1 John 3:24 And he that keeps his commandments dwells in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he stays in us… I. THE PRIVILEGE. It is the indwelling of God in the soul — His "abiding in us." The sentiment is not peculiar to John, but the frequency of it is. Let us look at this "abiding." There was a time when the persons here referred to were without God in the world; when another being had possession of them — "the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." But God hath delivered them from the power of darkness, and translated them into the kingdom of His dear Son. God has entered, and taken possession of the heart. Perhaps, too, after the parent had pleaded to no purpose; perhaps after the minister had long laboured for nought; perhaps after he had been wooed and awed, blest and chastised, in vain. Then, God says, "I will work, and who shall let it?" His abiding in us supposes not only entrance, but continuance. But how does He abide in them? If I should answer this question negatively, I should say, not personally, as it was in the Redeemer Himself. "In Him," says the apostle, "dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." "He that hath seen Me," said He, "hath seen the Father." Nor does He abide in them essentially. Thus indeed He is in them, as to the perfection of His nature, as to His Omnipresence, as to the presence by which He fills heaven and earth; but when His presence is spoken of by the way of providence or privilege, it intends some peculiar regard. "The Lord is nigh unto all those who are of a broken heart; and sayeth such as be of a contrite spirit." But if I am required to answer this question positively, I should say, first, objectively. He dwells in His people by a real union; a gracious union; by a spiritual operative influence in all the powers of their souls. Thus He dwells in them as water in a well, our Saviour's own image. "The water that I shall give him shall be in him, a well of water springing up into everlasting life." He dwells in them as the sap in the tree, sustaining its life and producing fertility. He dwells in them as the soul dwells in the body, enlivening every limb and pervading every part. Can you explain this? Why the doctrine of union is one of the hardest chapters in all natural philosophy? First, explain to me how the soul is in the body; the spirit, without parts, combining with matter and coalescing with substance; explain first, how God is in the highest heavens, and is also about our path, and about our bed, and spying out all our ways, words, and thoughts. II. HOW IT IS TO BE ASCERTAINED. The apostle says, "We know that He abideth in us by the Spirit which He hath given us." Now, what was the Spirit God had given to them? Not the Spirit of miraculous agency. No, but the Spirit which we call the common influences of the Spirit of God. We call it "common," not because all men have it, but because all Christians have it; and all Christians will experience it to the very end of time. But as the thing exemplified should always be plainer than the thing proved, let us inquire what manner of spirit that is which evinces the privilege of union with God? "We know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us." I am aware the Spirit is said to anoint us; He is said to seal us to the day of redemption; and to bear witness with our spirits, that we are the children of God. But this is not done by the sounds in the air, and by sudden impulses in the mind, but by His residing in us. Our having this Spirit is the anointing; our having this Spirit is the sealing; and our having it is the witness. This Spirit is known by five attributes. 1. It is the Spirit of conviction; and the process is generally this: — He first convinces of the guilt of sin; then of its pollution; and then awakens in us a sense of its abhorrence; causing us to repent before God as in dust and ashes. 2. It is the Spirit of faith. The work of the Spirit puts the man into the position of looking to Christ, and of coming to Christ, and of dealing with Christ, concerning all the affairs of the soul and eternity. "When He is come," says the Saviour, "He shall glorify me." 3. It is the Spirit of grace. It is expressly called the Spirit of grace and of supplication, which was to be poured upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 4. It is a Spirit of sanctification. Hence, He is so often called "the Holy Spirit," and in one place, "the Spirit of holiness," 5. It is the Spirit of affection. We read therefore of "the Spirit of love." "He that loveth Him that begat," says John, "loveth Him also that is begotten of Him." And, says the Saviour, "By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another." III. THE USEFULNESS OF THIS SUBJECT. 1. The subject is useful to induce us to adore the condescension of God. David was struck with this; he was astonished that God should "try" man and "visit" him. Solomon was still more struck with His dwelling with man, "Will God in very deed dwell with man upon earth?" But John goes further than this, and speaks of God as not only visiting man, as not only dwelling with man, but of His abiding in him! "Who is a God like unto Thee?" 2. This subject is useful, also, as it reproves those who think there is nothing in religion connected with certainty. There are marks enough, if you are in the way everlasting, to show that you are not in a mistaken direction, but in a right road. 3. This subject is useful also, as it censures those who seek to determine their religious state by any other standard than that which is Divine. "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." 4. Then this subject is useful to comfort those who are partakers of the Holy Ghost. They should rejoice in the Lord always. 5. Lastly, let us turn the medal, and then we shall see the subject is useful to alarm those who, as the apostle terms it, are sensual, not having the Spirit of God in you. Have you the Spirit? — the spirit of prayer, and the spirit of love, and the spirit of meekness? Rather, have you not a proud spirit? an ungrateful spirit? a careless spirit? a revengeful spirit? or a covetous spirit? "This spirit cometh not from Him that calleth you." And if you have nothing better to actuate you than this, you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity. (W. Jay.) Parallel Verses KJV: And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. |
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