The Holy Spirit is God and the third head of the Trinity. Jesus said that he will send a helper to his followers who will be with them forever; this is the Spirit of truth (John 14:16-17). The Spirit of God is not talked about near as much as the Father or Son, but his role in the lives of believers is crucial to them living by faith and overcoming sin. This article will discuss the Holy Spirit’s ministries of sealing a believer upon salvation, indwelling in the believer as a helper, baptizing a believer into God’s family, and filling a believer with God’s power.
Sealing
The sealing of the Holy Spirit happens when a person believes in Christ for salvation (Ephesians 1:13). This seal is a promise and pledge for the believer’s inheritance of eternal life with God (Ephesians 1:14; 2 Cor 1:21–22). God promises to keep those whom he sealed until the day of redemption which is good news to believers because they can have assurance in their salvation (Ephesians 4:30). Jesus will not cast them out (John 6:37), no one can take them out of the Father’s hand (John 10:27-30), and the Spirit’s seal will not be broken until the believer is redeemed to be with God forever.
Indwelling
The Holy Spirit’s indwelling in a person in the New Testament is a little different than it was in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, the Spirit would dwell or fill a certain person, but it was not guaranteed to be permanent nor was it a seal of salvation. Today, in the Church age, the Holy Spirit indwells all believers of Jesus Christ as a seal of salvation and to be a helper. This is an important fact to know because it helps in having assurance of salvation. Early Christians needed reminding of the Spirit’s indwelling as do Christians today (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19).
A struggle some believers may have is whether or not they can lose the Spirit because they sinned, and not only that but salvation also. Understanding security of salvation is important knowledge just as knowledge of the Spirit’s indwelling is important (Colossians 1:4–10; 1 Peter 1:13; 2 Peter 3:18). Fortunately, the Scriptures prove that the Spirit is permanent in a believer regardless of feelings and sins; however, that does not mean you cannot grieve the Holy Spirit or ignore his leading (Ephesians 4:30).
The Spirit Is Still in Sinning Christians
Paul talks about his carnal brother in Corinth that was involved in a gross sin (1 Corinthians 5:5; 6:19). He reminds believers that they are a temple of God which the Spirit of God resides in. Believers should work to keep their temple clean from sin so that their communion with God will not be hindered and their testimony about God will not be disgraced. However, even if a believer sins the Spirit is still in them, which should encourage them to live a manner worthy of the Gospel so that the name of God will be glorified rather than defamed (Romans 8:9–13; Ephesians 4:1; Colossians 1:10).
Sin cannot remove the Spirit because Jesus said the Spirit would abide forever in them (John 14:16). If they lose the Spirit, then they would lose salvation which would mean that their seal was broken (Ephesians 1:13–14; 2 Corinthians 1:22) and Christ and the Father casted them out of their hands (John 10:28–29). Sin effects the filling of the Spirit which allows the Holy Spirit to work and mature a believer, rather than effecting the Spirit’s indwelling.
The Holy Spirit is a Gift
Another reason for the Spirit’s permanency is that he is a gift from God and not a reward for works or obedience (John 7:37–39; Acts 11:17; Romans 5:5). The Spirit is a pledge from God to all believers and is never revoked because of something a believer did, whether wrong or right (1 Corinthians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 5:5).
Only Unsaved People Do Not have the Spirit
Paul says that the absence of the Spirit indicates an unsaved condition (Romans 8:9). What does an unsaved condition look like? According to Jude it is one who “cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit” (vs 19). This is similar to the description that Paul gives in 1 Corinthians 2:14. The natural person or soulish person is one without the Spirit and is unable to understand the things of the Spirit. The focus is on how to please one’s own self with no regards to spiritual things.
The Indwelling Spirit Confirms the Indwelling Christ
Jesus said that the Holy Spirit will indwell in the believer. They would know the Spirit and he would be with them until they saw Jesus and the Father (John 14:16–20). Christ will abide with those who keep his commandments; and they will also know that Christ abides in the them because they are given the Spirit (1 John 3:24). The knowledge of the Spirit’s permanent indwelling is crucial because it confirms the indwelling of Christ who is also in all believers (Colossians 3:11). The Spirit, then, allows a believer to know that they are in Christ and will be with him. Without believing in the indwelling of one, one cannot fully believe in the other because both go together.
How can a person know that the Holy Spirit indwells in them? Jesus promised that you can know (John 14:17, 20) and there are two ways to know: the Scriptures, and through experience.
The Scriptures are clear on the matter; a believer has been bought with a price and is housed or indwelled by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Jesus said that he will never leave a believer, nor forsake them (Matt 28:20). If Christ promised to never leave, and the Holy Spirit is to give witness to Christ’s indwelling; then one who believes in Christ can know that the Holy Spirit will indwell in them always.
Experience can be misleading sometimes. There are seasons in life where there may or may not be much growth and maturity; however, when the fruit of the Spirit is being brought forth out of the believer’s life, then they can know that it is from the Spirit within them (Galatians 5:16–25). Experience does not mean that one has to stay obedient in order to keep the Spirit; that is, keep any commandments. Christ abolished the punishment of the Law and its ordinances (Ephesians 2:14–16; Colossians 2:14) and made a new law where there is freedom (Romans 8:2; Galatians 5:1).
