Retrieving Jonathan Edwards’ Doctrine of the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit

Abstract

I. The residence of God the Holy Spirit (HS) is the body of Christ and the body of the believer priest in particular (1Cor.6:19-20 "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body" [i.e., through the filling of the Holy Spirit bypassing the STA influence]). A. The Holy Spirit indwells each cell of the "body of corruption" (including the brain computer). B. Along with the indwelling sinful trend of Adam (ISTA; Rom.7:20). C. The indwelling Holy Spirit (IHS) represents the principle of victory over the STA/OSN (old sin nature).But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him [early disciples of Act.1:15] were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified [strategic victory of Christ]"; Jn.14:16 "and He will give you another Helper [Comforter], that He may be with you forever"). A. The IHS awaited the strategic victory of Christ (i.e., the phases of Christ's glorification: resurrection, ascension, and session). B. He functions as our teacher of doctrine (through the grace apparatus for perception {GAP}) in Christ's absence. C. He provides protection and comfort for each believer under the FHS in the Angelic Conflict ("greater is He that is in you"). D. This indwelling lasts forever. III. The point of the IHS is faith in Christ. A. Documentation (Gal.3:2 "This one thing I want to find out [learn] from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law [background: trying to be saved by works] or by hearing with faith [i.e., saving faith]?"; Gal.3:5; 3:14 "in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham [context tells what this blessing is; see vs.6] might come to the Gentiles, so that [introduces one of the things that accompany salvation, Heb.6:9] we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith"). See point II. B. Further proof is that the absence of the IHS indicates (in the Church Age) an unsaved condition (Rom.8:9b "But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him"; cp. Jd.19 "These men [unbelieving pseudo-Christian ministers of the Rapture generation] are the ones producing divisions, natural [psuchikoi], not having [the] Spirit"). C. Exceptions …