The Doctrine of the Indwelling of the Spirit Examined References Used in this Study What We Are Trying to Prove in this Thesis The Purpose of this.

The Doctrine of the Indwelling of the Spirit Examined

References Used in this StudyWhat We Are Trying to Prove in this ThesisThe Purpose of this StudyA Word of CautionIndwelling DefinedFive Greek Verbs That Mean “To Dwell”Verses That Teach the Indwelling of the Spirit ExaminedConclusions

REFERENCES: A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and

Other Early Christian Literature, by Walter Bauer, William F. Arndt, F. Wilbur Gingrich & Frederick W. Danker (abbreviated as BAGD). Published by The University of Chicago Press, 1979.

The New Linguistic & Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament, by Cleon Rogers Jr. & Cleon Rogers III (abbreviated as Rogers & Rogers). Published by Zondervan Publishing House, 1998.

An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words with their Precise Meanings for English Readers, by W. E. Vine, M.A. (abbreviated as Vine’s). Published by Fleming H. Revell Company, 17th impression, 1966.

REFERENCES: The New International Dictionary of New Testament

Theology. Colin Brown, General Editor. Published by Zondervan Publishing House, 1971. (Abbreviated as Colin Brown).

A Greek Grammar of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, by F. Blass and A. Debrunner; translated by Robert W. Funk. Published by The University of Chicago Press, 1961.

New Testament Greek for Beginners, by J. Gresham Machen, D.D., Litt.D. Published by The MacMillan Company. Copyright 1951, Forty-first Printing. (Abbreviated as Machen).

New Testament Greek: A Beginning and Intermediate Grammar, by James Allen Hewett, Ph.D. Published by Hendrickson Publishers, 3rd Printing, 1992. (Abbreviated as Hewett).

REFERENCES: The Greek New Testament, Fourth Revised Edition.

Edited by Barbara Aland, Kurt Aland, Johannes Karavidopoulos, Carlo M. Martini, and Bruce M. Metzger. Published by Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft/ United Bible Societies, 1998. (Abbreviated as GNT).

The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption and Restoration, by Bruce M. Metzger. 3rd Enlarged Edition. Published by Oxford University Press, 1992. (Abbreviated as Metzger).

The Text of the New Testament: An Introduction to the Critical Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism. 2nd Edition. By Kurt Aland and Barbara Aland. Translated by Erroll F. Rhodes. Published by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1981. (Abbreviated as Aland & Aland).

REFERENCES: The Interlinear Greek-English New Testament, by

Alfred Marshall, D.Litt. Copyright 1958 by Samuel Bagster and Sons Limited. First Zondervan printing 1975. (Abbreviated as Marshall).

New Testament Interpretation. Editor: I. Howard Marshall. 1992 Reprint. Published by Paternoster Press. (Abbreviated as IH Marshall).

A Reader’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and A Beginner’s Guide for the Translation of the New Testament Greek, by Sakae Kubo. Published by Zondervan Publishing House. Copyright 1975 by Andrews University.

The Story of the Restoration, by B. J. Humble, Ph.D. Published by Firm Foundation Publishing House. Copyright 1969.

WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO PROVE IN THIS THESIS It is not the teaching that Holy Spirit does not

dwell in us anymore. I believe He does. It is not the teaching that when He dwells in us,

we can perform miracles. The absence of miracles in the church has been used by some as the “proof” that the Spirit’s indwelling has ceased. This teaching however does not take into account the many verses of scriptures that prove the contrary: That the Spirit does in fact keep on dwelling in the church.

What we are trying to know and prove in this thesis are the WHERE and the HOW of His habitation.

SO, WE ARE GOING TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS: “Does the Holy Spirit dwell in the BODY of

A BELIEVER?”

OR

“Does He dwell in the BODY of THE BELIEVERS?”

In short,

Is the Holy Spirit’s indwelling personal and in an individual person?

OR, Is the Holy Spirit indwelling

corporate, that is, in the body of Christ, which is the church?

A Word of Caution/ Guidelines for Our Study: “The starting point is …to establish the correct wording

of the passage…” (IH Marshall, 11). In this effort we have for our help The Greek New Testament, Fourth Revised Edition.

Second, Understand “the vocabulary, grammar and syntax of the passage in order to give a good translation of it into English” (IH Marshall, 12).

Third, Need some people who know New Testament Greek to do some expository studies to help the brethren understand. Marshall adds: “It is to be feared that many of us start from the English text, and, to be sure, one does not need to know Greek in order to understand the New Testament; at least, the individual may not need to do so, provided that in his language group there are others who do possess and share this knowledge with the community” (Ibid.)

A Word of Caution: Fourth, Know the background of the epistles (Ibid.) Fifth, One cannot just rush on and think that he has

“lassoed” the true meaning of the text based on a translation. Translators are men and they also have causes and interests to defend and protect. Start with translators of impartiality who have nothing to protect except the truth and have nothing to stand for but fidelity to the divine will.

Sixth, Realize that the Greek New Testament was written in a language that is now dead, the Koine Greek. It is not like our modern languages and dialects that keep growing and evolving. Our way to understand the Koine Greek, its vocabulary, its idioms, its nuances, and its syntax, is to go to a Greek lexicon, not to a modern dictionary.

A Word of Caution: Seventh, Know also that the meaning of a New

Testament Greek word has been “fossilized” for our benefit; what had been its former definition is still its modern definition. Don’t substitute that meaning with your own.

Eighth, Don’t ignore the meaning of a text in an effort to defend a doctrine. Our doctrine should be the product of good hermeneutics, not the result of borrowings from other sects. What we teach are the result of our effort to understand the will of the God of heaven. We are trying to reach for the ideal.

