Are We Really Christ's?
As believers, we have the privilege of being the temple of the Holy Spirit, and with this comes the responsibility to submit to God and trust in the Indweller.
G. Campbell Morgan emphasizes the profound truth that believers are indeed Christ's, as they have believed in His name and received absolution. He reminds us that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us, even if we sometimes lock away parts of our hearts from His influence. Morgan reassures that God's promises to dwell, walk, and govern in us apply even to those who feel they are failing in their Christian walk. In moments of doubt and temptation, we should remember our identity as the temple of the living God, which empowers us to live a holy life. Therefore, any failure to live righteously must be examined in light of our submission to the Holy Spirit.
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Are we really Christ's? Have we believed into His name , and received absolution? Then He calls us His own; then we are the temple of the Holy Spirit; then the Holy Spirit is at this moment dwelling within us. We may be locking up certain chambers of the temple from the administration and arbitration of the Spirit, but we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Hear the great promise, "I will dwell in them," the resident God; "and walk in them," the active Deity; "and I will be their God," the governing One.
These are the promises of God, and these things the apostle wrote, not to a company of men and women who were living on the highest height of Christian experience, but to a church of men and women who were sadly and awfully failing.
When next, in the hour of stress and temptation, we are tempted to declare that it is not possible to live the holy life, let us remember this, "We are the temple of the living God." We must find some other reason for our failure, for there is no reason why we should fail if we are submitted to that Indweller.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Privilege of Being the Temple of the Holy Spirit
- A. Believing in Jesus Christ and receiving absolution
- B. The Holy Spirit dwelling within us
- II. The Promise of God
- A. 'I will dwell in them'
- B. 'I will walk in them'
- C. 'I will be their God'
- III. The Responsibility of the Temple
- A. Submitting to the Indweller
- B. Avoiding failure by trusting in the Holy Spirit
Key Quotes
“We are the temple of the living God.” — G. Campbell Morgan
“I will dwell in them, the resident God; and walk in them, the active Deity; and I will be their God, the governing One.” — G. Campbell Morgan
Application Points
- We must submit to the Indweller and trust in the Holy Spirit to live the holy life.
- There is no reason to fail in our Christian walk if we are submitted to God.
- We must find another reason for our failure, as the promise of God is to dwell in us, walk in us, and be our God.