Believers Are Indwelt By the Spirit of GodRomans 8:9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.
At the Pentecost there was a major change in the role of the Holy Spirit. In Romans 8:9 lets us know that the Holy Spirit is the spirit of Christ. When Christ was on this earth he told his disciples that he could not send a comforter (Holy Ghost) to them until after He had departed John 16:7.
Most biblical scholars agree that during the Old Testament he Holy Spirit abided with the prophets but not in the prophets. Now at Pentecost things changed and the Spirit of Christ took up residence within Christ followers.
When an unbeliever receives the calling from the Holy Ghost, is this calling coming from the Spirit pulling within him or is this calling coming from the Spirit who is outside of the unbeliever? Of course until the person accepts Christ offer the Spirit will not enter his heart. So if a person who is a nonbeliever can hear the call from the Holy Ghost who does not dwell inside them, cannot an unbeliever also be persuaded or influenced by the Holy Spirit to do God's bidding? Would anyone dispute the fact that unbelievers have shared the gospel with other unbelievers and the result was one of them being led to salvation through the hearing of the gospel?
When looking at Romans 8:9 we are taught that the Holy Spirit is in fact the Spirit of Christ. However the Scripture also tells us that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Father.
So besides calling us and convicting us of our sins, what else does the Holy Ghost do for us and our salvation.
1. Abides with us (John 14:16 ).
2. Teaches and reminds us of what Christ said (John 14:26 ).
3. Testifies of Christ (John 15:26 ).
4. Remains with us while Christ is physically away (John 16:7 ).
Have you ever wondered who was the first person to receive the Holy Spirit? I have given it some thought and I believe the answer would be the Virgin Mary. Some people get confused when trying to understand how both a Father and the Spirit can both be a Father of Jesus.
Have you ever wondered why the Holy Spirit had never dwelt within man before the Pentecost? Could it be that since man was living under the law he was never able to achieve the righteousness that Christ has made available to us with the shedding of His blood?
What do you want to know what is really exciting about the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, then read John 17.
John 17:22 "The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one ; 23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. 24 "Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25 "O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; 26 and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."
We have been given the Spirit of Christ and the Spirit of the Father and we have become one as they are one! Amen
JB