Ninth, Commentaries are great if only used to compare your understanding of the text with the other people’s understanding of the text. Don’t be a slave to either.

Last, Acts 17:11 is a good guideline. Do more research.

Holy Spirit’s indwelling is real and the doctrine of indwelling is true Real means “existing or occurring in fact or in

actuality” (Answers.com). We believe the Holy Spirit’s indwelling to be “true and actual; not imaginary or alleged.”

The Holy Spirit’s indwelling is a teaching that is “genuine and authentic; not artificial or spurious,” since it is based on the facts of experience of 1st century Christians as recorded in the Book of Truth, the Bible.

Real also means “free from pretense, falsehood, or affectation” (Answers.com).

Indwelling is spiritual, not material or literal. Indwelling is spiritual, not material or literal.

Believe it, and look to the Scripture as the ground for doing so, and to your brain for the logic of it.

The disagreement among us probably occurs because of the meaning we attach to the "Holy Spirit," as well as our understanding or misunderstanding of the nature and work of the 3rd person of the Godhead.

Is the Holy Spirit material or spiritual? If it is the latter, then only the spiritual meaning of the concept of the indwelling applies!

GREEK VERBS THAT ARE TRANSLATED “TO DWELL”

"Dwell" is the word used to translate 14 different Greek verbs.

And so if one is to understand the meaning of the word, one has to consider firstly the context in which that word was found and the first-century meaning of it.

GREEK VERBS THAT ARE TRANSLATED “TO DWELL”

For the purpose of our study on the indwelling of the Spirit (or of the Godhead), the following five Greek words are relevant: OIKEO, KATOIKEO, KATOIKIDZO, ENOIKEO, and MENO.

Reference: Vine’s, 344 (See “Dwell, Dwellers, Dwelling”).

1. OIKEO

OIKEO - "to dwell," "to inhabit as one's abode" (Vine’s, 344).

OIKEO has its roots from the noun OIKOS, meaning “house” (Vine’s, 344).

(a) Used of God as dwelling in the light, 1 Timothy 6:16 (Vine’s, 344-345).

OIKEO (b) Used of the indwelling of sin, Romans

7:20 (Vine’s, 345). (c) Used of the dwelling together of

those who are married, 1 Corinthians 7:12-13 (Vine’s, 345).

(d) Used also of the indwelling of the Spirit of God in the church, 1 Corinthians 3:16 (Vine’s, 345).

2. KATOIKEO KATOIKEO (with the added

preposition KATA, down)- meaning “to settle down” (Vine’s, 345).

(a) Used of the indwelling of the total attributes and powers of the Godhead in Christ, Colossians 1:19; 2:9 (Vine’s, 345).

KATOIKEO (b) Used of Satan’s dwelling in a locality,

Revelation 2:13 (Vine’s, 345). (c) Used of the indwelling of

righteousness in the new heavens and the new earth, 2 Peter 3:13 (Vine’s, 345).

(d) Used of the indwelling of Christ in the hearts of the believers, Ephesians 3:17 (Vine’s, 345).

3. KATOIKIDZO

KATOIKIDZO - "to cause to dwell"; used of the act of God concerning the Holy Spirit, James 4:5 (Vine’s, 345).

James 4:5, “Or do you suppose it is in vain that the scripture says, ‘The spirit which he has caused to dwell in us yearns jealously over us?”

4. ENOIKEO ENOIKEO – “to dwell in” (Vine’s, 345). (a) Used of the indwelling of faith, 2

Timothy 1:5 (Vine’s, 345). (b) Used of the indwelling of the word of

Christ in us, Colossians 3:16 (Vine’s, 345).

(c) Used of the indwelling of God in the believers, 2 Corinthians 6:16 (Vine’s, 345).

ENOIKEO

(d) Used of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in "you," Romans 8:11 (Vine’s, 345).

YOU here is plural and refers to the believers.

Used of the indwelling of the Spirit in "us," 2 Timothy 1:14 (Vine’s, 345).

5. MENO

MENO – “to abide, to remain, to dwell” (Vine’s, 345).

JOHN 1:38 – “They said unto him, Rabbi, where dwellest (MENEIS, present active indicative 2nd person singular) thou?”

JOHN 1:39 – “They went therefore and saw where he dwelt (MENEI, present active indicative, 3rd person singular).”

MENO

JOHN 14:10 – “The Father the one dwelling (MENON, present active participle) in me...”

JOHN 14:17. “For the (Spirit) dwells (MENEI, present active indicative 3rd person singular) with you and shall be in you.” (Note: “You” here is plural).

VERSES OF SCRIPTURE THAT PROVE THE TRUTH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT’S INDWELLING

1 CORINTHIANS 3:16-17 2 CORINTHIANS 6:16 2 TIMOTHY 1:13-14 JAMES 4:5 ROMANS 5:5 1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20 EPHESIANS 2:19-22 ROMANS 8:9 1 JOHN 4:12-13


1 CORINTHIANS 3:16-17. “16 Know ye not that ye are a temple of

God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If anyone defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”

1 CORINTHIANS 3:16-17 “16 Know ye not that ye are a temple of God,

and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” KNOW YE - OIDATE, perfect indicative active

2nd person plural of OIDA, to know (Rogers & Rogers, 353).

YE ARE - ESTE, present indicative 2nd person plural of the verb EIMI, I am.

A TEMPLE - NAOS, temple, dwelling place of deity, shrine, sanctuary (Rogers & Rogers, 353).

DWELLS – OIKEI, present indicative active 3rd person singular (Rogers & Rogers, 353).

IN YOU - EN HUMIN, 2nd person plural dative case.

