Tag: dwells

Romans 7:20 – Living on our Knees

Posted on by Will

Now if I do what I determine not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but the sin dwelling in me.

Truth to Learn

When we lose a battle against our sin nature we simply need to confess our sin and God removes it from us.

 

Behind the Words

The word “do” (in the expression “I who do it”) is from the Greek word katergadzomai, which we saw back in verse fifteen, meaning “to work fully, to finish, or to fully accomplish.”

“Dwells” is also a word that we have looked at before. It is the word oikeō, which means “living somewhere as a permanent residence, as opposed to a temporary residence.”

 

Meaning Explained

This verse is very similar to verse seventeen, in which Paul identifies the sin dwelling in him as the reason that he does things that he hates. He now states a very similar fact, that it is the sin which has taken up permanent residence in him which fully accomplishes that which he has determined not to do.

According to Adam Clarke in his Commentary on the Bible, Paul is saying;

My will is against it; my reason and conscience condemn it. But it is the sin that dwells in me – the principle of sin, [the sin nature] which has possessed itself of all my carnal appetites and passions, and thus subjects my reason and domineers over my soul. Thus I am in perpetual contradiction to myself. Two principles are continually contending in me for the mastery: my reason, on which the light of God shines, to show what is evil; and my passions, in which the principle of sin works, to bring forth fruit unto death.

It is this contention between the Spirit of life within us and the sin nature within us which produces the daily battle that all Christians face: the wholesome desire to obey and please God versus the lustful desires of the sin nature that drag us into sin and guilt.

We will not leave this battleground until the day that we are taken to glory. We need to learn how to do battle effectively. We do that by submitting our will to God and learning repeatedly how to fall to our knees when our sinful tendencies win out over our desire to do good. Remember:

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just so that He might forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:8, 9)

Also, keep in mind that when He forgives our sins, He removes them from us, as David said in the Psalms:

For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. (Psalms 103:11-12)

 

Application

Even though we are in a constant battle with our sin nature, and frequently loose the battle, we know that through confession our sins are forgiven and sent away from us as far as the east is from the west. Lord, help us to learn the necessity of living on our knees!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

James 4:5 – A Jealous Spirit

Posted on by Will

Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously"?

Truth to Learn

Seeking things instead of God makes Him Jealous.

Behind the Words

“Vain” is from the word kenōs, meaning “with no purpose”

The word translated “dwells” is katoikēsen. Some Biblical Greek scholars believe that this is a form of katoikēō, meaning “to dwell permanently.” Others, however, claim that it is from an old verb, katoikidzō, meaning “to give permanent dwelling to.” The problem arises from the fact that it is expressed in the aorist tense and indicative mood, which indicates past action, occurring at a point in time. If this is a form of katoikēō, then James is saying that the Spirit dwelt permanently in us at a point in time in the past. If this is a form of katoikidzō, however, James is saying that the Spirit was given a dwelling place in us at a point in time in the past. In either case, it probably refers to the point in time when we were saved and God gave us his Spirit as a permanent dweller in us. One more degree of complexity in this verse is the fact that, as is pointed out below, this “spirit” could also be referring to our sin nature, which was given to us when we were conceived in the womb.

Epipotheō is the word translated “yearns.” It is made up of epi, used as an intensifier, and potheō, meaning “to desire.” Hence it means “to desire strongly” or “to long for.”

The word translated “jealously” is phthonos, which refers to “the pain of jealousy or envy.”

Meaning Explained

There has been, and continues to be, a lot of debate about this verse for two primary reasons. The first is that there is no Old Testament passage that is exactly quoted by this verse. There are several verses, however, that could fulfill the essence of what this verse says:

Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5)

This is a reference to the sin nature that dwells in every one of us.

you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, (Exodus 20:5)

They have provoked Me to jealousy by what is not God; They have moved Me to anger by their foolish idols. (Deuteronomy 32:21)

This is a reference to the Holy Spirit of God who becomes jealous whenever we allow anything other than God to occupy our thoughts and desires.

Having said all this, it is apparent that James is making a statement of the general sense of what Scripture teaches us and that it is not a direct reference to a specific verse.

