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QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PERSONAL INDWELLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     There are discussions that arise within the church that are filled with controversy.

1.       Divorce and remarriage

2.       A woman’s role in the church

3.       Instrumental music

4.       The New Heaven and New Earth

5.       And of late, the celebration of Easter and Christmas

 

B.      These discussions are not fun.

1.       Individuals do not have the ability to discuss the issues.

2.       Individuals allow their emotions to run high and soon anger is displayed.  Instead of addressing the issues, the people in the discussion begin to attach each other.

3.       Individuals have difficulty admitting when they are wrong.

4.       Individuals would rather divide over the issues rather than unite by speaking the same thing.

5.       Once the discussion is raised, individuals will team up against the person who raises the issue, especially against the individual who takes a conservative position on the topic.

 

C.     Because of these things, many of the controversial topics are not discussed locally.  Occasionally, you will see these topics being discussed out in the brotherhood.

1.       A book will be published.

2.       A lectureship will address a certain topic.

3.       A debate will be held for 2 to 4 nights in a remote location on a controversial subject.

 

D.     Our topic of discussion this morning is one of those “controversial” issues.  We are going to briefly address “The Personal Indwelling of the Holy Spirit.”

 

I.                    WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?

 

A.     The Holy Spirit is a person.  In fact, He is a divine being.  He is what some refer to as “the third member of the Godhead.”

 

B.      The brief arguments that prove the Holy Spirit is a person.

1.       In the Bible, He is referred to with masculine pronouns (John 16:13, “he” six times).

 

Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth:  for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he will shew you things to come.

 

2.       The Holy Spirit does things only a living being can do (1 Tim. 4:1, speaks)

 

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith…

 

3.       The Holy Spirit can be treated in ways that only a person can be treated (Eph. 4:30, grieve).

 

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God…

 

 

II.                 THE HOLY SPIRIT INDWELLS WITHIN THE BELIEVER

 

A.     Several passages specifically teach this.

1.       Romans 8:9

 

But ye are not in the fleish, 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.

 

2.       Romans 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 the Spirit that dwelleth in you.

 

3.       1 Corinthians 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?

 

B.      NOTE:  The question is not whether the Holy Spirit indwells in the Christian.  The question is:  HOW does the Holy Spirit dwell in the Christian?

 

C.     There are several positions taken on indwelling.

1.       The Holy Spirit personally indwells within the child of God, leading and empowering him, even in a miraculous manner.

2.       The Holy Spirit dwells personally in the Christian.  He does not work miracles, but He does strengthen the Christian, encourage the Christian, comfort the Christian, etc.

3.       The Holy Spirit dwells personally in the Christian.  However, the Spirit only operates in the Christian by the Word of God.

4.       The Holy Spirit dwells in the Christian representatively through the Word of God.  The Holy Spirit revealed the Word.  Thus, when a Christian knows and lives the Word, it can be said that the Holy Spirit dwells in the Christian.

 

D.     More and more Christians are affirming either the second or third views.  They believe that when a person becomes a Christian the Holy Spirit personally resides within the heart of the believer.

 

E.      This speaker takes the last position.  He believes the Holy Spirit dwells in the Christian through the precious, inspired, powerful, all-sufficient Word of God.

 

III.              THOUGHTS POSED TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN THE PERSONAL INDWELLING

 

A.     What does it really mean to have the Holy Spirit literally dwelling in you?

1.       Is this what is means?

a.       He is in me, but I do not feel him.

b.      He is in me, but He does not manifest His presence.

c.       He is in me, but I only know it by faith.

2.       In the first century, when individuals had the Spirit of God, they were aware of it (1 Cor. 7:40).  Too, He manifested Himself in their lives (Gal. 3:5).

 

He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

 

3.       In the first century, the apostles and prophets and teachers never spoke of a non-miraculous, personal indwelling. 

a.       But the Bible does talk about the indwelling of God’s precious Word (Col. 3:16).

 

Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly in all wisdom…

 

b.      The parallel passage found in Ephesians 5:18 is an interesting commentary on Colossians 3:16.

 

…but be filled with Spirit.

 

c.       If the two verses are taken together, the message is simple.  We fill ourselves with the Spirit of God when we allow the Word of God to dwell within us.  The Word of God is the mechanism whereby the Spirit teaches, guides, and brings change to the life of Christians.

4.       Some will argue that the Christians of the first century had both a non-miraculous indwelling and a miraculous indwelling of the Spirit.

a.       Answer #1:  The first indwelling comes at baptism we are told.  The second indwelling is by the laying on of the apostles’ hands.  Why did the Spirit have to be given if He was already dwelling in the Christian?

b.      Answer #2:  The conversion of the people of Samaria in Acts argues against this.

1)      Philip preached Christ unto them (Acts 8:5).

2)      When the believed Philip’s preaching “they were baptized, both men and women” (Acts 8:12).

3)      When the apostles heard Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John unto them (Acts 8:14).

4)      The purpose of their going to Samaria is revealed in Acts 8:15-17.

 

Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might received the Holy Ghost:  (for as yet he was fallen on none of them:  only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)   Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

 

a)      The texts plainly says they had been baptized, but they had not received the Holy Spirit.

b)      If they had received it in a non-miraculous way, this should have been acknowledged.

c)       NOTE:  If they had received the Holy Spirit at their baptism, then they received Him again when Peter and John laid their hands on them.  They received the Holy Spirit twice.  Did He leave and have to be put back in the second time?