1 CORINTHIANS 3:16-17 WHAT THE PASSAGE TEACHES: The “temple of God” is “you” (plural).

The phrase “temple of God” refers to the general body of believers.

The “Spirit of God lives in you” (plural). This does not teach the personal, bodily, individual indwelling of the Spirit in man.

God is “Spirit” (John 4:24), so His indwelling is to be understood as spiritual.

1 COR. 3:16-17 ~“Ye are God’s temple” The “temple” idea is derived from the mode of

speaking among the Jews, where they are said often in the Old Testament to be the temple and the habitation of God. The allusion is probably to the fact that God formerly dwelt by a visible symbol—the Shechinah—in Jerusalem.

Now the community of Christians, or the church, is God’s temple, the place where He dwells on the earth. His residence is with them; and He is in their midst.

Reference: Barnes' Notes on the New Testament

A Model of the First Temple, prepared by David and built by his son Solomon

David’sJerusalem

Map showsthe locationof the templesite.

A Model of the Herodian Temple During Christ’s Time

Modern Jerusalem

Mapshows the templesite. TheOld Templeis no more.

The WailingWall

Modern Jerusalem

Mapshows the templesite. Onits placeis nowthe Domeof the Rock.

Dome of the Rock, a Muslim shrine, on the Temple Mount.

1 CORINTHIANS 3:16-17 “17 If any man destroys the temple of

God, him God shall destroy; for the temple of God is holy, and such are you.”

EI TIS, “If anyone, if any man,” EI being a conditional particle introducing a conditional clause (BAGD, 219). The conditions may be thought of as real, assumed, or contrary to fact (Ibid.)

DESTROYS – PHTHEIREI, present indicative active 3rd person singular of PHTHEIRO, to corrupt, to ruin, to spoil.

1 CORINTHIANS 3:16-17 “17 If any man destroys the temple of

God, him God shall destroy; for the temple of God is holy, and such are you.”

SHALL DESTROY – PHTHEREI, future indicative active 3rd person singular, to destroy, to spoil, to corrupt.

ARE YOU - ESTE HUMEIS, 2nd person plural nominative case.

Note: This passage does not teach the doctrine of personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit as some have thought.


1 CORINTHIANS 3:16-17 2 CORINTHIANS 6:16 “And what agreement hath a temple

of God with idols? for we are [the] temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

“What agreement has God’s temple with idols?” Idols are those objects which God hates, and on which

He cannot look but with abhorrence. The Old Israel first engaged in idol worship (the

golden calf). Painting by Nicolas Poussin: The Golden Calf.

“What agreement has God’s temple with idols?” People in the time of Paul worshipped Asclepius, the

god of medicine and healing, and Demeter (or Ceres), the earth goddess of sustenance.

“What agreement has God’s temple with idols?” Both the Old and New Testaments condemn the

worship of idols (Exodus 20:1-5; 1 John 5:21; Romans 1:18-32).

2 CORINTHIANS 6:16 “16a And what agreement has [the]

temple of God with idols?” NAOS – sacred shrine, sanctuary, temple BARNES: “For Christians to mingle with

the sinful world--to partake of their pleasures, pursuits, and follies--is as detestable and hateful in the sight of God, as if His temple were profaned by erecting a deformed, and shapeless, and senseless block in it as an object of worship.”

2 CORINTHIANS 6:16a “16a And what agreement has [the]

temple of God with idols?” BARNES: “Since Christians are

themselves the temple of God, it is as absurd for them to mingle with the infidel world, as it would be to erect the image of a heathen god in the temple of JEHOVAH. And assuredly, if Christians had such a sense of the abomination of mingling with the world, they would feel the obligation to be separate and pure.”

2 CORINTHIANS 6:16 “16b For we are a temple of the living God; even as

God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

WE ARE – HEMEIS, first person plural nominative case.

I WILL DWELL IN THEM – ENOIKESO, future indicative active of ENOIKEO, to live in, to dwell in (Rogers & Rogers, 406). Meaning, “I will take up my dwelling in them.” This promise of God (found in multiple sources in the Old Testament) signifies His desire to be close to His people, a closeness that found precedence in His association with the first human family in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:8ff).

2 CORINTHIANS 6:16 “16b For we are a temple of the living God;

even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

I WILL WALK IN THEM – EMPERIPATESO, future indicative active of EMPERIPATEO, to walk about in, to walk about among (Rogers & Rogers, 406). Now, on the question on the tense of the verb. Why is this future? This passage containing God’s promise that He will dwell in them and walk among them is actually quoted from multiple Old Testament sources such as Leviticus 26:12; Jeremiah 31:33; 32:38.

The church is the temple where God dwells through the Holy Spirit. It is a place that witnesses the close

fellowship between a glorious God and a glorified people.

God is said to be walking in their midst, and His people see Him.

No vain things and things that defile are to be allowed in that temple-shrine of God.

The sweet invitation for them to become His people has been extended to everyone from the smallest of them to the greatest of them.

To meet that invitation requires that they leave the world’s defilements.


1 CORINTHIANS 3:16-17 2 CORINTHIANS 6:16 2 TIMOTHY 1:13-14 “13 Hold the pattern of sound words

which thou hast heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 14 That good thing which was committed unto thee guard through the Holy Spirit that dwells in us.”

2 TIMOTHY 1:13-14 “13 Hold the pattern of sound words which thou

hast heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”

HOLD, or “have,” Gr. ‘ECHE, is present active imperative (Rogers & Rogers, 501). It implies an active role and a continuing act of holding; being imperative, we understand this to be a command. Hold what? Hold the pattern.

HUPOTUPOSIN, meaning pattern, model, or example (Rogers & Rogers, 501). “The word denotes an outline sketch or ground plan used by an artist, or in literature the rough draft forming the basis of a fuller exposition” (Ibid.)

