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HABITATION OF GOD IN THE SPIRIT

Ephesians 4:10 - 16; 1 Timothy 3:14 - 16

These two passages relate to two subsisting facts. In one Spirit we are baptised into one body, (our membership is a subsisting fact); and we are a habitation of God in the Spirit.

We are called into the fellowship of God's Son. The fellowship relates to believers who want to be true to Him in every department of life. The benefit of answering to this fellowship, of seeking to be true to the One who is our Lord, is that we enjoy the membership of the body. If we are not walking in keeping with the body, we are unsuited to take our part as a "holy priesthood". The fellowship is a defensive principle, in order that these institutions of the body and the house remain workable in this world. It is to preserve us in relation to them. The more we value them, the more we shall be true to them. We do not want to forfeit our part in this practical fellowship.

The truth of the body came direct to the Ephesians from Paul, but the truth of the house came to them by way of Timothy. They were left well established in the first, but it was that they might not forget the second. The body underlies the truth of the house. It is the house of God. God dwells where everything is pleasing to Him, and in the body there is nothing but what is of Christ. In a company of believers where everything is of Christ, God can dwell complacently. Everything in the tabernacle typically spoke of Christ, so God could dwell restfully typically. Christ's own body was the temple when He was here. Now His body (the saints) is the temple. The body is a great matter. It is essential for the

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bride and the wife. Bridal affection and wifely consideration are Christ's portion, and, if God is to have His portion, the body is essential. If only one feature is not of Christ, it will disturb God in His dwelling. The truth of the body will affect people when they are touched by the gospel, for they will then discern it. It is connected with mystery. The "treasures of wisdom and knowledge" flow in from the Head, if the body is functioning. Then we are built up, and God will find pleasure in what is complacent, and then His presence will be known. He has taken up residence in the saints with a view to all men coming to the full knowledge of the truth (see J.N.D.'s note on 1 Timothy 2:4 and Colossians 1:10; Colossians 3:10 and Ephesians 1:17).

The body is a spiritual conception. The house is a different view of persons who love Christ. The same persons are viewed collectively, as members of Christ's body and as living stones in God's house. The link is in Ephesians 2. We are reconciled to God in one body by the cross (an inner thought) and, Jesus Christ being the corner-stone, we are "built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit". The living stones being built together is a public thought. It is for men to see. So that what men see in the house of God is "prayer for all men". In Timothy this is what we begin with, though in Ephesians we end with "praying at all seasons -- for all the saints".

The light of the body comes to us first, as it did with Paul. "Why persecutest thou ME?" There the Lord names what was already there, un-named, in Acts 2. We do not share the truth of the body with other families. God formed the animals from the ground, but the rib was taken from Adam's side to form Eve. It was a special creation. God built the woman, and in doing this He secures His own house and city, the bride and the Lamb's wife. In her very origin the assembly must go above every other creature, whether angel, principality or power. She is taken

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out of Man. Think of who He is: He fills all in all. Of necessity she is above every created being. Adam says, "This time it is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh". It is distinctive. So we have the highest place in creation, and if we laid hold of this in power in our souls, we should put a higher valuation on every member of the body. As we answer to the fellowship into which we are called, it makes way for a practical expression of this. If we are true, the moral hindrances are removed, we are together in peace, and can work out the truth of the body with those who are available. If those who have the light of it work it out in a real way, God will gather. To see it working out will gather. Scripture says, "according to the working ... of each one part ...", Ephesians 4:16.

There are many members of whose joint of supply we miss the gain. Clericalism is one cause of this. There is a danger of gifts becoming 'clergymen'. Then gift ceases to meet the purpose for which it is given. The measure of the effectiveness of gift is the measure in which the saints can go on without it. If the saints are under one man they never grow up. They may do good things, but they do not undertake what God meant them to do in the body. "With a view to edifying the body" follows the list of gifts in chapter 4. We may be delivered from the idea of one man who wears different clothes and is called a minister; but this really means that if a gifted brother is absent, the meeting does not fall flat when he is not there. The more his gift has effect in his locality, the better they get on without him! Paul laboured to present every man perfect in Christ. This was toil.

