Pt 11 The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit

P.M. Sermon

Spring Hill, TN

4/8/07 p.m.

Series: “Discovering the Holy Spirit” (Pt. 11)

Text(s): Acts 2:38

Summary: In PART 11, in this lesson we investigate the indwelling of the Holy Spirit’s presence within the life of a Christian (Gus Nichols’ book Lectures on the Holy Spirit was helpful in this study, pages 155-182).

“The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit”

Introduction:

A. The Promise of the Holy Spirit

1. After an amazing visible display of the Holy Spirit’s presence on the day of Pentecost with the Apostles speaking in foreign languages (2:4), Peter begins preaching a message about Jesus and the gospel.

2. If the audience would respond with repentance and baptism, a wonderful promise would follow: “Repent, and each of you be baptized 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).

B. A Lasting Promise

1. Peter presents calls this “gift” of the Holy Spirit a “promise;” a promise from God is something that is certain and will never fail (cf. 2 Peter 2:9).

2. This promise is made not only to Peter’s audience on Pentecost, but it would include anyone who would ever obey the same message: “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself” (Acts 2:39).

3. Along with the remission of sins, there is an accompanying “promise” of the “gift of the Holy Spirit” that is made to anyone in the Christian age that obeys the message of the gospel.

4. But exactly what is the “gift of the Holy Spirit?”

I. What the Gift of the Holy Spirit is not

A. Not a “Second Blessing”

1. It is common within Christendom to explain the “gift” of the Holy Spirit as being a “second blessing” that is given to a Christian after baptism in water—a spiritual experience that confirms your salvation (i.e. “the mourner’s bench”).

2. Peter taught, however, that the promise of the “gift of the Holy Spirit” came after remission of sins.

3. The order is: (1) repentance & water baptism (2) remission of sins (3) gift of the Holy Spirit.

4. “Second blessing” proponents switch Peter’s order to indicate that the “gift of the Holy Spirit” comes before “remission of sins.”

B. Not Miraculous Measure

1. It has already been demonstrated in this series that the “baptism of the Holy Spirit” was only received by the Apostles (Acts 2) and the residents of Cornelius’ household (Acts 10).

2. In both of these instances this “immersion” into the Holy Spirit was followed by miraculous abilities (specifically speaking in tongues).

3. It is important to notice, however, that there is no record of miraculous abilities following the obedience of the 3,000 in Acts 2:41—clearly miraculous abilities are not the “gift” that was promised.

4. It has also been shown that miraculous abilities given by the Holy Spirit were only transferred to others via the laying on of the Apostles hands (Acts 8).

C. Not Some “Leading Beyond the Word”

1. Some seem to believe that the “gift of the Holy Spirit” is the Spirit’s presence within a Christian’s life somehow supplying additional messages from God.

2. Some explain this as though the Holy Spirit “speaks to the heart of a Christian, “tugs” at the Christian’s heart, or helps the Christian in difficult hours of decision.

3. It has additionally been shown in this series, that the Holy Spirit “giving messages to people” is defined in Scripture as the gift of “prophecy.”

4. We have demonstrated that the gift of prophecy ceased with the completion and confirmation of the Holy Spirit’s written word—and that word is totally sufficient to guide a Christian’s life (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

D. Not Salvation or Remission

1. Some might read this text and think that the “gift” of the Holy Spirit is salvation, remission of sins, or eternal life.

2. That the “gift” is not remission of sins should be clear from the text in that remission of sins is specifically promised independently and previous to the “gift of the Holy Spirit.”

3. It should be clear to all that salvation is something promised to the lost that would obey, while the “gift of the Holy Spirit” is promised to those who are children of God.

4. That this “gift” is not eternal life will be demonstrated by the fact that we will shortly show several biblical passages that teach that the Holy Spirit is something Christians have in the here and now prior to eternal life.

II. The Holy Spirit Himself Within Us

A. The Spirit Dwells in the Church

1. Paul states to the church at Corinth that the Holy Spirit dwells within them as a congregation: “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Cor. 3:16).

2. In Paul’s letter to the church at Rome, he states (implies) that the Holy Spirit is present within that congregation (Rom. 8:9-11).

3. This is not the miraculous measure of the Spirit in that Paul writes that he wished to physically come to them so that he might “impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established” (by the laying on of his hands) (Rom. 1:11).

4. The Holy Spirit Himself dwells within the church in a non-miraculous way.

B. The Spirit Dwells in the Christian

1. There are many passages in the New Testament that affirm that the Holy Spirit dwells personally within the Christian in a non-miraculous, non-leading way.

2. See the following texts: Acts 2:38; Acts 5:32; Rom. 8:9-11; 1 Cor. 3:16; 1 Cor. 6:19; 1 Thes. 4:8; Jude 19; Eph. 1:13.

C. Spirit Dwells Separate and Conjointly with the Word

1. It is difficult to deny the thrust of these passages—clearly, the Holy Spirit dwells within the Christian.

2. Yet, there is some disagreement among Christians as to how the Spirit dwells within.

3. Some teach that the Holy Spirit dwells “through and only through the Word.”

4. This position, while held by many respected and loved brethren, requires some rather tortured explanations of several Biblical passages (such as those listed above). These passages lend themselves more naturally to a personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit separate (but conjointly) with the Word.

5. If the Holy Spirit dwells within the Christian “through and only through” the Word, then that implies that a unbeliever has the Holy Spirit within them when they hear the Word preached even before they obey.

6. Also, passages such as Hebrews 6:4-5 clearly show that being a “partaker of the Holy Spirit” is something altogether different than “tasting of the good word of God.”

7. Therefore, it seems clear that the Holy Spirit personally dwells within the Christian separate from the Word of God; however, the Holy Spirit would certainly not give additional messages or leadings beyond what He has already given in the Word—thus He indwells the Christian conjointly with His Word.

8. But what exactly does the Holy Spirit’s dwelling within the Christian do for the Christian?

9. We will explore this in the next lessons in the series.

Conclusion:

A. Is the Holy Spirit something I can “feel?”

1. Some are hesitant to believe that the Holy Spirit dwells within the Christian as they object, “How can I know that I have the Holy Spirit? I’ve never felt Him!”

2. It is a mistake to believe that the Holy Spirit’s presence must be perceptible to be real.

3. I know that every human being has a soul. I know that I have a soul.

4. Yet, I cannot feel my soul.

5. How then do I know that I have a soul? Because God has revealed it in his Word.

6. The soul is not tangible or empirically perceptible, yet it is nonetheless real.

B. Believing the Bible, even if we can’t explain it

1. Unfortunately, many have been convinced that the Holy Spirit must be something that we “experience” by some visible or audible manifestation.

2. Surely, it is possible for the Holy Spirit to dwell within the Christian in a way that assists the Christian in very practical (non-miraculous, non-leading) ways, yet is imperceptible to human senses.