The doctrine of the indwelling of Jesus Christ

1. The prophecy of the indwelling of Christ — John 14:20,21. The prophecy of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is found in John 14:16,17. The prophecy anticipates that the Jewish Age would be interrupted and that the dispensation of the Church would begin, there would be the royal bride prepared for the Lord Jesus Christ, on earth the body of Christ, the royal priesthood, and that this royalty would also live during the intensified stage of the angelic conflict.

2. A distinction must be made between the indwelling of Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This distinction is brought out in the context of Romans 8:9-11. The Holy Spirit indwells every believer permanently — for functional reasons now, but the reason for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is that we will always be royalty. The moment we were born again we were born spiritually into a type of royalty, a type of nobility which has never existed in human history, a totally and completely spiritual nobility, a spiritual nobility based upon spiritual principles and spiritual origin, a nobility which began at the point of salvation. At the point of salvation, in order that we might have and carry forever the sign of nobility we have the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit — 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19,20. However, Christ indwells the believer for the purpose of fellowship. The objective of this life is not to run around and pray, to run around and be religious, to be concerned, to be a bleeding heart, to be socially involved in the social reform of the world, that is like trying to whitewash the devil’s world. Our objective is to reach the supergrace life, the point where Christ can be glorified. Therefore, in order that we might have fellowship and encouragement on the road to supergrace we are indwelt by the Lord Jesus Christ.

3. The fellowship concept of the indwelling of Jesus Christ is found in two passages, Romans 8:10 and Galatians 2:20.

4. The indwelling of Christ is the confidence of reaching supergrace — Colossians 1:27. Glory in that passage refers to the supergrace life. The confidence of reaching supergrace glory is based upon the indwelling of Christ.

5. Therefore the purpose of the indwelling of Christ. Christ indwells every believer for the purpose of encouragement to supergrace, for the purpose of fellowship on the road to supergrace — Ephesians 3:17. This is accomplished through the consistent intake of Bible doctrine — Ephesians 3:18; Colossians 1:17 cf. Colossians 3:16.

6. The indwelling of Christ is temporary, depending upon attitude toward doctrine. Therefore, the reason for the departure of the indwelling Christ. Why does Christ cease to indwell believers? The answer is found in 2 Corinthians 13:5 — “Be testing yourselves, if you are in the doctrine [are you interested in doctrine or not?]; be testing yourselves for approval [GAP it daily]. Be perceiving yourselves that Christ is in you, unless you are a reversionist.” Christ is in you unless you are a reversionist.

7. The recovery of the indwelling Christ. Once Christ leaves you He is knocking on the door, and so you can recover the indwelling of Christ — Revelation 3:20 is Jesus Christ standing at the door warning the believer that he is in reversionism. Knocking on the door is the first stage of discipline on the road to reversionism. It is the warning stage. The recovery of the indwelling of Christ is through reversion recovery. It occurs when the reversionistic believer repents or opens the door, as per Revelation 3:20. The fellowship which follows — “I will sup with him” — is involved in reversion recovery through the consistent function of GAP.