 

B.      We are told that the text plainly says that the Holy Spirit dwells in us.  Thus, it must be a personal indwelling.  Question:  Is this true of every statement in the Bible?

1.       The Bible tells us that God and Christ dwell in us.

a.       2 Corinthians 6:16 (See also John 14:23)

 

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 will be their God, and they shall be my people.

 

1)      Does the God the Father literally dwell in us?

2)      If so, does this mean we have three spirits within us:  ours, the Holy Spirit, and the Father’s?

b.      Jesus dwells in us (John 15:5).

 

I am the vine, ye are the branches.  He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing.

 

1)      Does Jesus literally dwell within us?

2)      Does this mean we have four spirits dwelling with us:  our spirit, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit?

2.       The Bible teaches that we dwell in God (1 John 4:13, 15-16).

 

Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

 

a.       The Bible says, those who confess Jesus is the Son of God dwell in God.

b.      Do we literally dwell within God the Father?

3.       The Bible teaches us that at least during Jesus’ earthly ministry, the Father dwelled in Him, and He dwelled in the Father (John 10:38).

 

But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works; that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

 

a.       Did the Father and Son literally dwell within one another?

b.      Why would deity need another divine being to literally dwell within Him?

c.       NOTE:  Jesus also possessed the Spirit (John 3:34).  Did the Holy Spirit personally dwell in Jesus Christ?

4.       ANSWER:  Some will argue that the Father and Son dwell representatively through the Holy Spirit.  Question:  Where are the passages that prove this assertion?

 

C.     Since the indwelling passages are supposed to be taken literally, there are other texts that need to be answered.

1.       Acts 2:17a

 

And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh…

 

a.       Was the Holy Spirit literally poured out on the apostles on the day of Pentecost?

b.      Is it possible to “pour out” a member of the Godhead?

c.       Was it the power of the Holy Spirit was poured out on this occasion?  They could speak in tongues and do marvelous miracles because they had been given the Spirit’s power.  The words “pour out” are figurative.

2.       John 13:27a

 

And after the sop Satan entered into him…

 

a.       Satan is a spirit being.

b.      Did Satan literally, personally, enter into Judas?

c.       If not, wasn’t there another way of saying it?

3.       2 Corinthians 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 will be their God, and they shall be my people.

 

a.       The text reveals that God not only dwells in us, but He also walks in us.

b.      If the dwelling is a personal indwelling, how does God literally walk in us?

4.       In Ephesians 5:18, Paul issues a command to Christians.  He says:  “…be filled with the Spirit.”

a.       The question that needs to be answer is;  “How is the Christian to obey this command?”

b.      The text does not mention the Word of God.  It plainly says that we are to be filled with Spirit.

c.       Most will answer that it is done by a study of the Word of God. 

1)      So, a person can be filled with the Spirit by partaking of God’s Word,

2)      But, we are told that the when the Bible tells us the Spirit dwells within us that cannot be by the Word of God.

 

D.     A few other thoughts:

1.       Some say the Holy Spirit is in them, but He does not do anything except through the Word of God.  The only difference between these individuals and those who contend that the Spirit dwells only through the Word of God is a claim.

2.       Paul teaches us in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that the Word of God is all-sufficient for the Christian’s life.  If so, why do we need a non-miraculous indwelling?  If we need the non-miraculous indwelling, is the Word of God really all sufficient?

3.       If the Christian has the Holy Spirit literally within him, does the Holy Spirit leave when the individual engages in sin?  How much sin does it take for Him to leave?  Does he return upon repentance?

4.       If the Christian has the Holy Spirit literally within him, does the Holy Spirit depart at death as well?  Is death for the Christian a separation of two spirits from the body?

5.       The same Bible that tells us that the Holy Spirit dwells in us, reveals various things the Holy Spirit does.

a.       A brief list:

1)      Sanctifies (1 Cor. 6:11)

2)      Convicts of sin (Tit. 3:5)

3)      Comforts (Acts 9:31)

b.      Does the Spirit who is dwelling literally within us do these things do us?

1)      How?

2)      When He does them, do we know it?

3)      If we do not know it, how does it benefit us.

c.       The Bible also reveals that the Word does these things for us.

1)      Sanctifies (John 17:17)

2)      Convicts of sin (Tit. 1:9)

3)      Comforts (Rom. 15:4; 1 Thess. 4:18).

d.      QUESTION:  Could it be that the Holy Spirit accomplishes these things in us through the Word of God?

6.       Can the Holy Spirit do something for us without literally being within us?

a.       Some argue that the Holy Spirit must be within us because He makes intercession for us in our prayers (Rom. 8:26).

b.      Most will claim that Jesus is not literally within us, but He can be a mediator for us (1 Tim. 2:5). 

c.       NOTE:  The same could be said of the Spirit.  He can intercede for us without being literally in our bodies.

 

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.     There are many conservative individuals in the church today who believe the Holy Spirit indwells personally in the Christian.  They do not believe that he does anything within them apart from God’s Word.’

 

B.      This position only differs from the Spirit dwelling through the Word by a claim.

 

C.     It is only when individuals believe the Holy Spirit works in the believer apart from the Word, or in a miraculous way, that fellowship becomes a serious problem.

 

D.     Everyone admits that the Spirit works through the Word in the Christian’s life.  Let’s study it and live it.  If we do, it will give us an inheritance among those who are sanctified (Acts 20:32).