In the liberty of sonship known and functioning in their place in the body they are perfect in Christ. The body works for itself. It is for the "self-building up in love". This is mutuality; "One-another" is a body term. "Love one another" is basic; "Members

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one of another" and "each" come in all references to the body. It is the opposite of clericalism, where things are left to one or to a selected number of men.

In Romans 1:12 Paul puts "yours" first. He puts himself last in "established us with you". Historically it was the other way round. Notice the way he speaks of the Corinthians despite their state. He values the work of God. He says, "I am the least of all the saints". Though their blessing came through him, he put himself lower, in esteeming them "more excellent". Christ Himself is presented as descending first, then ascending to fill all things. Now it is "the assembly"; in the future it will be "all things" through the assembly.

All that flows in to build up the body comes from the Head. This is the filling out of Genesis 2. Every bit is built into the body through the joints of supply. It all comes from the Head. Each member is working in accordance with the Head and receiving from the Head. Life is essential for it is a great living organism; every member is thinking of the benefit of the other, working for the good of the whole body. The vessel is being built up to be His counterpart. This is worked out practically in our localities; however few members are available the body works. If members are lost, the other members work harder so that the body gets through. This is so naturally. This is the mystery. The natural man cannot conceive of just a few sitting together, conscious of Christ among them -- Christ in us, Christ among us, Christ with us, Christ shewn in our spirit one towards another as looking to the Head, drawing from Him and being built up. The Spirit is in charge. The gifts are from the Head in Ephesians; what is needed is given; grace is available to each one. Gifts are always needed to help as each generation comes along. All are given in view, however, of being done without, so that the saints function in this way. We sit, not

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knowing what we shall get, and the treasures flow in. That is of more value than just to be where a gift is.

"Where two or three are gathered together to my Name, there am I in the midst of them", is the promise that the body will work, and, "holding the truth in love" is the essential feature. If we do not do this, we discredit the truth. He was considering the body in giving these gifts, for it is "until we all arrive at ... the full-grown man". Manhood is in view. We need gift all the time because none of us has "arrived", though the "fathers" do know Him. Growing up to the knowledge of the Son of God is the family side. "The measure of the stature of the fulness of the Christ" is the other side, the building. Adam's relation to Eve is in view. She was builded out of Adam.

Our local meetings have a very precious character, for the body works. Gift would want to be out of sight if it was there, else it might block the whole thing. According to Timothy the sisters are silent, and it is only as the brothers are in the gain of the body that sisters' impressions are realised. There is a need of pauses and of waiting on the Lord, keeping our knowledge in the background, feeling our way for what touch comes in from Christ at that moment. What one receives in his local meeting are his richest impressions and these help him in his wider sphere of service. Paul agonises in prayer that there might be a state for this -- hearts comforted, knit together in love, etc. Gift is not mentioned in Colossians. When Paul left a local company, he never knew if gift would be there again, for travelling was difficult in those days. So he would seek to get them growing up to Christ as Head sufficiently for the body to work; and the basic necessity is comfort and being "knit together in love". We need not be troubled if our locality is isolated, for, as set together bodywise,

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all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are available to us. There is a need of this working out in our localities. When we have rounds of meetings and special brothers coming, how much have we taken in? It could leave us as babes. Gift is needed and must not be despised, but it is not an end in itself.

Romans lays out a happy and practical order of life. We cannot always be together bodywise, though the body should be acting. There are many services, different for different ones, and all are so as to keep up the body temperature to love. We have all been given a full time job and we must get on with it. He that gives, in simplicity and so an (Romans 12). It is important that we should know what to do to keep the right temperature of love, and it is according to the measure of faith dealt to each one. All brethren can do something better than I can, for each is given the measure of faith to do it. We want to learn to take our place in the body. It is the first element in God's will. We present our bodies for God's will. Doing what is right in our homes is most important in its place, but our function in the body is of all importance.