HUGIAINONTON, “sound.” The model is described as “sound” or healthy (Ibid.)

2 TIMOTHY 1:13-14 “14 That good thing which was committed unto

thee guard through the Holy Spirit that dwells in (ENOIKOUNTOS, continually dwells) us.”

Preachers of God are under an obligation to guard the deposit THAT has been committed to them. And they are to guard this deposit through the Holy Spirit who is in their midst.

The text clearly says that the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit is “us.”

ENOIKOUNTOS is present active participle (Rogers & Rogers, 501) telling us that the indwelling of the Spirit is an act of His own and that it is a continuing thing, with no ceasing nor stopping.


1 CORINTHIANS 3:16-17 2 CORINTHIANS 6:16 2 TIMOTHY 1:13-14 JAMES 4:5 “5 Or think ye that the scripture speaketh

in vain? Doth the spirit which he made to dwell in us long (or lust) unto envying?” (ASV).

“5 Do you think this passage means nothing? It says, “The Spirit that lives in us wants us to be his own” (GW).

JAMES 4:5 Literal translation: “Or do you think that

the scripture vainly says, The Spirit which dwelt in us yearns (longs) to envy?”

VAINLY - KENOS, “empty with special reference to quality” (Vine’s, 181).

YEARNS, longs - EPIPOTHEI, “to long for greatly,” “to desire” (Vine’s, 11).

JAMES 4:5 ENVY- PHTHONON, “A feeling of displeasure

produced by witnessing or hearing the advantage or prosperity of others” (Vine’s, 37).

DWELT - KATOKISEN, aorist indicative active 3rd person singular of KATOIKIDZO, “to cause to dwell, to take up one’s dwelling” (Rogers & Rogers, 562). Aorist wholly views indwelling as a unitary and finished action.

US - HEMIN, first person plural dative case.


1 CORINTHIANS 3:16-17 2 CORINTHIANS 6:16 2 TIMOTHY 1:13-14 JAMES 4:5 ROMANS 5:5 “5 We're not ashamed to have this

confidence, because God's love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (GW).

ROMANS 5:5 “5 And hope does not put to shame; because the

love of God has been shed abroad in our through the Holy Spirit which was given unto us.”

HOPE - faithful trust in God’s promises for the future in the midst of trials.

DOES NOT PUT TO SHAME - KATAISCHUNEI, present indicative active, expressing a continual action, “will never put us to shame” (Rogers & Rogers, 324).

LOVE OF GOD - the love that God has for us. HAS BEEN SHED ABROAD - EKKECHUTAI, perfect

indicative passive (Rogers & Rogers, 325); meaning, “has been diffused and poured out in abundance like water as a way of refreshing.” Perfect indicates a completed state or continuing result (Rogers & Rogers, 501).

ROMANS 5:5 “5 And hope does not put to shame because the

love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given unto us.”

IN OUR HEARTS- EN TAIS KARDIAIS, expressing the place where love has been shed.

THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT - DIA PNEUMATOS HAGIOU, the dia genitive expressing the agency or instrument of the pouring out of God’s love.

WHICH WAS GIVEN TO US - TOU DOTHENTOS HEMIN. DOTHENTOS is an aorist passive participle functioning as an adjectival, emphasizing this as a trait of the Spirit. What kind of Spirit? The Spirit given to us. This is another example of divine passive; God is said to be the one who gave the Spirit.

NO PERSONAL, BODILY, INDIVIDUAL, PHYSICAL INDWELLING OF THE SPIRIT…

“The meaning is not that there is a personal or physical indwelling of the Holy Ghost, but that he influences, directs, and guides Christians, producing meekness, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, etc. (Galatians 5:22,23). The expression, ‘shed abroad in our hearts,’ denotes intimacy of connexion, and means that those things which are the fruits of the Spirit are produced in the heart. —Barnes' Notes on the New Testament


1 CORINTHIANS 3:16-17 2 CORINTHIANS 6:16 2 TIMOTHY 1:13-14 JAMES 4:5 ROMANS 5:5 1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20 “19 Or do you not know that your body is [the]

temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which you have from God and you are not of yourselves? 20 For you are bought off with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.”

1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20

“19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own?”

DO YOU NOT KNOW - OUK OIDATE, plural verb and plural pronoun.

YOUR BODY - TO SOMA HUMON. SOMA, “body,” is singular but HUMON, “your,” is plural.

TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – the NAOS which the Holy Spirit owns.

1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20 “19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the

Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own?”

THE HOLY SPIRIT WHICH IS IN YOU – EN HUMIN, “you” plural.

WHICH YE HAVE – ECHETE, plural verb with plural you as subject. The “body” here is an idiom and refers to the church. The church, being the temple of God, has this Spirit in them. This interpretation harmonizes with the whole Pauline concept, as taught in 1 Corinthians, that the church is the Body of Christ and the Spirit’s dwelling place. To claim this passage as proof of personal, bodily, individual indwelling in the Christian does not do justice to the text.

YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN - OUK ESTE HEAUTON, “ye are not of yourselves” (Marshall, 671).

1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20 “20 For you were bought with a price...” YOU WERE BOUGHT - EGORASTHETE, aorist indicative

passive plural of the verb AGORADZO, to buy, to buy at the market place (Rogers & Rogers, 360; Colin Brown, vol. 1, p. 267). It is also a technical term used for the purchasing of slaves, which is significant for its use by Paul in this New Testament letter (Colin Brown, ibid.). Intensive form EXAGORADZO could be applied for the redeeming of slaves (Ibid.) EXAGORADZO means “to buy, to buy up” (BAGD, 271) The aorist views the past action (of buying) in a capsule or as a whole; the indicative expresses the act as an objective action; the divine passive signifies that we did not buy ourselves, but God did it!

