1.    The issue is NOT whether the Spirit dwells in the Christian. It is evident that He does - Rom. 8:9-11; 1 Cor. 6:19; 2 Tim. 1:14; 1 Jno. 3:24.

2.    The issue is HOW does the Holy Spirit dwell in the Christian.

-There are two possibilities:

    a.    By a direct, personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the body and life of the Christian (position of Marge Green, A Life With Wings, 28ff).

    b.    Through a life of obedient faith. Hence, it is an expression of the fellowship with deity which the Christian enjoys (cf. Phil. 2:1).

3.    The Holy Spirit "dwells in" the Christian in the same way which the Father and the Son dwell in him -- Through one's obedient faith to the revealed word of God.

    a. John 14:23 - Father and Son abide with the one who, out of love, obeys Christ’s word.

        1) Not a direct, personal indwelling of the Father & the Son, but fellowship with them (cf. 1 Jno. 1:7; 2 Jno. 9).

        2) The Holy Spirit dwells in us in the same way.

    b. Ephesians 3:17 - Christ dwells in our hearts through ("by," kjv) faith (cf. Col. 1:27).

        1) To live by faith = Obeying the gospel - Rom. 1:16-17.

        2) Not a direct, personal indwelling of Christ in the body of the Christ, but rather, it is a statement of fellowship one has with Christ by believing in and obeying His word - Col. 3:16.

        3) The Holy Spirit dwells in us in the same way.

    c. 1 John 3:24 - He that keeps the commandments of God abides in God, and God abides in him.

        1) Does anyone care to take the position that he personally indwells God because he keeps the commandments of God?!

        2) Need not force personal indwelling of God and His Spirit into this verse! - cf. 1 John 4:13, 15 (Similar thought).

    d. Romans 8:9-11 - Having the Holy Spirit dwell in you is equivalent to having Christ in you!

        1) By determining how Christ dwells in us, we have deter-mined how the Holy Spirit dwells in us.

        2) See Ephesians 3:17 above: Christ dwells in our hearts by faith - cf. Gal. 2:20; 5:6-7 (obeying the gospel).

        3) How does the Holy Spirit dwell in us (Rom. 8:9-11)? By faith!

            a) Rom. 8:4-9 - By having the mind of the Spirit.

            b) Acts 2:17-21, cf. 2:38 - As we receive the salvation He brought in the kingdom.

            c) Gal. 5:16-25 - As we receive and heed the message He revealed in the Word.

    e.    If the Holy Spirit personally dwells within the Christian, then one is implying the incarnation of deity within every Christian!

        1) The Holy Spirit is deity (Acts 5:3-4).

        2) Incarnation is the personal indwelling of deity within humanity (cf. Jesus - Col. 2:9; Jno. 1:1-3, 14).

        3) Therefore, if the Holy Spirit personally inhabits the Christian, then the Holy Spirit is incarnate within that Christian!

        4) If incarnation has occurred, one cannot possibly err.

        5) Automatic cleansing would be a necessary consequence.

Questions

1.    Does the Holy Spirit dwell in the Christian? Can we understand how this is accomplished? Give Bible proof.

2.    What New Testament passages say that Christians dwell in God? How is this accomplished?

3.    How does Christ dwell in the Christian?

4.    Where does the New Testament use interchangeably the statements of the "Spirit of God" dwelling in the Christian and that of the "Spirit of Christ" dwelling in the Christian?

5.    In that same passage, when one has the Spirit dwelling in him, who is said to be in the Christian?