The link between our responsible working in the body and the house is in Hebrews 3:6. If God is to enjoy His house, and the Lord, as Son, the holding fast comes in on our side and the boast of hope. Peter gives us the priestly vestments in chapter 1.

  1. "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father". This is the calling into the priestly family.
  2. "Sanctification of the Spirit". This is the anointing.
  3. "Obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ". This is the ram of consecration.
  4. "Gird up the loins of your mind". This is the priestly girdle.
  5. "Be sober". This is the linen vest.
  6. "Hope with perfect steadfastness". This is the

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    high cap of the priest. The headgear, in the military view is the helmet (Ephesians 6).

To be worthy of God in His house involves that we are always buoyant, rejoicing, filled with glory. The knowledge of the Son of God keeps us buoyant, and anointed with oil. Every face is shining in the house of God.

If asked for the reason for the hope that is within you -- Jesus is coming -- your face speaks of it -- This governs the service of the house. Stephen is a good example. After the stoning of Stephen they all went off as refugees. They had been used to big meetings in Jerusalem, but they went everywhere evangelising the word. Wherever two or three settled the priesthood functioned. The enemy tried to scatter the fire but started a lot of little fires instead of putting it out! It was so unnatural to see refugees full of joy, that people believed. Barnabas could not do any more for them at Antioch so fetched Saul -- the very man who had turned them out of Jerusalem! They were first called Christians in that city. It was there that the world saw the visible expression of Christ; the body was working there. The more you try to suppress Christianity, the brighter it shines.

If you are going on bodywise, you may think order does not matter, but it does! for everything is to be done worthily of the One whose house it is. The house is the pillar and base of the truth. Recent conflict is on this point, What springs up from what is within is testing. The house brings out holy responsibilities. Everything must be in keeping with the One who dwells there. He is the King of the ages. All is done comelily and in order; the truth is held and expressed. One feature expressed at the expense of another is not truth. The whole idea of truth is that every feature is held in perfect balance. There is a substantial testimony as to truth in the house. It is a living organism, a living God.

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Jesus says, "on this rock I will build My assembly". Peter's confession "Thou art the Christ" stands related to the body and this building is on body lines. It is for the satisfaction of Christ; but, as Son of the living God He is considerate for God and so we get the view of the house. Everything is living; order is not deadness; and God has taken up residence on the basis of this (verse 16). There was a representation of God here in the Lord Jesus; little children were blessed in His arms. A continuation of what was seen in Him is, on our side, dependent upon piety. If we bring God into our circumstances (faith is entering into His circumstances) we represent Him rightly -- that is piety. It is a terrible thing to misrepresent God in His house.

The actual temple, the tabernacle, Jesus here on earth, God manifest in flesh, are, speaking reverently, all temporary. The earlier residences were typical. We belong to the true tabernacle which the Lord has pitched, not man. Now it is the tabernacle period, the wilderness conditions. The house of God is not permanent in its present form, but both it and the body are permanent. All Christians on earth at the resent moment are part of the body. The "habitation of God in the Spirit" is seen in a permanent setting in glory. It needs a tent over the tabernacle now.

Glory is the outstanding feature of the temple and the tabernacle. Love is mentioned regarding the body and the house; and so God is known and expressed. Our highest duty is to represent God in every act and word, and so "prayers for all men" come first in Timothy; not prayers for the saints as in Ephesians. From the testimonial standpoint the most important thing is prayer for all men; it should not be missing from collective or household prayers; if it is, we do not rightly represent God. We are never out of the house, whatever circumstances we are in. It would

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be terrible if a man came into our prayer meetings and never heard any prayers for all men. God would be misrepresented and the gospel would be separated from the assembly. This is the answer to the Lord's prayer in John 17 -- "That the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me". It makes us sad to think of the divided state of Christendom, but cannot there be some expression of all this amongst us?