The gospel to which this book is dedicated is the saving activity of God in Christ. The “gospel” means good news. It is about what Christ has done for us by his life, death for sin, resurrection from the grave, and ascension to the Father’s right hand. It is not good advice about what we must do.
Most would agree that the gospel of salvation is the central tenet of Christianity. However, as strange as it may seem, the gospel is often misunderstood, diluted with feel-good clichés, or loaded with heavy-weighted burdens. Sometimes it is just not clearly articulated and at others it is emasculated from its life-changing power. I loved the Lord Jesus and dedicated my life to Him as a young boy. I was a Christian for years but did not clearly understand the gospel nor did I have the assurance that I was fully accepted by God. I served as a pastor of several churches for a number of years and still did not understand the finer nuances of this glorious truth. My own understanding of the gospel has progressed in stages. At each stage I thought I understood it fully, that is until the next insight opened up new vistas that expanded my vision of the glorious grace of God. I have always had the desire to better understand the basis of my own assurance of salvation. At times I have experienced nagging questions the answers for which seemed very elusive. As my understanding of the gospel has grown, so has my love and dedication to the Lord. I have often prayed the Pauline prayer that I might “speak forth the mystery of Christ…that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.” (Col. 4:3, 4) And as I sit at my computer to start this book, my prayer is that we—both you and I—would not only better understand the gospel of our salvation but would enter into the ultimate experience Jesus predicted and promised in His last evening with His disciples.
The relationship within the Godhead
The unity of the Godhead, the mutual indwelling of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is a major theme of John’s gospel and rightly so. This mutual indwelling and mutual dependence becomes the pattern for all relationships: God with God, God with man, and man with men. Jesus knew that important things must be repeated time and again.
I and the Father are one (Jn.10:30).
…though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father (Jn. 10:38).
In John 14:6 Jesus tells His disciples that He is the “way, and the truth, and the life.” Then He says,
If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him and have seen Him.
To this Philip said, “Show us the Father…” Jesus answered:
Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves (Jn. 14:9-11).
The interrelationship within the Godhead sets the pattern for believers
I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me [that means us!] through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me (Jn. 17:20-23).
The above paragraph from John 17 is perhaps the most profound statement in all of Scripture. That the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit can dwell “in us” and that we can dwell “in” the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, opens up all kinds of questions and possibilities. Like the woman at the well we cry out “Lord, give me this water to drink!” How does all this happen? When does this happen? What are the results of this mutual indwelling? What is our part in this relationship and what is God’s part? What are the benefits to us of being “in Christ”? How is Christ placed “into” us and what are the results of this mutual indwelling from God’s perspective? How do all these relationships affect our relationship to other believers in Christ? Does this mutual indwelling take place in a moment of time or is this something that progresses from one stage to another?
My study leads me to believe these events all take place in a moment of time—the moment of salvation. However it often takes time, sometimes a long time, for us to actuate or experience the multitude of spiritual blessings that result from this event. Even though these events may take place in an instant, in order for us to understand the many facets of mutual indwelling we must study them in isolation and in the correct order. During the monsoon season in Arizona we sometimes get to see amazing light shows where the lightning sets the night sky ablaze with wonder. Even though a lightning strike happens in an instant, a careful observer can trace the direction of the flash. I believe it is the same way in our mutual indwelling relationships with God. Let us look at this one event in slow motion so we can better understand and appropriate the light of God’s amazing grace-the rainbow of his grace and love. We now turn to the first step in this one event.
- 1. Starting Point - March 19, 2026
- Biblical Support Or Obscurantism? - March 12, 2026
- Appendix E: Statements by Seventh-day Adventist Leaders Regarding the Authority of the Writings of Ellen G. White - March 5, 2026