The only commandment that one needs to adhere to is believing in Christ for salvation and loving one another (Matthew 22:37-39; 1 John 3:23). Love does no wrong and the Spirit enables one to love continuously even when it is hard to love someone who is not kind.
Baptism of the Holy Spirit
The baptism of the Spirit is an experience unique to the New Testament because it was promised by Christ to happen after his resurrection and ascension (Acts 1:5). It first occurred on the Day of Pentecost when the Spirit came upon the apostles (Acts 2:1–4). This baptizing only occurs once, and it is at a person’s conversion (Acts 11:15–17). It is by this baptism that a person is joined to the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). This makes the baptism of the Spirit unique to this day and age.
There seems to be two agents involved in baptism; and on the same token, two spheres that a person is baptized into. The first and ultimate agent is Christ. Christ is the one who sends the Spirit (John 14:16–26; Acts 2:1–4); and it is by Christ’s work on the cross, his resurrection and ascension, that makes it possible to even have the unique Body of Christ (i.e. the Church).
The Holy Spirit can be seen as the intermediate agent (Acts 2:33). Christ puts the believer into the sphere of the Spirit; and it is the Spirit who puts the believer into the sphere of the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). Just like the indwelling of the Spirit and of Christ, both must be present because both are essential for the same goal: associating the believer eternally with Christ.
Water baptism is not essential for salvation; only faith in Christ is (Acts 16:31). It is an outward sign that indicates who or what one is associated with (as mentioned above). Water baptism requires a work to be done on the part of the believer; however, works are not essential to salvation (Ephesians 2:8–9). So, why are there two baptisms?
The Scriptures are clear on the difference between these two. Paul says that it is by the Spirit that one is baptized into Christ, not involving water (1 Corinthians 12:13). He also says that there is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism (Ephesians 4:5). The one baptism is linked with the one Lord and faith, which means that the Spirit’s baptism is part of salvation and is internal.
Water baptism is an external act done by the believer. It indicates the association with the one Lord, the one faith, and the Universal Church whom the Spirit baptized them into.
The Different Kinds of Baptisms Seen in the New Testament
As an example, there are many different types of baptisms, and some use water where others do not. There is the:
- Washing of cups and utensils by the Pharisees (Mark 7:4).
- The baptism of John which associated those followers with his message of repentance (Mark 1:4–8).
- James and John’s baptism did not involve water and was in association with Christ’s suffering (Mark 10:38–39).
- One was baptized with Moses when following his leadership in leading Israel out of Egypt (1 Corinthians 10:2).
- The Christian baptism identifies the believer with the Gospel, with Jesus Christ, and with a group of believers (i.e. the Church).
- The baptism of the Spirit does not involve water but is done by the Spirit in the believer (1 Corinthians 12:13).
Filling
The filling of the Spirit differs from the indwelling of the Spirit. The indwelling of the Spirit is when the Spirit resides in the believer instantaneously at conversion and is sealed by God with the Spirit (Ephesians 1:13–14; 4:30). Being filled with the Spirit is letting the Spirit control the person and the action of their lives. This results in good actions because the consequence of the Spirit’s filling is the conforming to godliness (Romans 6:12–14); Galatians 5:16–17). The apostle Paul compares this to being controlled by alcohol (Ephesians 5:18). Alcohol influences the consumer but usually in a negative sense, whereas the Spirit influences in a positive sense. The action is in the present tense meaning that it is a continual process rather than a one-time event like baptism or the Spirit’s indwelling.
In order to allow the Spirit to control the believer, the believer must yield and obey to God’s will. Romans 12:1–2 says to offer your entire self to God. This is a dedication of your whole life where God is in control and not the sinful nature. This is done by not conforming to worldly desires but being transformed by the continual renewing of the mind. Being filled with the Spirit is done by continual growth and maturing.
Scripture is vital in the renewal process because this is how the believer knows God more and is able to be taught by the Spirit (John 14:26). The more you willingly let the Spirit control and conform you, the more Christ-like you become (Romans 8:29; 1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5–8), and the renewal of the Spirit continues (Ephesians 4:23; 5:26–27; Titus 3:5).
The Spirit Gives Gifts
Another element of the Spirit filling a believer is the use of spiritual gifts. The Holy Spirit gives believers gifts to be used for the encouraging and building up the body of believers (1 Corinthians 12). These gifts are supernatural and differ from talent and skill even though those can be used for good works too.
Summary
The work of the Spirit in the Church age is vital to the life and maturing of a believer. Through the Spirit’s baptism, you are placed into the Body of Christ. With the Spirit indwelling you, you are secured and sealed for the day of redemption. You can have assurance in the fact that your sin and disobedience cannot remove the Spirit or make you lose salvation.
When you let the Spirit control your life through obedience and continued learning of the Scriptures, the Spirit can fill you and work through you more and more. This results in the fruit of the Spirit being manifested in your life which beings to portray the image of Christ. Without the Spirit being in and working in your life, it is impossible to please God and keep from sinning.
If you want to experience the working of the Holy Spirit in your life or know God personally, check out our article, The Ultimate Guide to Salvation in Jesus Christ. You will learn what it means to become a follower of Christ and more about the Savior who gives the Holy Spirit as a helper.