THE PRICE is the precious life of His Son. The Master came to market to buy slaves and the price He paid was Himself! What a beautiful picture!

1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20

“20 For ye were bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”

GLORIFY GOD - DOXASATE, aorist imperative active plural of DOXADZO, with “you” understood to be the subject. An aorist paired with an imperative active gives a sense of urgency. If so, “glorify God” is an urgent command for Christians who have just been bought! “Therefore,” DE, “certainly, then,” demands a corresponding action from one on whom a good thing has been done!

IN YOUR BODY - TO SOMATI HUMON. SOMATI, “body,” is singular but HUMON, “your,” is plural).

How? Not in your individual bodies but in the body or group of believers. We worship God as a group (Hebrews 10:25; cf. Matthews 18:20).

1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20 “20 For ye were bought with a price: therefore

glorify God in your body.” In verse 19, Paul has in mind the metaphysical

body, a body that transcends beyond these material bodies we have, by which every individual Christian can act as one in serving their Creator.

The Bible always views the body of Jesus, the church, as a collective group. They were bought with a price as a collective group (cf. Acts 20:28), and they were to glorify Him as a collective group (1 Corinthians 6:20).

WHAT THIS PASSAGE TEACHES The Spirit is in us, or in “you” (plural). We have this Spirit from God. The “us” refers to our group, or to the

church-body, not to individual bodies of Christians.

This church-body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Since the Holy Spirit owns this temple, and we are that temple, therefore we don’t own ourselves.

The indwelling of the Spirit in us must be understood as spiritual and nothing else.

What if Paul meant “individual bodies”? Well, what if he did? He would not mince

words and say what he really wanted to say!

Take note for instance his idiomatic use of the word “BODIES” as found in his writings:

Rom. 12:1, “ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies (TA SOMATA) a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service.”

What if Paul meant “individual bodies”? 1 Cor. 9:27, “ But I buffet my body (TO

SOMA), and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.”

1 Cor. 6:15, “Know yet not that your bodies (TA SOMATA) are members of Christ?” The word “SOMA” here is equivalent to the human “I”, the individual body.

But Paul too uses the word SOMA to specifically mean a group belonging to Christ:

1 Cor. 12:27, “Now ye are the body of Christ (HUMEIS ESTE SOMA CHRISTOU), and severally members thereof (KAI MELE EK MEROUS, members in part).”

Rom. 12:5, “So we, who are many, are one body in Christ (HEN SOMA ESMEN EN CHRISTOU), and severally members one of another (literally, ‘and each one members/parts of one another’).”

Eph. 4:12, “For the perfecting (KATARTISMOS) of the saints, unto the work of ministering (ERGOS DIAKONIAS), unto the building up (OIKODOME) of the body of Christ (TOU SOMATOUS TOU CHRISTOU).”

The word SOMA here means a group belonging to Christ:

Eph. 4:12, “For the perfecting (KATARTISMOS) of the saints, unto the work of ministering (ERGOS DIAKONIAS), unto the building up (OIKODOME) of the body of Christ (TOU SOMATOUS TOU CHRISTOU).”

KATARTISMOS – for the equipping, for the qualifying, for the proper conditioning. The word is a medical technical term for the setting of a bone, and “describes the dynamic act by which persons or things are properly conditioned” (Rogers & Rogers, 440).

ERGOS DIAKONIAS - referring to the work of serving one another or attending to one another’s needs (Colin Brown, vol. 3, p. 546). Understood to have a cognate with Latin CONARI, which means to give oneself trouble (Ibid., 545).

OIKODOME - building, building up, edification; the word expresses the idea of developing and improving (Rogers & Rogers, 440).

TOU SOMATOUS TOU CHRISTOU – body owned by Christ.

The word SOMA here refers to the church-group belonging to Christ:

1 Cor. 12:12,14, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ 14 For the body is not one member, but many.”

THE BODY IS ONE - the physical body is always one; and two bodies with one head is a monstrosity.

MANY MEMBERS - the one body always has many members or parts.

SO ALSO IS CHRIST - what is true as the character of the human body is also true as the character of the body of Christ, the church.

BODY NOT ONE BUT MANY - just one member does not make a body; so one Christian does not make a church.

Paul uses the word SOMA to specifically refer to a group belonging to Christ:

Eph. 1:22,23, “And he put all things in subjection (HUPETAXEN) under his feet (PODAS), and gave him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body (ESTEN TOU SOMA AUTOU), the fulness (PLEROMA) of him that filleth (PLEROUMENOU) all in all.”

HUPETAXIN, “to be subject,” aorist indicative active of HUPOTASSO, to subject (Rogers & Rogers, 436); the aorist indicates a finished action viewed as a whole.

PODAS, “feet”; an idiom that speaks of total subjection (Ibid.)

PLEROMA, denoting the completeness or totality of what Christ is; so that when they see the church, they see Christ.

PLEROUMENOU, present middle/passive participle, expressing the idea that Christ is the one filling the church with His fullness for His own use (Rogers & Rogers, 436).

Christ and His Body, the Church

“The body of Christ is precisely the Church in which Christ moves out into the world. The preaching of the gospel by the Church is the answer to cosmic anxiety” (E. Schweizer, TDNT vii 1080).

