The Urantia Book Fellowship

 


Discussion of the Indwelling Spirit in the Bible
Dr. William S. Sadler
1966

 


  • Job 32:8. "But it is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand."
  • Proverbs 20:27. "The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts."
  • Ecclesiastes 12:7. "And the spirit returns to God who gave it."
  • Ezekiel 36:27. "And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes."
  • Zechariah 12:1. "Thus says the Lord, who...formed the spirit of man within him."
  • Romans 8:16. "It is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are the children of God."
  • I Corinthians 2:11. "What person knows a man's thoughts except the spirit of the man which is in him?"
  • I John 3:24. "And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given us."

The physical bodies of mortals are the temples of God. This is I Corinthians 3:16. "Do you know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" (See also I Corinthians 6:19.)
II Corinthians 6:16. "For we are the temple of the living God."

Paul is quoting from the Old Testament -- Exodus 29:45. "And I will dwell among the people of Israel, and will be their God." Leviticus 26:11. "And I will make my abode among you."

Paul alters the text so as to impart new meanings. He changes "dwell among you" to read "dwell in you." This constitutes re-interpretation. In this way doctrine is modified by editorializing translation. The Urantia Book does this same thing. Paul supplies a New Testament precedent for such a practice. (Note: John Calvin objected to this Biblical editorializing.)

Even though the Creator Sons come close to us -- "draw all men to themselves" -- God is nearer us in the presence of the Adjusters.

This statement of Jesus is found in John 12:32. "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." In the next verse John says: "He said this to show by what death he was to die." The Urantia Book would differ with John.


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