Is it necessary that Holy Spirit personally, bodily, dwell within the apostles of Christ? Oh, it is so simple! If we would only think about it from our own personal need! What about the word of God, does it not have the “power” which Paul wrote: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Rom 1:16” Is the “gospel of Christ” God’s power unto salvation, or do we need something else? No, not in any way! When we have the gospel given by inspiration, and confirmed by miracles, what else do we need? Are we so unsure of the word of God?
What kind of faith do we have in the word of God? We believe it, but we need something else, the Holy Spirit, to dwell in us, so we can be sure that we are saved! If anyone needed more than the word of God, to confirm their salvation, it would have been those first Christians but then, they saw the miracles being done in their presence. They also had, some of them, miraculous gifts but these gifts were not to confirm their salvation but to confirm the word of God. These gifts were not to confirm their salvation, but to confirm word of God; it does not confirm our salvation. Let us keep in mind, God does not do the unnecessary! If one thing will do it, God does not use two things!
Without going too overboard, is it not a lack of faith in the word of God, to need the personal, bodily, indwelling to prove that we are saved? Then, there is this, how do you know the Holy Spirit personally dwells within you? Well, the New Testament says so! So, we went from the word of God; then, we come back to it to prove the indwelling of the Holy Spirit! The apostles of Christ had the “power” which came from the Holy Spirit but even they did not have this so-called personally, bodily, Holy Spirit dwelling in their bodies. Then, there is the question, did they depend on the so-called personal indwelling, or did they have all the three areas of the Holy Spirit. By this, is meant: inspiration, confirmation, and the ability to impart spiritual gifts. But, keep in mind, these three areas were not to assure them of their salvation! Their faith in the word of God was all they needed, and it is all we need today!
As apostles traveled from place to place, what did they do? They did miraculous things, then, they preached the gospel unto the lost. After the folks had obeyed the gospel, then, they imparted spiritual gifts unto some of them but not unto all them. The new converts did not need this so-called personal Holy Spirit to dwell within, as they heard the confirmed word of God and had obeyed it; then, they were saved and they knew they were saved. They needed nothing else to assure them that they were saved! Remember, Jesus said to the apostles that they would receive “power” after the Holy Spirit came upon them, then they would be his witnesses throughout the earth! So, why did the apostles of Christ need this “power?” To preach by inspiration, to confirm what they preached, and to impart spiritual gifts to others. One of these was only given to the apostles and this was the ability to lay hands on others and impart spiritual gifts, but not to confirm their salvation. This was done, so others could preach the gospel and confirm it!
We today confirm our salvation and that of others, by appealing to the word of God! If we do what the gospel says we must do, then, we know we are saved! Do we really need anything else? Are you sure about that? Do you need more than the inspired, confirmed, word of God? If so, why? What is missing in your faith in the word of God, the gospel of Christ?
No, even the apostles of Christ did not have a so-called personally, bodily, indwelling of the Holy Spirit. What they had was the fulfillment of the promises Jesus had made to them, that they would receive “power” after the Holy Spiriit came upon them on that great day of Pentecost! Here is another question as we conclude this third article. Did those on the day of Pentecost need a personal, bodily, indwelling of the Holy Spirit for them to know that they were saved? No, not in any way! They received the inspired, confirmed gospel which they heard from the mouths of the apostles of Christ! Just look at them on that great day. Having obeyed the gospel, they would have looked at the apostles and told them, we need something more! God forbid!
Frank R. Williams