Christ and His Body, the Church “The Church is precisely members working together as a

band, preaching the gospel of its Head who died that all may live, who was buried, was made alive and is now enthroned in heaven. As ambassadors they also bring the gifts of riches that their King has wanted the world in its dire poverty to own, who as teachers keep building up the body by nourishing its members with the food of heaven in order that the weak in it may become strong, that the wayward in it may go back to the path of righteousness, that the hopeless in it may become hopeful. Not being faultless, its members never make the church a court of judgment but an emergency ward where everyone who enters it doors, be they of the faith or not of the faith, may feel welcome and may have the wounds of their persons and their souls doctored by the Great Physician who, since the time His duty began, has never left the ward in order that He may also keep an eye on the inner workings of it, making sure that everyone in the hospital is properly fit for the final trip to the world beyond” (ETM).


1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20 EPHESIANS 2:19-22 19 “Now therefore you are no more strangers

and foreigners , but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of the family of God; 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone; 21 In whom all the building being fitted together grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom also you are being built together into a dwelling place of God in [the] spirit.”

EPHESIANS 2:19-22 “19 Now therefore you are no more strangers

(XENOI) and foreigners (PAROIKOI), but fellow citizens (SUMPOLITAI) with the saints (HAGION), and members of the family (OIKEIOI) of God”;

XENOI – denotes an alien, foreigner or stranger (Vine’s, 79).

PAROIKOI – according to OT meaning, resident aliens living alongside the citizens of the land, who are subject only to a part of the law of the land and enjoyed only corresponding legal protection (Rogers & Rogers, 438).

EPHESIANS 2:19-22 “19 Now therefore you are no more strangers

(XENOI) and foreigners (PAROIKOI), but fellow citizens (SUMPOLITAI) with the saints (HAGION), and members of the family (OIKEIOI) of God”;

SUMPOLITAI – fellow citizens of a commonwealth, possessing the same citizenship (Rogers, 438; Colin Brown, vol. 2, p. 801; Vine’s, 193).

HAGION – the ones sanctified OIKEIOI- one’s own household or family; when

used of persons it means strictly one’s own kinsmen (Rogers & Rogers, 438).

EPHESIANS 2:19-22 “20 having been built (EPOIKODOMETHENTES)

on the foundation (THEMELIO) of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone (AKROGONIAIOU)”;

EPOIKODOMETHENTES – “having been built,” aorist passive participle of EPOIKODOMEO, to build upon (Rogers & Rogers, 438). Participle functions as an adjective describing the church: the aorist wholly or unitarily views the past event of the founding of the church (Pentecost, for instance), “having been built”; the passive views the action of building as having been done by God himself.

EPHESIANS 2:19-22 “20 having been built (EPOIKODOMETHENTES)

on the foundation (THEMELIO) of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone (AKROGONIAIOU)”;

THEMELIO – “foundation” (Rogers & Rogers, 438). The metaphor refers to “ministry of the gospel and the doctrines of the faith” as preached or laid by the apostles [and prophets, ETM] [Eph. 2:20; Romans 15:20; 1 Cor. 3:10,11,12]” (Vine’s, 128).

AKROGONIAIOU – “foundation stone, cornerstone, keystone. The word could refer to the cornerstone or keystone in an archway [1 Peter 2:6]” (Rogers & Rogers, 438).

EPHESIANS 2:19-22 “21 In whom (referring to the foundation, which

includes Christ, the apostles and prophets) all the building (OIKODOME) being fitted together (SUNARMOLOGOUMENE) grows (AUXEI) into a holy temple in the Lord”

OIKODOME – meaning a building, or edification, and the term is used both literally and figuratively. Figuratively, of a local church as a spiritual building, 1 Corinthians 3:9, or of the whole Church, the body of Christ, Ephesians 2:21. It expresses the strengthening effect of teaching, 1 Cor. 14:3,5,12,26; 2 Cor. 10:8; 12:19; 13:10, or other ministry (the idea conveyed is progress resulting from patient effort (Vine’s, 156).

EPHESIANS 2:19-22 “21 In whom (referring to the foundation which

includes Christ, the apostles and the prophets) all the building (OIKODOME) being fitted together (SUNARMOLOGOUMENE) grows (AUXEI) into a holy temple in the Lord”

SUNARMOLOGOUMENE – “being fitted together,” present passive participle of SUNARMOLOGEO, to fit together. “In construction terms, it represents the elaborate process by which the stones are fitted together: the preparation of the surfaces, including the cutting, rubbing, and the testing; the preparation of the dowels and the dowel holes, and finally the fitting together of the dowels with molten lead” (Rogers & Rogers, 438).

EPHESIANS 2:19-22 “21 In whom (referring to the foundation which

includes Christ and the apostles) all the building (OIKODOME) being fitted together (SUNARMOLOGOUMENE) grows (AUXEI) into a holy temple in the Lord”

AUXEI – present indicative active, to increase, to grow. Present indicates the continual development, ‘is continuing to grow and develop.’ Though the building is structurally complete, it continues to grow with the addition of individual stones” (Rogers & Rogers, 438).

A HOLY TEMPLE IN THE LORD – The temple which is the habitation of God through the Spirit results from the growth of all the building being fitted together!

EPHESIANS 2:19-22 “22 in whom (referring to the Lord) also you

(HUMEIS, you plural) are being built together (SUNOIKODOMEISTHE) into a dwelling place (KATOIKETERION) of God in [the] spirit (EN PNEUMATI).”

HUMEIS – you, plural; disciples are being built together in Christ as a temple.

SUNOIKODOMEISTHE – present indicative passive of SUNOIKODOMEO, to build together; present indicates the action is ongoing; passive indicates the action is done by Christ himself. It means “to be built together with the others.” The present is used because the process of building together is still going on until today (Rogers & Rogers, 438).

EPHESIANS 2:19-22 “22 in whom (referring to the Lord) also you

(HUMEIS, you plural) are being built together (SUNOIKODOMEISTHE) into a dwelling place (KATOIKETERION) of God in [the] spirit (EN PNEUMATI).”

