When God's presence reveals itself in our world, His presence is evident. The manifestation of His presence stands in contrast to the absence of His presence. When the tabernacle and its furnishings were completed, God's presence filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34, 35). When the first Jerusalem temple was completed, God's presence filled the temple (1 Kings 8:10, 11). In Israel's wilderness travels, God's tabernacle presence provided guidance (Exodus 40:36-38). In the temple, God's presence assured people they had access [in a powerful way] to God's concern (see 1 Kings 8:22-53). God's presence always benefited [benefits] His people.
This fact was and is always true: where God is present, it is evident God is there. Some people on the first Pentecost following Jesus' death realized they encouraged the execution of God's Son. In their awareness, they asked Peter, "What shall we do?" Peter told them to repent and be baptized. Two promises were made to those who repented and were baptized: the remission of sins and the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives (Acts 2:38). Later the highest Jewish court demanded the apostles explain their actions. Peter explained they continued to tell people about Jesus' resurrection. He declared, "We are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him" (Acts 5:32). Later Paul challenged the Christians at Corinth to understand they (collectively) were the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16,17). In context, this understanding made their internal division completely unacceptable to Christ or God. Later, as Paul condemned sexual encounters with prostitutes, he reminded Corinthian Christians as individuals that the Christian's body is a temple (a sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:18,19). He told the Christians at Thessalonica not to quench the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19) and the Christians at Ephesus not to grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30).
The point: God intended and intends to be present in the lives of men and women who belong to Him. Those who belong to God want God to be present in their lives.
In Old Testament periods and into the early New Testament period, God's presence manifested itself in a sacred place. God's people yielded to God's will because His presence was among them in a sacred place [tabernacle or temple]. In the wilderness, Israel knew when to and not to travel by the actions of God's presence. With the temple, Israel knew God would hear their petitions because His presence was in that temple. These three things were of key importance: a people, a sacred place, and God's presence. God's presence was in a sacred place. God's people came to the sacred place to approach His presence.
Before Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, God's presence was commonly associated with a place.
The time would come when God's presence manifested itself in His people, not in a sacred place. The Jewish prophet Joel foresaw the day when God lived in His people instead of a sacred place (Joel 2:28-32). When that time came, Israel would know God was among them. They would know He alone was the Lord God without peer or rival. They would know His people would never be put to shame (see Joel 2:27).
God's presence in the bodies of His people was not a new divine desire. It was the ultimate divine desire. Through the Spirit, God can be a part of the men and women who belong to Him. When Jesus was resurrected as the Christ, God could complete the intent of His actions: His people would become His residence. His presence could exist in the lives of those who belonged to Him.
What would be unique about this day of the Lord? God would pour His Spirit out on all people. God's presence would no longer manifest itself in a sacred place, but in His people. God's people would not come to a sacred place to approach His presence. His presence would be in them. A sacred place would not be his temple. His people would be His temple.
This was a common understanding in Israel long before Jesus came: the coming of God's kingdom would be accompanied by the pouring out of God's Spirit. God's presence in people would make it evident that God's kingdom had come.
Paul understood. He boldly stated to Christians at Corinth that their division could not be justified. They [collectively] were God's temple (1 Corinthians 3:16, 17). God's Spirit lived [dwelled] in them. Any Christian who destroyed God's temple would be destroyed.
When God is present in a people, they love others as they love themselves. That reaches the highest level of actuality among Christians! Christians who love each other as they love themselves cannot despise each other or champion division.
To these same Christians at Corinth, Paul applied this same understanding to the individual Christian. It was [and is] unthinkable that the Christian individual could take his [her] body that belongs to Christ and sexually unite it with a prostitute (1 Corinthians 6:15-20). Had they forgotten that the Christian's body is the Holy Spirit's temple? God placed the Holy Spirit in the Christian. God purchased the Christian to make him [her] His temple.
When God's presence is in a person, he or she will not knowingly use his or her body in any manner that insults or hurts God.
Peter understood. He reminded Christians in numerous Roman provinces (1 Peter 1:1) they were God's precious living stones built into a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices (1 Peter 2:4, 5). They were God's temple. God's presence was in them.
One of the objectives of collective Christian existence in a place is to provide a contrast to those who do not believe. Congregations of Christians contrast the existence of people in whom God is present with the existence of people in whom God is not present.
When did this transition from sacred place to sacred people occur? When did God begin to pour His Spirit out on all people? When did God begin to make His people His temple instead of a sacred place His temple? Peter declared this occurrence began when the resurrected Jesus was publicly presented as Savior, Lord, and Christ (Acts 2:14-36). When people placed their confidence in Jesus as God's Christ, committed to a redirection of life, and were immersed, two things happened (Acts 2:38). Perfect forgiveness began in a new form. The Holy Spirit was given to those who entered the Christ (also see Acts 5:32).
