now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me.” Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible says this about verse 20. “The same conclusion is formed here, as in Romans 7:17, not with any view to excuse himself from blame in sinning, but to trace the lusts of his heart, and the sins of his life, to the source and fountain of them, the corruption of his nature; and to ascribe them to the proper cause of them, which was not the law of God, nor the new man, but sin that dwelt in him.”

APPLICATION

I could just point you back to my devotional blog on verse 17, but I won’t do that. This subject bears more explanation. Let’s look at what Paul is saying here. First of all, he says, “But if I do the very thing I do not want…” Don’t skip past the little word “if.” This little Greek word is ei and means an assumption which is viewed as factual. It should not be translated as “since” because it is an assumption. Paul did not say “since I do” but “if I do.” Doing the undesirable thing is not automatically assumed.

Then look at “no longer.” The Topical Lexicon says this refers to the “Transformation of identity (Romans 7:17, 7:20). Sin is ‘no longer’ the true self; regeneration creates a new person.” The Greek word is ouketi. This word is used in Matthew 19:6 when Jesus was talking about marriage of a man and a woman. “‘So they are no longer two, but one flesh.’” Something changed in the relationship from two individuals to one couple. Our identity changed at salvation. We are “no longer” the same.

And then we have that all too familiar conjunction “but.” The Greek word alla often changes the conversation from a human perception to God’s perspective. It’s the same conjunction used when Jesus said in the wilderness to Satan, “‘It is written: “MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT COMES OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.”’” Paul knew that although his life had been transformed, he was still prone to sin because of the sin nature within him. Sin wasn’t a guarantee, but it was probable.

Conclusion: Don’t beat yourself up over sin that you commit. I am not giving you a license to sin by saying that. I mean we are all still living in our fleshly bodies and are susceptible to sin. Sin should never be premeditated by followers of Christ, but when you do sin, be quick to confess that and seek to return to holy living. Amen? Amen!

O Lord, I am so tired of this sinful flesh. Help me shun the things to the evil one and cling to Your sweet Spirit.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Confession, Dwelling, Holy Spirit, Indwelling, Responsibilities, Scripture, Sin

BAD ROOMMATES

ROMANS 7:17

“But now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me.”

From 1989 to May 1997, the sitcom “Family Matters” entertained audiences with the antics of one character on the show, Steve Urkel. When he would do something that caused chaos, he would stop and look around saying, “Did I do that?” His high-pitched nasally voice would bring a smile to most. Usually, in the end, Steve would take responsibility for his actions and try to make things right.

Paul is not speaking as Steve Urkel in today’s voice. He is not saying, “Did I do that?” In fact, he is drawing attention to the culprit behind all his failings. Matthew Poole describes this verse well. “It is not I as spiritual or renewed, it is not my whole self, but it is sin that dwelleth in me,that inhabits in me as a troublesome inmate, that I cannot get rid of, that will not out so long as the house stands; as the fretting leprosy in the walls of a house would not out till the house itself were demolished. It is such an inhabitant as is never from home; it is not in us as a stranger for a season, but it makes its constant abode with us.”

APPLICATION

We see Paul use a Greek word for “dwells” in today’s verse and in verses 18 and 20. The word is oikeó, and it means to occupy a house or reside. Paul is describing how sin can continue to cause issues for us as believers. It has taken up residence in us because of the fallen nature we inherited from Adam. Even though Paul is now a follower of Christ and the Spirit of Christ dwells in him, sin refuses to be evicted.

Compare it to a very bad roommate who refuses to leave. Although you live separately and try to avoid interaction, their presence in your dwelling will cause you issues. Dirty dishes in the sink, smelly rooms and loud music may be just a few of the issues you have to deal with. However, unlike that roommate, we have the power over sin to not just avoid it but to have victory over it.

