The Spirit of God Within Us
By Jonathan Mitchell
There are many folks, in various Christian traditions, who view the presence and actions of the Spirit of God from the spiritual "world view" of Acts 1:5; 2:3; 8:29, 39; 10:19, 44. Such a view of God's Realm, Reign and Sovereign activity - the perspective of the Spirit (or: Breath-effect) coming upon people (or into a specific situation) from the atmosphere, or heaven, and then acting upon them, or within the situation - is easily seen from these texts, as well as from the witness of the OT Scriptures. But other NT texts speak of God's Spirit as being within us, and this view is the topic of this essay.
Let us begin, with Mk. 13:11,
"Then, whenever they may repeatedly bring or progressively lead you folks, while in process of giving you over, do not continue anxious or filled with worry beforehand as to what you folks should be speaking. On the contrary, whatever may be given to and in you within that hour, continue speaking this. You see, you folks are not the ones then speaking, but rather, [it is] the Set-apart Breath-effect (or: Holy Spirit; Sacred Attitude)."
Another witness is Paul, in Rom. 8:
9. Yet YOU folks are not constantly existing within the midst of, nor in the sphere of, flesh (or: As for you, you are not in union with the natural realm, nor are you centered on the alienated, natural human condition, nor in Torah-keeping with flesh sacrifices), but rather within spirit, in the sphere of Spirit, in union with Breath-effect and centered on [His] Attitude, since indeed God's Spirit (or: if so be that [the] Breath-effect which is God; or: if, as is the case, an attitude which corresponds to God) is continuously housing Itself (making His abode; residing; dwelling; by idiom: cohabiting; living together as husband and wife) within the midst of, and among, you folks....
11. Now since the Breath-effect (or: Spirit; Attitude) of the One arousing and raising Jesus forth from out of the midst of dead folks is continuously housing Itself (making His abode; residing; making His home; by idiom: living together as husband and wife) within, and in union with, you folks, the One raising Christ Jesus forth from among dead ones will also continue progressively giving Life to (or: will, as well, habitually give life to, and make alive) the mortal bodies (or: corpses) of, from, pertaining to, and belonging to, you folks (or: your subject-to-dying bodies; or: the three-dimensional results of corporeal, solid substance befitting mortals, which are associated with you people) through the constant indwelling of His Spirit (or: by means of [other MSS: because of] the continual in-housing of His Breath-effect, and the continuous internal-making-its-home, and residing, of the Attitude, which is Him,) within the midst of, centered in, and among, you folks. [cf 2 Cor. 4:14; 5:4-5; Acts 1:8]
Both of these passages attest to both views concerning the "location" of the Spirit: outside of us, while we are in the midst of It (similar to Acts 17:28), and
"housing Itself (making His abode; residing; dwelling; by idiom: cohabiting; living together as husband and wife) within the midst of" us.
So, let us consider 1 Cor. 6:19,
"Or, have you folks not seen so as to know that your body (or: the body of you folks) is a temple of the set-apart Spirit (or: a sanctuary belonging to the Holy Spirit; a holy place and a holy of holies which pertains to the Sacred Breath; or: that the body, which is you folks, exists being a divine habitation which has the qualities and characteristics of the Holy Attitude) - within the midst of you (or: in union with you folks; or: among you people) - which you people constantly hold and progressively possess from God? And further, you are not folks belonging to yourselves (or: Also then, you people do not exist from yourselves)."
We want to point out that this passage, in 1 Cor. 6, is speaking about individuals, and vs. 15 speaks in terms of "members" of Christ, then vss. 16, 18, 19 and 20 speak of a person's "body." Thus, we can easily conclude that when vs. 19 speaks of the Holy Spirit being "within the midst," even though he is speaking to the corporate community, the admonition and the affirmation concern individuals within the called-out group. Likewise, the passage of 2 Cor. 6:14-18 is speaking of, and to, the entire group, but 15b speaks of "a faithful person," or "a person with faith," as contrasted to "an unbeliever." Furthermore, individuality is inferred, in vs. 18, by the plural phrase, "sons and daughters."
