Is God at home in you?
Judas (not Judas Iscariot) but another disciple of Jesus, asked Him – “’Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?’” Consider how profound Jesus’ response was – “’If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me. These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.’” (John 14: 22-26) Through God’s Spirit, the fullness of God comes to dwell in a believer. Jesus said – “’We will come to him and make our home with him.’”
Jesus revealed God’s word to man. Jesus is literally the word of God made flesh. To heed or obey Jesus, is to heed or obey God. Through Jesus and His indwelling Spirit, we have conscious access to God – “For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.” (Ephesians 2: 18) On earth today, the only “home” of God is the heart of believers. God does not dwell in temples made by men, but in the hearts of those who have trusted in Jesus Christ. Paul taught the Corinthian believers, who had previously been Gentile pagans who worshiped at temples made by men – “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Cor. 6: 19-20)
Today, Jesus alone is our great High Priest in heaven interceding on our behalf. God, being a Spirit, had to come and dwell in a body of flesh and experience what we experience in order to know how to intercede for us. It teaches in Hebrews – “Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” (Heb. 2: 17-18) There is no other man who is our eternal mediator. We all have access to God through Jesus Christ. Neither the Pope, nor any other religious leader claiming to hold some priesthood can stand before God on our behalf. We can all come to the throne of grace – “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4: 14-16)
If you have set up a fallen, mortal man or woman as your mediator before God, you are in error. Only Jesus Christ pleased God in the flesh. Only He was sinless. If you are following a religious leader or prophet, it is very likely that you are worshiping him or her even though you may not realize it. No other name can bring you to God, except Jesus Christ. Neither Muhammad, Joseph Smith, President Monson, Pope Francis, the Buddha, L.R. Hubbard, Ellen G. White, Gerald Gardner, Marcus Garvey, Kim il-sung, Rajneesh, Li Hongzhi, Krishna, Confucious, nor any other religious figure can mediate before God for you. Only Jesus Christ can. Won’t you consider Him today. Trusting in Him alone will make an eternal difference in your life. If you do, He will never leave or forsake you, and He will make His home with you.
