Temples Of The Holy Spirit, Pt 2: Benefits Of The Spirit's Indwelling Series

We continue our series on the Holy Spirit with “part 2” of our sermon on being temples of the Holy Spirit. In our last lesson, after establishing the fact that everyone as far as I know agrees on (that the Holy Spirit does dwell in us), we examined some of the common views on the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit, two of which are commonly held by brethren.

1. The first view that we considered was that the Holy Spirit dwells in us in a miraculous way, separate and apart from the word of God, which is evidenced through signs, gifts of the Holy Spirit, and Inspiration. We will, Lord willing. We didn’t look at this view too in depth because I plan on dealing with this view in a future lesson. I again will say that I do not believe there is credible evidence that the Holy Spirit is working in this way today, and also that scripture says that His work in the miraculous would be limited in time.

2. The Holy Spirit dwells in us only through the word. This view states denies that the Holy Spirit actually indwells the believer and that the Holy Spirit figuratively indwells the Christian only as they fill their minds with the word of God and obey it, and the more we study and obey scripture, the more the Spirit is said to dwell in us. I examined the two main arguments given for this view, showing what I believe to be the case, that this view is an overreaction to view #1, that its arguments do not hold water when compared to scripture, and that this position does not adequately explain many passages on the Holy Spirit.

3. The Spirit dwells in us in conjunction with the word. This view, which is the view that I presently hold, says that the Spirit uses the word of God as His tool to convict the sinner. When the sinner responds to the gospel, they are regenerated/born again by the Holy Spirit “breathing life” into them spiritually. It is at this moment that scripture teaches us that the Spirit enters the body of the believer and actually dwells within the physical body of the believer. This is the view I believe is supported the most by scripture, the two main passages being 1 Corinthians 6:13-20 and Romans 8:9-11, both of which we will talk more about in this lesson.

This evening I would like to explore what scripture teaches us regarding the blessings or benefits we receive as God’s people because the Holy Spirit dwells within our bodies.

SPIRITUAL LIFE

Our first point is review. As we have seen in many passages, including many Old Testament promises, the Holy Spirit gives spiritual life to the believer when He indwells the body of the penitent believer.

Let’s quickly review a couple of the passages once again that show this work of the Holy Spirit:

Ezekiel 37:13-14- "Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people. “I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life”

This prophecy tells us that God will put His Spirit within those who are dead (spiritually), and by doing so, will breathe new life into them. God performs the miracle of resurrecting the soul that is dead. Following this passage in verses 24-28, Ezekiel makes it clear that this work of the Holy Spirit will happen when “David My Servant shall be king over them” and be their “one Shepherd,” reigning over them “forevermore” under an “everlasting covenant,” and YHWH will forever dwell with His people.

In the New Testament, we saw this work of the Holy Spirit in Titus 3:5-7:

“But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." – Titus 3:4-7

God by His mercy washes us and regenerates us through the Holy Spirit who is poured out on us abundantly by His mercy and grace, which we saw a few lessons ago happens when we are baptized.

SANCTIFICATION AND JUSTIFICATION

Also, at this point of washing, the Spirit sanctifies us (and justifies us):

1 Peter 1:1-2- "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood"