The Daily Word of Righteousness

Christ—the House of God, #3

Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. (John 14:10)

Notice (above) that Christ is the eternal Temple of God.

We become a part of the Temple.

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. (John 17:21)

Christ is the "Zion" in whom the Father dwells forever (Psalms 68:15-18).

Christ went to prepare a place for us in Zion:

"In My Father's House are many mansions."

The New Testament writings never once refer to a building as the house of God nor is Heaven ever referred to as the house of God. The concept of God and Christ coming to dwell in the saints is a major topic of the Apostle John and the Apostle Paul.

Jesus answered and said unto him, 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. (John 14:23)

Here is the fulfillment under the new covenant of the old covenant feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:33-43).

The Greek noun translated "abode," in John 14:23, is translated "mansions," in John 14:2.

I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (John 17:23)

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (II Corinthians 6:16)

In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:21,22)

Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. (Revelation 3:12)

When the Lord Jesus ascended to Heaven He gave gifts of ministry to the saints. The purpose of the gifts is that we may be brought to the "measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ," to the measure of the stature of the fullness of the eternal House of God (Ephesians 4:13).

The Divine purpose in building the Body of Christ is explained in Psalms 68:18

Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them. (Psalms 68:18)

Christ—Head and Body—is the "hill," Zion, in which God will dwell forever.

To be continued.