In Gal. 4:6, we read:
"Now, because WE exist being (are presently and continuously) sons [= adult children], God at once sends forth (or: at one point sent off from out of [His] midst) His Son's Spirit (or: the Breath-effect, which is His Son) as an emissary into the midst of our hearts, repeatedly crying out (habitually calling out or exclaiming in an inarticulate cry; even: screaming, shrieking), "Abba (Aramaic: = Dad!), O Father!" [cf Rom. 8:14, 15]
The verse needs no comment. The Spirit is sent into our hearts - and this is something that is individually experienced.
James 4:5 speaks of
"the Spirit that dwells within us."
The new covenant involved writing His Words in our hearts, and having our hearts sprinkled and cleansed. These are obviously works of God within us. The "grace-effects" (commonly rendered: gifts), of which Paul speaks in 1 Cor. 12, are referred to as "diversities" and "differences" in the manifestations of the same Spirit. Verse 8 makes this very clear:
"For you see, on the one hand, in (or: to; for; with; by) one person a word (a thought, message or expression; a conveyance and transfer of Meaning-bearing Information) of wisdom (or: a Flow of Information that is a Pattern-forming Influence from Wisdom; or: reason which is wisdom and is a wise idea) is repeatedly, or from time-to-time, or is progressively being given. In (To; For; With; By) another person, on the other hand, [is given] a word (thought; expression; reason; flow of pattern-forming information) of, from, and which is, intimate, experiential knowledge, insight or realization (gnosis) - in accord with (or: down from; in the sphere of; in line with; following the pattern and bidding of) the very same Breath-effect (or: Spirit)."
So why are we belaboring this point? Well, if we are individually
"joined to the Lord" (1 Cor. 6:17,)
does this not mean that
"He is not far from us" (Acts 17:27),
and in fact that God is within us? And if this is so, then why do some folks continue to call out to Him as if He was somewhere else? If God is inside of us, joined in marital union with our spirits, why do some continue to raise their hands to Him as if He were somewhere in the atmosphere above them? Why do so many continue living as if they were still in the old covenant?
Let us observe some verses that speak of Christ being within us:
"we have this treasure in earthen vessels" (2 Cor. 4:7)
"to unveil (reveal; uncover; disclose) His Son within the midst of me" (Gal. 1:16)
"it is Christ continuously living and alive within me" (Gal. 2:20)
"until Christ may be suddenly formed within you folks" (Gal. 4:19)
"to settle the Christ in a permanent home within the midst of your hearts" (Eph. 3:17)
"Christ within you folks, the expectation of, and from, the glory" (Col. 1:27)
"whenever He may come and go, to be given an assumed appearance within His set-apart folks (holy, sacred people)" (2 Thes. 1:10).
So, the Spirit of God is within us; Christ is within us; we are raised up and seated with Christ in the heavenly places (Eph. 2:6), and elsewhere, stated metaphorically,
23. [that is] in (or: to) an assembly of an entire people (or: a festal gathering of all, in a universal convocation) and in (or: to) a summoning forth (or: a called-out and gathered community) of firstborn folks having been copied (from-written, as from a pattern; or: enrolled; registered in a list) within [the; or: various] atmospheres (or: in the sphere of heavens), and in (or: to; with) God, a Judge (an Evaluator and Decider) of all people, even (or: that is; also) among (or: to; with) spirits of just folks (or: centered in the sphere of breath-effects from people who are rightwised, fair and in right relationship within the Way pointed out) having been made complete and brought to the destined goal (perfected; finished; matured),[cf Rev. 3:12; Eph. 2:6; Phil. 3:20; Rev. 14:1-5; Ex. 4:22]
24. and in (or: to) Jesus, a Medium (or: an agency; an intervening substance; a middle state; one in a middle position; a go-between; an Umpire; a Mediator) of a new and fresh (young; recently-born) arrangement (covenant; settlement; a deposit throughout, in every direction; a placing through the midst; or: a will and testament), and to and in blood of sprinkling, and to One continuously speaking something superior to (or: stronger and better than) Abel. (Heb. 12)[cf 10:22, above; Mat. 17:1-5; Rev. 21:9b-22:5; Jn. 4:21; Ps. 46:4; 132:13; Isa. 28:16; 33:5]
So why do we not live this way, with this spiritual world view?
Jonathan
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