The second source of controversy concerning this verse is regarding what James meant by, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously.” The question is whether he is referring to the Holy Spirit who was given to us when we became a Christian, or to the sinful nature that we all received as a result of the “original sin” of Adam and Eve. Keep in mind that when we received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we received a new nature enabled by the Holy Spirit. However, the old nature (our sin nature) is neither removed nor reformed. Because of this, there is a constant battle within, as Paul tells us:

For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are opposed to one another, so that you do not do the things that you may determine to do. (Galatians 5:17)

If James is referring to the Holy Spirit, then he is telling us that the Holy Spirit, who dwells in us, yearns jealously (remember, God is a jealous God). This would support the idea that James is referring to the concepts presented in Exodus 20:5 and Deuteronomy 32:21 quoted above. If, however, he is referring to our sin nature, then he is saying that we have within us jealous yearnings (that is, selfish longings) that cause us to sin. This would support the concept presented in Genesis 6:5 quoted above. Either one would be a reasonable interpretation of this verse.

Now, let’s look at the context of this verse. James has said that we fight and battle because we lust after and covet things that we don’t have. He says that we don’t have things because we don’t ask. James also tells us that when we do ask for these things from God, we ask with the wrong motives, intending this “stuff” to satisfy our selfish desires. In fact, we make “stuff” our idol, giving it more of our attention and desire than we give to God.

When we long for stuff more than we long for a relationship with God, it is a form of idolatry, thus making us spiritual adulterers, which fits with what James told us in the previous verse. In the current verse, it makes sense that James is telling us that the Holy Spirit (the Spirit whom God, at some point in time in the past, gave to permanently dwell in us), has a longing, a strong desire, for a personal relationship with us. But, when we play the harlot with “stuff,” it makes God jealous!

After a lot of research and analysis and after a lot of internal debate, I am convinced that “The Spirit who dwells in us” is referring to the Holy Spirit. And – the reason He “yearns jealously” is because He wants our full devotion. He doesn’t want us to divide our devotion between Him and any idol of any kind.

Application

Are you filled with a longing for stuff? Are you constantly thinking of a bigger house, a better car, a better job, a boat, more clothes, a bigger retirement nest egg? Are you trying to be the kid with the most toys at the end of the game? If so, then you have made an idol out of stuff and you make God jealous. Or – do you spend your days trying to develop a deeper relationship with God, learning all you can about Him and what He wants from you.

Remember, God is a jealous God and you are His beloved one. If you really want to please God, then give him ALL your devotion. When we pray and “ask” God, we should all be asking for a better understanding of Him and for a stronger devotion to Him and Him alone.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 8:9 – Are You Sealed?

Posted on by Will

Romans 8:9

But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

Truth to Learn

If you are saved, you are sealed and your life should show it.

Behind the Words

“Dwells” is from oikeō, which means “to reside in a house.”

Meaning Explained

In verse eight Paul summarized the preceding three verses by stating, “those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” We mentioned in that verse that the expression, “those who are in the flesh,” refers to unregenerate people, that is, those who are unsaved; they are not Christians. Part of the reason for this conclusion is what Paul says in the current verse.

“But you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit.” This is a contrasting statement to the previous one indicating that those who are in the flesh cannot also be in the spirit. You are either one or the other. But how do we know who is in the flesh and who is in the spirit? Paul explains this in the next phrase. He says, “But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.” Paul explains this in Ephesians 1:13,14 where he says,

in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Those who are saved are sealed with the Holy Spirit and He is our guarantee. This guarantee is a token given as a promise that a transaction will be completed. If for some reason the transaction is not completed, the guarantee is retained by the recipient. Hence, if God were not to grant us our inheritance at the end of the age as He promised, then He would have to leave the Holy Spirit (our guarantee) with us, thus causing light to be united with darkness, which He tells us in 2 Corinthians 6:14 cannot happen. Hence, once we are saved and have the Holy Spirit, we cannot lose that salvation! It is guaranteed!

What Paul tells us in today’s verse is that the one who has the Holy Spirit dwelling in him (or her) is not in the flesh; he (or she) is in the Spirit. Now, just to make sure he is understood, Paul then says, “Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” In other words, if you don’t have the guarantee, you are not saved and do not belong to Christ.

Those who aren’t saved don’t have the Spirit of God and, therefore, are in the flesh. They are controlled by their sinful fleshly desires. However, those who are saved have the Holy Spirit living in them and should not be controlled by the flesh. Notice I said “should not.” As we have said before, Christians have a free will to obey God or not. Sometimes we let our flesh control us, causing us to sin. We have a choice: to be controlled by our flesh or to be submitted to God. The unsaved can’t make this choice. They do not have a free will; they are bound by the law of sin to obey their sinful desires because they are “in the flesh.”

Challenge

So, I ask you again, are you in the flesh or are you in the Spirit? What would the people who know you best say? Would they say that there is clear evidence that you are “in the Spirit?”