God's intent became reality when the resurrected Jesus was presented as Lord and Christ in Acts 2.
A combination of three factors often blinds Christians to these two facts: (a) Christians are God's temple, and (b) the Holy Spirit is God's presence in Christians. The three factors are: (1) fear reactions to Pentecostal expressions; (2) the study of verses out of their context; and (3) poor understandings of the Spirit. Christians tend to relate the Spirit's work with unusual occurrences.
Commonly a reason for some Christians resisting the biblical teaching that God's presence is in the lives of individual Christians and in the lives of Christians as congregations is fear. Too often conclusions are based on logic rather than revelation. Revelation is certainly not anti-logic, but neither is revelation confined to logic.
In the context of Ephesians 4, how could these Christians cause the Spirit to experience grief? If their daily lifestyle mimicked an idol worshipper's lifestyle, they grieved the Spirit. What lifestyles grieved the Spirit? Futile thinking that rejected God's thoughts; nurturing ignorance; and hard-heartedness grieved the Spirit. Surrendering life to sensual satisfaction and greed grieved the Spirit. They also grieved the Spirit when they lied (deceived), allowed anger to control them, and hurt others with their words.
When a Christian uses his or her mind and behaviors in ways (a) to obscure [mask] God's presence in his or her life or (b) to oppose God's presence in his or her life, he or she grieves God's Spirit.
The Spirit's objective in the Christian is to move him [her] closer to God. The process of transformation that began with immersion into Christ directs the person toward the fullness of Christ. The Spirit works in the Christian to make him [her] less and less like evil and more and more like God. Christians who move closer and closer to God [encouraging the Spirit] renew the spirit of their minds; put on the new self that wants God as a Father; are kind; are tender hearted; are forgiving; and make God's work in Christ their model.
Christians urgently need to realize an objective of existence in Jesus Christ is to move as close as possible to God. That movement changes the way a Christian thinks, the way a Christian feels, and the way a Christian acts.
The contrast is seen in Ephesians 4:17-32. Christians who move closer and closer to evil [grieving the Spirit] resist understandings that come from God; are ignorant of God's ways; are hard-hearted; are given to sensuality and greed; are ruled by physical desires; are deceitful; are controlled by anger; are exploiters of others; and use their words to hurt others. When a Christian grows toward evil, he [she] actually struggles against the Spirit.
The truth of the last sentence cannot be stressed too much: the more a Christian man or woman grows toward evil, the more he or she struggles against God's presence in his or her life.
When Christians refuse to cooperate with the Spirit's efforts to move closer to God, they grieve the Spirit. Godly character and integrity want to work with the Spirit. Christians do not want to make the Spirit's work in their lives more difficult. Christians desire to be more like God. We seek this by coming as close to God as we can.
A reason [one of several] for God placing the Spirit in the life of a believer in Christ who repents and is baptized is to move [continuously] that believer closer and closer to God in thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. The closer a believer moves to God, the further he or she moves from evil.
Thought Questions:
Thought question # 1: as the Spirit works within us to move us closer and closer to God, in what ways can we grieve the Spirit? Explain why your suggested mind sets and actions cause the Spirit to grieve.
Allow students to suggest and explain their understandings of causing the Spirit grief. Make a determined effort to prevent the discussion from becoming a discussion of miraculous acts. Studying miraculous acts and studying God's presence in our lives are two different studies. Both studies are appropriate, but studying miracles is not the objective of this lesson. Keep the focus on God's presence in our lives.
One of many examples may be this. The closer one moves to God, the more he or she treats others in love as he or she would be treated. That includes spouses, children, in-laws, people at work, people at the grocery store, people in traffic, etc. To express feelings or emotions in ways that obscure God's presence in our lives grieves the Spirit.
Thought question # 2: as the Spirit works within us to move us closer and closer to God, in what ways can we encourage the Spirit? Explain why the Spirit would find encouragement in your suggested mind sets and actions.
Again, allow students to suggest and explain their understandings of encouraging the Spirit. Study of the scripture, prayer, proper treatment of others, expressing attitudes and heart qualities common to Jesus, etc. encourage the Spirit.
Thought question # 3: when a Christian is immersed into Christ, is he or she, for the rest of his or her earthly existence, "on your own?" Explain your answer.
No, he or she is not on his or her own. No one can be victorious over evil in his or her life through his or her own efforts. God's presence in our lives assures Christians we are not on our own. Insights from Romans 8:26-39 reinforce this understanding.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 12