His Permanent Address
(Originally published: Thursday, August 07, 2008)
A Synonym is one of two or more words in the same language
which have the same or very nearly the same meaning. The meanings are so
similar the words are often used interchangeably. The challenge is to know
which of these words to use when you are translating. For example, there is no
word in Spanish for righteousness. Many use the Spanish word for Justice:
Justicia. But, justice and righteousness do not have the same definition, they
are not synonyms.
A similar thing happens with the word dwell in the Bible.
Sometimes it means to live permanently and sometime it means temporarily. The
latter is the case of John 1:14. The word used in the Greek is Skenoo, which
means: to have or fix one's tabernacle, abide (or live) in a tabernacle (or
tent), tabernacle; to dwell. Let us read John 1:14,
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,
(and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)
full of grace and truth.
Christ dwelling with us as the Son of Man was temporary.
When Christ was on earth He “pitched His tent” among us. Tents are for
temporary dwellings. In contrast, other words are used regarding His dwelling
in us. The first one is Enoikeo which means to dwell in; to dwell
metaphorically in one and influence him (for good). Because is for good, it
gives an impression of permanency. Two verses use this example,
2Ti 1:14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep
by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.
2Co 6:16 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.
The second one is Katoikeo, which means to dwell in, inhabit
as in, God is said to dwell in the temple, i.e. to be always present for
worshippers. Also to dwell, settle; used metaphorically to refer to when divine
powers, influences, etc., are said to dwell in his soul, to pervade, prompt,
govern it. Examples of this use are found in,
Eph 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that
ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Col 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all
fulness dwell;
Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead
bodily.
Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if
so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit
of Christ, he is none of his.
Rom 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because
of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from
the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also
quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
The last word is naos {nah-os'} – (our word for “IN”) which
is derived from naio which also means to dwell. It was used when referring to
the temple at Jerusalem, but only of the sacred edifice (or sanctuary) itself,
consisting of the Holy place and the Holy of Holies. This word is the one used
for referring to Jesus in the Sanctuary. Let us read,
1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of
the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
No reference in this verse of anything temporary. Our bodies
are supposed to be Jesus’ permanent address. As we can see all these words were
translated as dwelling. However, skenoo is temporary dwelling.
In conclusion, when the Bible talks about Christ dwelling
among us as a man, it is temporary living. However, when it talks about Christ
dwelling in us it is permanent living. Both dwellings are because God loves us.
God wants to permanently dwell in us. He does not want to temporarily dwell
among us. His incarnation limited the how and amount of time He could dwell
with us. But, through the Holy Spirit he can dwell in us forever. Yes, we can
evict Him and foreclose our property, in which case the devil will repurchase
it, and it will be destroyed when the devil is destroyed. Or we can let God
abide in us, and eventually live eternally with Him.
Ps. Reformation can
only occur when the Holy Spirit dwells in us.
It is He doing the reformation.