"the Holy Spirit lives in me!"

[exiled]

Hi all,
How do we explain the NT passages that say such things as the above? I mean, to Protestants I know this means that the HS, as a teacher indwelling in the heart/soul of the “saved”, leads them in truth via sola scriptura.
My apologies to sincere protestants on this board, but I’m baffled at the protestant theology I’ve been learning about for a few years. It seems to me that the mere fact that a protestant (sincere) is likely to change his/her mind on an issue (let’s use a change of heart about abortion as an example) should be proof positive that the HS does not work in the way SS theology suggests.
IMO, any indwelling of the HS leading to righteousness is meant to lead an individual to holiness for him or her self by helping in examinations of conscience, growth in virtue, etc.
Does anyone have an opinion?

 

[Malcolm_McLean]

Hi all,
How do we explain the NT passages that say such things as the above? I mean, to Protestants I know this means that the HS, as a teacher indwelling in the heart/soul of the “saved”, leads them in truth via sola scriptura.
My apologies to sincere protestants on this board, but I’m baffled at the protestant theology I’ve been learning about for a few years. It seems to me that the mere fact that a protestant (sincere) is likely to change his/her mind on an issue (let’s use a change of heart about abortion as an example) should be proof positive that the HS does not work in the way SS theology suggests.
IMO, any indwelling of the HS leading to righteousness is meant to lead an individual to holiness for him or her self by helping in examinations of conscience, growth in virtue, etc.
Does anyone have an opinion?

The problem is that some Protestants believe that you receive the spirit when you “get saved”, or accept Jesus as your Lord and saviour, and then you have to remain in that first flush of enthusiasm all your life.
We believe that this is rare. People’s understanding increases. You often realise that what you thought was grace was partly real religion, but very largely self-interest, or the excitement caused by meeting a new group of friends. Then people go backwards as well as forwards.

Just as a schoolteacher will often teach that atoms are little billiard balls on sticks, before, years later, introducing a more sophisticated model, so too the Holy Spirit may allow someone to have a very rough approximation to the truth, whilst still being present and guiding him. For instance “work hard, keep out of trouble, don’t spend money you don’t have” is a fine moral code for a poor boy from the inner cities. For a middle-class boy it is spiritually deadly, as it will be if the poor boy lives by that code and only that code for the whole of his life.

 

[Veritas41]

Hi all,
How do we explain the NT passages that say such things as the above? I mean, to Protestants I know this means that the HS, as a teacher indwelling in the heart/soul of the “saved”, leads them in truth via sola scriptura.
My apologies to sincere protestants on this board, but I’m baffled at the protestant theology I’ve been learning about for a few years. It seems to me that the mere fact that a protestant (sincere) is likely to change his/her mind on an issue (let’s use a change of heart about abortion as an example) should be proof positive that the HS does not work in the way SS theology suggests.
IMO, any indwelling of the HS leading to righteousness is meant to lead an individual to holiness for him or her self by helping in examinations of conscience, growth in virtue, etc.
Does anyone have an opinion?

As a former Protestant, I can tell you that the problem among Protestants is that they take passages like John 16:13 and apply them to *all *believers, instead of looking at the context and seeing that Jesus is speaking only to the apostles. I think the only thing we can do is point out the passages of Scripture that show Jesus established an infallible teaching authority within the Church that not all believers share in and show from history how that teaching authority has worked in determining the canon of Scripture, defeating heresy, defining doctrines, etc.

 

[myfavoritmartin]

The problem is that some Protestants believe that you receive the spirit when you “get saved”, or accept Jesus as your Lord and saviour, and then you have to** remain in that first flush of enthusiasm **all your life.
.

Malcolm,
Put down the Dave Armstrong books…
geesh this is the same all emotions no brains definition Armstrong gives… It is ridiculous.

Pssst, indwelling of the Holy Spirit does happen when your saved.

Eph 1:13
13In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

2 Timothy 1:14
14That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.
Acts 11:16
16Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.

 

[myfavoritmartin]

Malcolm,
Put down the Dave Armstrong books…
geesh this is the same all emotions no brains definition Armstrong gives… It is ridiculous.

Pssst, indwelling of the Holy Spirit does happen when your saved.

Eph 1:13
13In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

2 Timothy 1:14
14That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.
Acts 11:16
16Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.

acts 19:2
Asked them,“did you recieve the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

3

we didn’t even know there was a holy spirit…
Therefore what did the water baptism bring

Johns baptism is one of repentance…believe in the one coming (our HS)

 

[Pug]

Does anyone have an opinion?

I’m perfectly happy saying the HS dwells in me, and I’m Catholic. I love this verse from John:

"If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.

There are many other verses related to this topic. Here is one from Romans:

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.

For me, this type of thing is the pledge or foretaste or little heaven on earth as we wait for Christ. It is part of being an adopted son or of being in close relationship with the Trinity. Heaven will only get better.