KATOIKERION – “a place of dwelling, a place of settling down” (Rogers. 438). You are being built together to become the dwelling place of God, where God settles down!

EN PNEUMATI – This tells us the how of the indwelling! If EN PNEUMATI is instrumental, this could mean the indwelling of God in His church is through the agency of the Spirit; if this is adjectival, it means that God “spiritually” dwells in His church.


JAMES 4:5 ROMANS 5:5 1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20 EPHESIANS 2:19-22 ROMANS 8:9 “9 But ye are not in the flesh but in the

Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

ROMANS 8:9 “9 But ye (HUMEIS) are not in the flesh (EN SARKI)

but in the Spirit (EN PNEUMATI), if so be that (EIPER) the Spirit of God dwells (OIKEI) in you (EN HUMIN). But if (EI) any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

HUMEIS – you plural, referring to Christians. EN SARKI – an adjectival, meaning “under the

influence of corrupt desires and passions” of the flesh (Barnes New Testament Commentary).

EN PNEUMATI – under the domination of the Spirit, or spiritually minded (Rogers & Rogers, 330).

EIPER, since (Marshall, 626); if indeed (Rogers & Rogers, 330).

ROMANS 8:9 “9 But ye (HUMEIS) are not in the flesh (EN

SARKI) but in the Spirit (EN PNEUMATI), if so be that (EIPER, since) the Spirit of God dwells (OIKEI) in you (EN HUMIN). But if (EI) any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

OIKEI - present active indicative, the present expressing an ongoing and continual indwelling (Rogers & Rogers, 330). Since the Spirit of God dwells in them, they are not under the domination of the flesh but of the Spirit.

EN HUMIN – in you (plural). EI - a conditional particle which assumes that

the conditional clause that follows is real.

ROMANS 8:9 “9 But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so

be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

“Spirit of Christ same as Holy Spirit?” There is some discussion among scholars today whether the "Spirit of Christ" in Romans 8:9 refers to the Holy Spirit. To refer it to the Holy Spirit is a very convenient interpretation. But does it? What does this idiom mean?

To interpret “the Spirit of Christ” to mean “the Holy Spirit” results to some doctrinal confusion with regards to our teaching on the individuality of each person in the Godhead (cf. Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19).

“Spirit of Christ same as Holy Spirit?’ I am inclined to believe that it does not

refer to the Holy Spirit. But you may again insist that it is

because it has a capital letter S. Now, now, please be reminded that the original Greek New Testament was written in UNCIALS (ALL CAPITALS), not in combination of caps and lower case!

The capitalization of the word “Spirit” in our translation is just the option of the translators, because they thought it refers to the third person in the Godhead.

“Spirit of Christ” – according to Barnes

“The word spirit is used in a great variety of significations in the Scriptures. It most commonly in the New Testament refers to the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Ghost. But the expression ‘the Spirit of Christ’ is not, I believe, anywhere applied to him”—Barnes' Notes on the New Testament

“Spirit of Christ” or “spirit of Christ”? "But if anyone the spirit/Spirit of Christ has not, he is

none of his“ (Romans 8:9b) My take here is: "If anyone does not have the spirit of

Christ, he is none of Christ's." Or "if anyone does not have the spiritual mind that Christ possesses, he is not a Christian."

This sounds neat and cute if coupled with that verse in Phil 2:5-8. “Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; 8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.”

Use of the term “spirit” “The word spirit is often used to denote the temper,

disposition; thus we say, a man of a generous spirit, or of a revengeful spirit, etc.” Here are its other uses:

Ex. 35:21 – spirit of willingness to make offerings. Num. 5:14 – spirit of jealousy. Num. 14:24 – spirit of obedience Deut. 34:9 – spirit of wisdom Ezra 11:1 – God stirred up the spirit of Cyrus “It may possibly have here this meaning” (of

temper or disposition, Romans 8:9); and “denotes that he who has not the temper or disposition of Christ is not his, or has no evidence of piety.”—Barnes' Notes on the New Testament.


JAMES 4:5 ROMANS 5:5 1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20 EPHESIANS 2:19-22 ROMANS 8:9 1 JOHN 4:12-13. “12 No man has ever seen God at any time: if

we love one another, God dwells in us, and His love is perfected in us: 13 Hereby we know that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.”

1 JOHN 4:12-13 “12 No man has ever seen God at any time: if we

love one another, God dwells in us, and His love is perfected in us...”

NO MAN HAS EVER SEEN GOD – We are not to expect to be acquainted with God, or to be knowing God, by seeing Him with our naked eyes, since no man has ever seen Him at anytime. But there is a way whereby we are assured that we truly know Him, and that is by loving our fellow disciples.

LOVING ONE ANOTHER PROVES TWO THINGS, that God dwells in us, and that His love is perfected in us.

1 JOHN 4:12-13 “12 No man has ever seen God at any time: if we love

one another, God dwells in us, and His love is perfected in us...”

“DWELLS” - MENEI, present indicative active 3rd person singular of MENO, to dwell, to remain, to abide. The present indicates the action to be ongoing; the active sense says God is the one doing the action, “He dwells in us.” Some passages say it is the Spirit dwelling in us; other passages say it is God; others, it is God dwelling in us through the Spirit. The whole sense of the teaching is that whether it is one member of the Godhead, or the whole, still the idea of spiritual indwelling, not material, not literal, not personal, applies.

