Oaks of Righteousness: Holy Spirit – In Christians and in the Church

The Holy Spirit – In Christians and in the Church – 1 Corinthians 3:1-22

The Bible teaches that Christians are the temple of the Holy Spirit. He dwells with the Christian to help us live holy lives.

Opening Question — Get Us Thinking:

How would you describe the relationship between the Christian and the Holy Spirit? After reading the scripture above, what do we learn about God?

"For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." (John 1:17). Much is stated by John in the above summary verse. There are some similarities but many differences between the concepts of Law and Grace. Under Law, the Spirit of God was "with" individuals. Under Grace, the Spirit is "with" God's people, but He is also "in" God's people. Discuss "the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ." Acts 19:1-7 describes the connection of immersion and the Holy Spirit in Christ’s baptism vs. John’s.

Research Questions — “Dig Deeper” to find God’s Word & Will.

The Spirit is omnipresent but specifically dwells within the Christian — where in the scripture do we first find the promise of the Spirit being “within”? The Godhead chose to indwell and become our seal. We become the temple of the Holy Spirit as the church because He is within every Christian.

Spirit promised to live in believers, "Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified." (John 7:38-39). The promise is given by Jesus (verse 38). The explanation is given by John (verse 39). Is this the first scripture to mention the indwelling personally?

This is the first time in scripture that we find the promise of the Spirit being "within." The statement by Jesus would be difficult to understand if we did not have John's explanation. The explanation, however, makes it quite clear that sometime shortly after the earthly ministry of Jesus the Spirit would indwell His followers.

"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you." (John 14:16-17). What is the meaning of "Helper" or "Comforter"? Jesus makes this promise to the apostles toward the end of His earthly ministry. He realizes that He will soon be taken from them, but He assures them that they would be given another Helper or comforter (parakletos). The word suggests "one called to the side of” or "called to one's aid." The Holy Spirit would be the one sent from God "to their side," the one who is sent to "aid" them. Additionally, the Spirit will be "in" us. This promise was not realized by those living under the Old Testament period. The faithful during the time of the earthly ministry of Jesus (this would include the apostles) did not receive the Spirit as indweller. When did the indwelling of the Holy Spirit begin? The first time the Spirit was given to indwell was on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:38). Peter tells those present that God required repentance and baptism for forgiveness of sins and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Two commands were given and two promises made. From Acts 2 onward in reading of the New Testament, the Spirit is promised to the obedient. (I assume that all who were in covenant relationship with God received the Spirit on Pentecost, including the apostles.)

What are some of the different views regarding the indwelling Spirit? There can be extremely differing views concerning the indwelling of the Spirit. Let’s touch on a few things in this section. Here are only three views.

One view that is held by several among our fellowship is that the Spirit dwells in the Christian "through the word only." This view sees New Testament scriptures which indicate an indwelling to be referring to the miraculous—that which no longer exists. A view that sees no distinction between the Spirit and the word which is "the sword of the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:17). How can the "word only" be both the Spirit and the sword of the Spirit? Some who hold this view feel that those who believe in a personal indwelling of the Spirit have accepted a conclusion that is "separate and apart from the word."

Another view is that the Spirit Himself indwells a person who obeys God's commands (Acts 2:38). Those who hold this view believe that the Spirit as indweller does things for them that the word does not do. Some who hold this view feel that God is still working miracles and that sometimes He is doing this in their lives. Others do not feel that He is doing miracles in their lives, but they are hesitant to say He is not working miracles. Most who hold this view see the indwelling to be a supernatural influence that enables individuals to do supernatural things.

A best view of the indwelling Spirit is that the Spirit Himself personally indwells the Christian as part of the covenant relationship that is shared. This is in addition to the revealed word, but not separate or in contradiction to the word. This is non-miraculous. Scriptural proof of the Spirit's indwelling will follow in this lesson.

Does all of the Godhead (Father, Son, and Spirit) dwell in the Christian? "No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us." (1 John 4:12). "For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." (2 Corinthians 6:16). The above verses indicate that God dwells in Christians. The most common word for God in the New Testament is Theos. What does Theos mean? The majority of times this word refers to God the Father. It may at times, however, refer also to Jesus and to the Spirit.

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love." (Ephesians 3:14-17). Paul in this section of scripture affirms that both the Spirit and Jesus dwell in the Christian.

Some may feel strongly that the Holy Spirit is in them and other say I don’t feel anything, so what is the scriptural proof of the indwelling spirit?

