Doctrines (posted Friday, November 16 2007)

One of the incredible privileges for believers of the modern age is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This ministry is unique to the modern age and will never be provided again once the Rapture takes place.

Why does the Holy Spirit indwell Christians?

What is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?

The first important thing to note is that the New Testament teaches two kinds of relationships with the Holy Spirit: His indwelling and His filling. The two are quite different. For instance, the Bible commands the believer to be "filled" by the Spirit.

- Ephesians 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

This implies that the "filling" of the Spirit can come and go, becuase a Christian can fail to follow this command depending on his spiritual status. Furthermore, the Spirit's "filling" reflects divine enablement to do the works of God, and clearly no one but Jesus Christ has always done the words of God. This was also the case in the Old Testament.

- Exodus 31:2-3 "See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts"

- Psalm 51:10-11 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

- Micah 3:8 But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin.

- Luke 1:67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied

- Acts 4:31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

However, the "indwelling" is never commanded in the New Testament; it is simple taught as a fact. In fact, is a new concept to the New Testament, never mentioned before Christ and he revealed it at the Last Supper, the night before His crucifiction.

- John 14:16-17 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

This was a radical revelation for the Apostles and other Jewish Christians. They were familiar with Old Testament examples of empowerment by the Spirit of God through temporary "filling", in examples ranging from Samson to David. However, the idea that the Spirit would live inside of them forever was entirely new.

Who receives the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?

As Christ taught that whoever is indwelt the Spirit would have Him forever, it is important to learn who receives this indwelling, and how. Through extensive teaching over many letters, Paul taught that all believers receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit from the Father through Christ.

- Romans 5:5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

- 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

- Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Some of these passages teach an additional truth. Even a Christian who is living in a lifestyle of sexual immorality, still has the Holy Spirit living in that body. Even a Christian who is grieving the Holy Spirit, still has the Holy Spirit within him.

This, again, is the important distinction between "filling" and "indwelling". While "filling" requires a spiritual walk and leads to empowerment, "indwelling" shows no outward experience but also never changes.

Why does the Spirit indwell us?

If the "filling" of the Spirit is for power then the "indwelling" must be for another purpose. Actually there are a number of reasons that the Holy Spirit indwells Christians. First, it is a sign of a Christian's acceptance unto God. This was especially important in the early church when there was potential for division between Jewish and Gentile believers, and the possibility of early heresies being introduced into a nascent faith.

- Acts 15:7-9 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith."

- 1 John 4:2-3 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

Another reason for the Spirit's indwelling is to make our bodies a holy temple for God the Father and Jesus Christ.

- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

- Ephesians 2:21-22 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

- 1 John 4:13 We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

A third reason for the indwelling of the Spirit is to mark Christians as set apart to God. No other believers in the Bible were called co-sons and co-heirs with God Himself, Christ, until the Holy Spirit indwelt them.

- Galatians 4:6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father."

Finally, but most importantly, the indwelling of the Spirit seals our salvation as a guarantee from God.

- Romans 8:11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

- 2 Conrithians 1:21-22 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

- Ephesians 1:13-14 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of his glory.

- Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Conclusion

It is fortunate for us that the "indwelling" of the Holy Spirit cannot be lost as the "filling" can. The "indwelling", meaning the fact that the Spirit lives inside of our bodies, provides a mark of our position before God and a guarantee of our life to come. All believers in the modern age receive it and none may lose it.

It cannot be revoked by unspiritual living, and so provides hope and confidence even in times of distress. This fact should motivate us to also be "filled" with the Holy Spirit, which does require good decisions and effort, and thereby live a life pleasing to God and as an example to all man.