The Indwelling Holy Spirit

[Christian2]

I was always under the impression that according to the NT the Holy Spirit indwells only Christians who believe that Jesus is the Christ, died on the cross for our sins, etc.

However, two of my ministers say I am wrong, that the Holy Spirit indwells everyone--every person on earth--some listen and some don't.

Now I am confused. I don't mind being wrong and I would appreciate any thoughts from any other Christians.

The church? United Methodist.

[Believer]

I was always under the impression that according to the NT the Holy Spirit indwells only Christians who believe that Jesus is the Christ, died on the cross for our sins, etc.

However, two of my ministers say I am wrong, that the Holy Spirit indwells everyone--every person on earth--some listen and some don't.

Now I am confused. I don't mind being wrong and I would appreciate any thoughts from any other Christians.

The church? United Methodist.

I would agree with your ministers that the Holy Spirit indwells in all people. For ALL are the fingers of God. However, it is up to the person to choose to listen to it and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior or not. If they choose the Holy Spirit's message, then TRUE work in them begins and they become saved, but if they don't choose the Holy Spirit's message, then no TRUE work starts in them and they remain unsaved. God/Jesus is always with us waiting to know what we choose, but He knew before you were born. The Holy Spirit is always on stand-by waiting for the acceptence. If you SEEK, you shall find, always there waiting for us.

[Christian2]

I was always under the impression that according to the NT the Holy Spirit indwells only Christians who believe that Jesus is the Christ, died on the cross for our sins, etc.

However, two of my ministers say I am wrong, that the Holy Spirit indwells everyone--every person on earth--some listen and some don't.

Now I am confused. I don't mind being wrong and I would appreciate any thoughts from any other Christians.

The church? United Methodist.

I would agree with your ministers that the Holy Spirit indwells in all people. For ALL are the fingers of God. However, it is up to the person to choose to listen to it and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior or not. If they choose the Holy Spirit's message, then TRUE work in them begins and they become saved, but if they don't choose the Holy Spirit's message, then no TRUE work starts in them and they remain unsaved. God/Jesus is always with us waiting to know what we choose, but He knew before you were born. The Holy Spirit is always on stand-by waiting for the acceptence. If you SEEK, you shall find, always there waiting for us.

Thanks Thinker,

Could you back your position up with some Scriptures?

Thanks.

[ryo dokomi]

sorry thinker, i dont agree with all that you said...the Holy Spirit does not indwell all people. all over scripture it talks of people being filled with the Holy Spirit even 26 years after the pentacost (sorry to those that believe that all gifts were only for the pentacost, you are wrong. but no worries ) Acts 19:1-7 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?se ... ersion=50;
in that passage it clearly states that they didnt have the Holy Spirit...also, in the Gospel of Luke 1:41 Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
so it is quite clear that not all men are filled with the Holy Spirit.

[Jac3510]

First, I'll agree with Ryo and say that the HS does not indwell all people. To get a little more specific:

No one, prior to the ascension of Christ, was indwelt with the HS. In the OT, we find absolutely no record of anyone being indwelt. However, it is obvious that the OT is familiar with the Holy Spirit, as 1) David asked God not to take away His "Holy Spirit" (Ps. 51:11), 2) Samuel made it clear that the Spirit of God had departed from Saul (1 Sam. 16:14), 3) it was the "Spirit of God" that hovered over the deep (Gen. 1:2), etc. Actually, I encourage you to run a search through the OT on the words "spirit" and "came upon" (or "fell upon", depending on your translation).

What we see is that the Spirit of God was with some people and not with others. When He was with them, they moved in His power. Specifically, the Spirit of God enabled men to perform certain tasks, (i.e. run a kingdom or prophecy.) But in all this, we no where find any reference of the Holy Spirit being inside of a person.

When we come to the NT, we see that Jesus says that John the Baptist was the greatest prophet up until then. But notice what He says following:

• What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings' palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: 'I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. (Matthew 7b-11, NIV)

Without getting too deep, the kingdom of heaven had not yet come, and thus, it cannot be equated with Israel. It came with Christ, and as such, John could not be said to be in it (prior to his own salvation by belief in Christ). Why, then, is the least in Christ's kingdom greater than greatest of the Old Testament prophets?

The answer is simply that the Spirit indwells those who are in the Kingdom. In fact, we see that it is the indwelling of the Spirit that sanctifies us positionaly. Thus, only Christians are indwelt by the Spirit. For more, see 2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5; Eph. 1:4.

On a final note, the definitive answer comes from Jesus Himself. He says in John 14:15-17

• If you love me, you will obey what I command. 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. (ESV)

Take special note that the Spirit would be with and in them. That is future tense. He was not, at that time, with and in them. Again, the Spirit was with only those whom God had chosen Him to be with and was IN no one until that time. But, at some point in the future (after Christ's ascension), the Spirit would be not only WITH, but IN them.

Once again, then, we see that the HS resides in, and only in, the Christian.

God bless

[ryo dokomi]

OHHHH YEAH, i like you jac. that was awesome, i knew most of it, but i couldnt have explained it near as good as that....love it....God Bless you...

[Christian2]

Thanks Jac3510,

for your wonderful explanation.

I am going to try once again to get some clarification from my minister; I am going to ask her to state her position in writing via email and back it up with Scriptures.

But, I don't think that I have misunderstood either minister. The first one who said that said it last year and I let the subject drop. This time I don't intend to do that; it is too important to me and to the others she is teaching in Bible study.

She did ask me why I thought that the Holy Spirit only indwells Christians and I cited the verses about the Comforter and Pentacost. I point blank asked her if she meant that the Comforter indwells all people and she said, "Yes."

If she is teaching this and she is wrong then it is a sad commentary; should the student have to teach the teacher?

Thanks again.

[Jac3510]

Glad I could help with the clarification.

Christian, I think its definitely a good idea to keep correspondance up. Scripture is pretty clear on the issue, and maybe God can use you to open some eyes.

God bless

[Christian2]

Glad I could help with the clarification.

Christian, I think its definitely a good idea to keep correspondance up. Scripture is pretty clear on the issue, and maybe God can use you to open some eyes.

God bless

I emailed her today. I hope that I am wrong; that I misunderstood. I will post her answer here one way or the other.

maybe God can use you to open some eyes.

And didn't Moses say, not me Lord? If I'm not wrong, then I need to prove it to her and she needs to correct herself in my Bible study.