Divinely Occupied
The doctrine of the divine indwelling is a crucial New Testament teaching that emphasizes God's presence within the believer, but it requires a deep understanding of God's holiness and our own sinfulness.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the profound significance of the doctrine of divine indwelling, asserting that it is essential for every Christian to understand and embrace this truth. He highlights the tension between God's supreme holiness and human sinfulness, which makes the concept of God dwelling within us seem incongruous. However, Tozer reassures that Scripture clearly teaches this reality, as evidenced by Jesus' promise to abide in those who love Him. The sermon calls for a deeper faith to grasp the implications of this divine presence in our lives. Ultimately, Tozer encourages believers to recognize the preciousness of having Christ dwell in their hearts by faith.
Text
The doctrine of the divine indwelling is one of the most important in the New Testament, and its meaning for the individual Christian is precious beyond all description. To neglect it is to suffer serious loss. The apostle Paul prayed for the Ephesian Christians that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith. Surely it takes faith of a more than average vitality to grasp the full implications of this great truth. Two facts join to make the doctrine difficult to accept: the supreme greatness of God and the utter sinfulness of man.
Those who think poorly of God and well of themselves may chatter idly of "the deity within," but the man who trembles before the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, the man who knows the depth of his own sin, will detect a moral incongruity in the teaching that One so holy should dwell in the heart of one so vile. But however incongruous it may appear to be, in the Holy Scriptures it is taught so fully that it cannot be overlooked and so plainly that it can hardly be misunderstood.
"If a man love me," said our Lord Jesus Christ, "he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him" (John 14:23). That this abiding is within the man is shown by these words: "At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you" (14: 20). Christ said of the Holy Spirit: "He ... shall be in you" (14: 17), and in His great prayer in John 17 our Lord twice used the words "I in them."
Sermon Outline
- I. The Importance of the Divine Indwelling
- A. The doctrine is crucial in the New Testament
- B. Neglecting it leads to serious loss
- II. The Difficulty of Accepting the Doctrine
- A. The greatness of God makes it hard to accept
- B. The sinfulness of man adds to the difficulty
- III. The Moral Incongruity of the Doctrine
- A. God's holiness and man's sinfulness are at odds
- B. Only those who tremble before God can understand the doctrine
- IV. The Scriptural Basis for the Doctrine
- A. Jesus promised to make His abode with those who love Him
- B. The Holy Spirit will be in believers
- C. Christ's prayer in John 17 emphasizes the indwelling
Key Quotes
“If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” — A.W. Tozer
“At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you” — A.W. Tozer
“He ... shall be in you” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- To understand the doctrine of the divine indwelling, you must acknowledge your own sinfulness and tremble before God's holiness.
- The doctrine of the divine indwelling is essential for the Christian life, and it requires a deep commitment to loving God and keeping His words.
- As you seek to apply this doctrine to your life, remember that God's presence within you is a gift that empowers you to live a life that honors Him.