Discuss “your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.” "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38). "And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him." (Acts 5:32). "Hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:5). "If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." (Romans 8:11). “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,” (1 Corinthians 6:19). "And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee." (2 Corinthians 1:21-22). "And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" (Galatians 4:6).

The above verses by no means exhaust the list of references to the indwelling Spirit. These verses show sufficiently, however, that a major emphasis does exist in the New Testament on the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

What are some things which the Spirit is to the Christian? The Spirit is a gift from God which He gives when an individual surrenders to Jesus. Some misunderstand Acts 2:38 to be saying that the gift is from the Spirit. But to me the gift refers to the Spirit Himself. A parallel verse is Acts 5:32. A gift is never earned.

Paul declares that the Spirit is the sealed promise of God that guarantees that we belong to Him (Ephesians 1:13). Seal (sphragizo) refers to a stamp, an impress, which indicates ownership. Sometimes it may refer to designation. Paul says, "In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit" (Ephesians 1:13). This verse parallels what Peter told the multitude on Pentecost (Acts 2:38). The promised Holy Spirit is mentioned in each setting. Paul declares that the Spirit was given after they had heard and had believed.

Paul says that the Spirit "is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory" (Ephesians 1:14). Pledge (arrhabon) means a surety, pledge, guarantee, or earnest. Originally, it referred to earnest money deposited by the purchaser and forfeited if the purchase were not completed. In the New Testament, it refers only to what God assured His believers. The Spirit given as a pledge is God's guarantee to us that every promise He has made He will fulfill—the ultimate promise being heaven. Paul assured the Corinthians of this promise as he had assured the Ephesians. God "sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge" (2 Corinthians 1:22). "Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge" (2 Corinthians 5:5).

The Spirit is a motivation to purity. "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Paul declares several things in these verses relative to the Spirit and to the human body. He says that our bodies are a temple of the Spirit. The temple has always been a place where God dwells. Christians are told that they have been bought with a price. The price is the precious blood of Jesus (1 Peter 1:18-19). This means that Christians should realize that they have surrendered their will to the will of Jesus— they no longer belong to themselves. The acceptance of Jesus should be done foremost to the ultimate glory of God. The motivation to purity which should come from passages such as these is the strongest that can be found. If we cannot be motivated by this context, things such as fear, rules, threats, and the like will not be effective. These are externals. What Paul deals with are internals.

"And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, "Abba, Father." (Galatians 4:6). The Spirit is given as God's "stamp of approval." He says to us that He is glad to claim us as His own. "The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. " (Romans 8:16-17). We have been adopted into the family of God. We have "rights of inheritance" because of adoption. Jesus is a joint-heir with us. The Spirit is given to assure us that we are family, and that God is preparing a place where family can be together forever (John 14:2-3; 2 Corinthians 5:1).

How do the following passages relate in regard to strength? Ephesians 3:16; Ephesians 3:20; Philippians 4:13 . God's Spirit is our strength for the walk of faith. "That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love" (Ephesians 3:16-17). The Spirit strengthens our inner self so that we may "walk by faith" (2 Corinthians 5:7). Paul in Ephesians states that the Father is at work in us: "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us" (Ephesians 3:20). The Philippians are assured that Jesus would strengthen them as He had strengthened Paul. "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13). The promise of God in scripture is that strength from Him will enable us to walk in Him. The Spirit is a primary consideration in that strengthening process. The exact "how" God does this is not revealed.

In Summary, What is the major difference between the "Spirit under Law” and the “Spirit under Grace”? "The Law was given by Moses; but grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17). One tremendous promise of grace is that God’s Spirit will indwell believers. It was promised during the ministry of Jesus (John 7:38-39; 14:16-17). The indwelling Spirit became a reality at Pentecost (Acts 2:38). Different interpretations exist among believers as to "how" the Spirit dwells in the Christian. I urge us to stay away from the extremes.

Many verses indicate the Holy Spirit indwells believers. May the promise of that gift, which indicates we belong to God, be sufficient motivation and strength for us to press on each day until the final inheritance-heaven!

Reflective Questions for a Response — Live it today.

The Spirit of God is in you, making you God’s temple. What does this mean to you?
I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you in this study? How will you apply it to your life this week?
How does this equip us to be better disciples and help empower us to “make disciples”?
You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this?

“Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself.” — 1 Corinthians 6:19

Past notes are on my blog at https://oaks-righteousness.blogspot.com/search/label/Holy%20Spirit