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Romans 7:20 – Living on our Knees

Posted on by Will

Romans 7:20

Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

Truth to Learn

When we lose a battle against our sin nature we simply need to confess our sin and God removes it from us.

Behind the Words

The word “do” (in the expression “I who do it”) is from the Greek word katergadzomai, which we saw back in verse fifteen, meaning “to work fully, to finish, or to fully accomplish.”

“Dwells” is also a word that we have looked at before. It is the word oikeō, which means “living somewhere as a permanent residence, as opposed to a temporary residence.”

Meaning Explained

This verse is very similar to verse seventeen, in which Paul identifies the sin dwelling in him as the reason that he does things that he hates. He now states a very similar fact, that it is the sin which has taken up permanent residence in him which fully accomplishes that which he has determined not to do.

According to Adam Clarke in his Commentary on the Bible, Paul is saying;

My will is against it; my reason and conscience condemn it. But it is the sin that dwells in me – the principle of sin, [the sin nature] which has possessed itself of all my carnal appetites and passions, and thus subjects my reason and domineers over my soul. Thus I am in perpetual contradiction to myself. Two principles are continually contending in me for the mastery: my reason, on which the light of God shines, to show what is evil; and my passions, in which the principle of sin works, to bring forth fruit unto death.

It is this contention between the Spirit of life within us and the sin nature within us which produces the daily battle that all Christians face: the wholesome desire to obey and please God versus the lustful desires of the sin nature that drag us into sin and guilt.

We will not leave this battleground until the day that we are taken to glory. We need to learn how to do battle effectively and that is by submitting our will to God and learning repeatedly how to fall to our knees when our sinful tendencies win out over our desire to do good. Remember:

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:8, 9)

Also, keep in mind that when he forgives our sins, he removes them from us, as David said in the Psalms:

For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. (Psalms 103:11-12)

Application

Even though we are in a constant battle with our sin nature, and frequently loose the battle, we know that through confession our sins are forgiven and sent away from us as far as the east is from the west. Lord, help us to learn the necessity of living on our knees!

In God’s service, for His glory,

signature

Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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Romans 7:17 – Victory Through Surrender

Posted on by Will

Romans 7:17

But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

Truth to Learn

There is a battle going on within us that requires surrender.

Behind the Words

The word translated “dwells” is the Greek word oikousa, which is a participial form of oikos, meaning “a dwelling place or a house.” Oikousa means “living somewhere as a permanent residence, as opposed to a temporary residence.”

Meaning Explained

Two verses back Paul lamented, “For that which I am determined to do I don’t always do but, on the other hand, that which I hate to do I keep on doing” [my translation]. In the current verse he appears to absolve himself of any responsibility. What does he mean when he says, “it is no longer I who do it”? We have to refer back to verse fifteen to answer this. There he said, “For what I determine to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.” You see that it is Paul’s will (determination to do good) versus his actions that he is talking about. So, in the current verse he says that in his inner most self his greatest desire is to do good, but this gets overpowered by the sin that dwells in him.

Now, what does he mean when he says that sin “dwells in me?” Paul is telling us that sin has taken up a permanent residence in him (and us); therefore, the natural propensity to sin is a permanent part of our human bodies. We can’t get away from it and we can’t overcome it. So we’re not responsible when we sin, right? Wrong!

Before we were saved, this was true; we had no choice but to sin. But now that we have been saved, we have someone else living inside us. Romans 8:9 says, “But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells (the same word as in Romans 7:17) in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” Also in 1 Corinthians 3:16 he says, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells (the same word as in Romans 7:17) in you?”

When we were saved, a marvelous thing happened. God the Father gave us a token to guarantee His promise to redeem us, a seal of our salvation (see Ephesians 1:13, 14) . That token, that seal, that guarantee is the 3rd person of the Godhead, God the Holy Spirit. God is actually dwelling in us. That’s one reason that we are told that God will never leave us nor forsake us. He will always be with us because He dwells in us, that is, He has taken up permanent residence in us.

Now consider this, of the two that dwell within us, our sin nature (which Paul has been talking about here) and God, which do you think is stronger? “Well, that’s obvious!” you say. “God is stronger!”

You are absolutely correct. As we yield ourselves to God, as we surrender our will to His, He has control and He overcomes our sin nature. But, when we take the reins of our own lives, when it is our will that is calling the shots, our sin nature takes control because it is stronger than we are.

Application

He (or she) who desires to please God must continually surrender his or her will to God. That is the only way we can live a victorious life!

Is your will completely surrendered to God today?

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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