Let’s continue that illustration a little. What are your options with a bad roommate? You can fight them or you can leave. Leaving may cost you something (lease obligations, furniture, etc) but the peace you get by making that choice is worth it. Listen, turning from sin may cost you something (money, friends) but the peace you get will be far worth it. Don’t let sin dwell among you. Cast it out and live for Him.

O Lord, I do not want sin sharing the same space as Your Spirit.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Body, Dwelling, Scripture, Trinity

THE FULLNESS OF DIETY

COLOSSIANS 2:9

“For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,”

The world has always tried to deny Christ. Even when they acknowledged his existence on earth, they claimed He wasn’t really God. Other religions will profess He was a great teacher, but not God. This thought has continued through the ages. Don’t fall for it. Paul makes sure we know the truth in today’s verse.

One commentator makes the point that every word of this verse is emphatic (it written to make a point). The word “bodily” is sōmatikōswhich only appears right here in the New Testament. Barnes says it means “having a bodily appearance, instead of existing or appearing in a spiritual form.” Jesus took on a human body, but one without the stain of sin.

APPLICATION

Why does Paul say, “the fullness of Diety”? Why didn’t he just say Jesus was part God and part man? Because although He took on human form, His divine nature was still whole. Look at Philippians 2:6-8. “6 who, as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross.”

Christ was God, is God and always will be God. The Greek word for “fullness” means just that – filled completely. Now, I can’t explain the Godhead to you completely. How can all three parts of the Godhead (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) exist as One God? There are some things in Scripture that we have to accept on faith. This is one of them.

God chose to come down in bodily form as a baby to grow into a man so He could redeem mankind from their sins. Wow! No other god (small g) would do that. God loves us so much that He gave Himself for us in the human form of His Son. Aren’t you thankful? I sure am. Praise God for all He has done and continues to do to redeem us to Himself.

O Father, You are worthy of all praise. We thank You for Jesus who existed here on earth in a human body to become the ultimate sacrifice for us.

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Abiding, Building, Church, Dwelling, God's Will, Holy Spirit, Home, Indwelling, Kingdom, Scripture

GOD’S DWELLING PLACE

EPHESIANS 2:22

“in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.”

My wife and I recently bought a new bed for our guest room. It is nothing fancy, just a metal headboard and footboard with side rails and middle support braces. When I finally got around to putting it together, I opened the box, laid out all the pieces and checked them off against the parts list (how many times have you come up short a piece without doing this?). Then I brought all the pieces inside, laid them on the bedroom floor and began the tedious process of trying to figure out from the drawing what part went where. In the end, I achieved my goal. We now have a bed someone can rest on when they visit.

Why do I use that illustration? Because the phrase “being built together” is exactly that. God has taken all the “pieces” and put them together to make His “bed,” His dwelling place. Once again, this Greek word has the preposition sun which is that permanent “with.” We are being built up together with other believers into a place where God says He will dwell here on this earth until one day we will dwell with Him in His kingdom in heaven.

APPLICATION

I love what Ellicott’s Commentary says here. “This verse seems primarily intended simply to emphasize the truth already enunciated in Ephesians 2:20, that the Ephesians themselves are now being made part of the Church of Christ, ‘being built up together in Christ.’ But it may also illustrate to us the character of the unity of the Church, as, primarily, a direct individual unity with Christ—each stone being itself a complete and living stone—and, secondarily and indirectly, a unity with others and with the whole.”

Did you get that? We are individually the dwelling of God through His Holy Spirit, and we are part of the corporate dwelling of God as part of His church. Ain’t God good? Two houses in one. Only God can do that. And God’s house has no flaws. There are no plumbing leaks or cracks in the foundation. His building warranty is eternal.

Okay, enough building metaphors. Simply put – we are God’s dwelling here on earth. He chooses to live in and through us. What an honor! Are you keeping His dwelling presentable? Can others see Him in you? As the cliché goes, “You may be the only Jesus some people ever see.”

Live in me, Lord. Shine Your eternal light through my eyes so that others are drawn into Your dwelling.

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