“IN US” – EN HEMIN, 1st person plural pronoun

1 JOHN 4:12-13. “13 Hereby we know that we dwell in Him and He in us,

because He has given us of his Spirit.” HEREBY WE KNOW – meaning “we know this for a fact,

we are sure of this, we know this to be true” WE DWELL - MENOMEN, present indicative active 1st

person plural of MENO, to dwell, to remain, to abide. This passage not only teaches that God dwells in us, but that we also dwell in Him! How is this so? There is no other interpretation that fits but that indwelling is not personal, literal, or material, but only spiritual. Those who insist that God dwells in us must also understand that Christians also dwell in God.

AND HE IN IN US - in the same manner He dwells, He remains, He abides in us.

THE BIBLE TEACHING ON INDWELLING SUMMARIZED: The one who dwells in us is either God, the Spirit or

the Christ. Too many teachings have emphasized much the indwelling of the Spirit but have discussed less the indwelling of God or of His Son in us. My take here is that the whole Godhead dwells in Christians; and if the Spirit is said to be dwelling in us, it is doing so representatively for the two Persons who are in heaven.

The Holy Spirit, or the Godhead, is said to dwell in us, in you, in the hearts of Christians, in the temple, in the church, in the body of Christ generally.

The Holy Spirit, or the Godhead, is said to dwell spiritually in us, not in us as individuals but in the whole body which is His temple, not materially, and not literally. We individual Christians are just stones in the temple in which God dwells.

WHY THE PREDOMINANCE OF THIS DOCTRINE OF PERSONAL INDWELLING AMONG US?

The teaching on individual personal dynamic indwelling of the Spirit was born out of the Second Great Awakening in the United States before the coming of the Restoration Movement, which explains why we have this doctrine predominating among us. Listen to this:

The Second Great Awakening began on Atlantic Seaboard and reached its height in frontier Kentucky, Barton W. Stone’s place.

Led by James McGready, Presbyterian revivalist preacher, who began the work in 1796, in Logan County, Kentucky.

Revival spread through Kentucky and Tennessee, as many other revivalists—Presbyterians, Baptists, and Methodists---worked together “with little regard for denominational differences” (Humble, 4)

WHY THE PREDOMINANCE OF THIS DOCTRINE AMONG US? And how the Great Awakening revivalism took new forms:

“Sacramental meetings (occasions when the Lord’s Supper would be observed) brought worshippers from afar. They came by horseback, wagon or buggy to spend several days at the revival, and the ‘camp meeting’ was born. These camp meetings became the scenes of strange and emotional ‘exercises,’ as worshippers were struck unconscious to awaken praising God or jerked uncontrollably until they professed conversion. The revival spread like prairie fire across Kentucky through the spring and summer of 1801, and reached its climax in August when thousands of people converged on the Presbyterian meetinghouse at Cane Ridge for a camp meeting that is without parallel in American Christianity. The pastor of the Cane Ridge church at the time was Barton W. Stone, and in the aftermath of the revival he found himself abandoning his Presbyterian church and beginning a search for New Testament Christianity” (Ibid.).


For many years we have never heard of another explanation of 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 and other related verses except that “it teaches that the Holy Spirit personally dwells in the body of an individual Christian.”

But lately that has changed. Men have studied the Koine Greek and put forth more efforts toward unlocking the secrets inside that box, and slowly chiseling away the wall that bars our eyes from looking at the other option. These include many from other sects as well as from us.

One good example is the “traditional” Catholic interpretation of the word “baptism.” Had we been contented of what was passed on to us, we would not have reached this far in insisting on the truth of baptism and crystallizing that as one foundation truth of our being the Lord’s people.


In the US, both opinions about “personal” and “corporate” indwelling are being examined and taught, and compared.

Therefore, when a “truth” that we have held so dear is being examined, don’t push the panic button. Don’t even think that the ramparts of the faith are in danger of being invaded.

If it is a friendly discussion, think of it then as a friendly discussion.

A comment has been made by a dear brother saying that “knowing whether the Spirit dwells in us corporately or individually” won’t make us better Christians. I take exception to that. I’d say that our attitude toward issues like these show whether or not we have improved in our Christian charity.

SUMMARY As you have noticed, this interpretation has the following as

its basics: A thorough examination of the Greek texts that discuss the

doctrine of God’s indwelling in men. The Greek texts have been examined in the light of its first

century meaning, with the help of lexicography – such helps as Vine’s, Colin Brown, Rogers and Rogers, Alfred Marshall – and such books in Greek Grammar as Machen and Hewitt, etc.

Our approach is simply to explain the meaning of the Greek words based on the usage of the men of the first century or before that, on their diction, their idioms and the nuances common to their times but not in ours.

New Testament Greek, as we have said, is a dead language; and so the knowledge of it is static. What we can do for now to add utility to our hermeneutics is simply to lift the meanings of those Greek words from the old texts and other pertinent documents, and taught this as the “other option.”

SUMMARY In no way does the author of this thesis emphasize the

teaching of corporate indwelling as a heaven-or-hell issue. Lacking the divine prophet who can explain all these to us through divine revelation, we can only see through the mirror partly, and so we must be content.

This thesis must lead us to examine the ramparts of our faith for some defects in our logic in defending that faith. There is a sense in which a presumption must part ways from educative exposition. Ours is just that, and nothing more.

Consider this thesis as an enrichment to your teaching and preaching, with an advice that those who are teaching the idea of personal indwelling must dig up some more to locate the basis of his beliefs, and that those who believe in corporate indwelling must likewise go slow. Truth sometimes hurts, no matter how good our intentions are.

Next theses will be on:

The doctrine of personal indwelling examined.

The gift of the Spirit explained The work of the Spirit in us, both as a

corporate body and as individual believers.

Other questions about the Spirit and His Work answered.

FINIS FOR NOW

Thanks.

The Doctrine of the Indwelling of the Spirit Examined References Used in this Study What We Are Trying to Prove in this Thesis The Purpose of this.

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