• purchased us for Himself (1 Cor 6:19­20, Eph 1:7)
• sanctified us (1 Corinthians 6:11),
• seated us with Himself in the heavenlies (Philippians 3:20; Ephesians 2:6)
• made us accepted (Eph 1:6), with direct access to God (Heb 4:16; Eph 3:12, 2:18)
• made us friends of God (Jo 15:15)
• and completed (Col 2:9­10),

This knowledge gives us a sense of our permission to worship in His presence (Heb 10:19­22)

Question 23: What has the Spirit done to enable us to abide in God’s presence?

The Spirit lovingly

• regenerated us (Titus 3:5; Jo 3:3­9),
• indwelt us, making us God’s temple (1 Cor 3:16; 6:17­20; Ro 8:9­10; Ephesians 2:22)
• united us with Christ and imparted the very life of Christ and divine nature to us (Gal 2:20; 1 Jo 3:24),
• immersed us into Christ’s body (1 Cor 12:13, 27),
• sealed us and became the down­payment of our future glorification (2 Co 1:22; Eph 1:13­14; 4:30).

By implication – the Father and the Son also dwell within us (John 14:19­21)

Question 24: Does every believer receive the Holy Spirit?

Every believer is indwelt. No one is saved who has not received the Spirit, conversely, if you are saved – you have received the Spirit. It is a biblical contradiction to speak of receiving Christ, but not His Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:5, Romans 8:9­10).

Question 25: What did it mean in the Old Testament when God chose to reveal His presence somewhere?

His presence somewhere showed that He was pleased to be there (Exodus 29: 45­46; Exodus 33: 15­16; I Kings 9:3).

Question 26: What are the implications of God’s dwelling within us?

We are not only identified fully with Christ, but by taking up residence within us, He proves and seals that identification. Full identification (being present in us) means that God has shown His pleasure in us because we are ‘in Christ’ (2 Cor 6:16)

Question 27: How does the Spirit’s indwelling make it possible to see and know God?

Being God’s Spirit indwelling our Spirit, He reveals the things of God (1 Cor 2:10­13) using the Word of God, and illuminates Christ’s beauty to the seeking heart (Jo 15:26, 16:14)

God works from within us to do His will. We now have a continual inward prompting to desire to please God, as well as supernatural empowerment to do so (Jeremiah 31:33­34, 2 Corinthians 3:3, Philippians 2:13).

Continual intimate fellowship is possible. His presence within makes communion with Him open, intimate and possible at all times.

In summary:

• The Father’s gracious work gives us the prompting to wish to live in God’s presence and behold Him.
• The Son’s gracious work gives us the permission to be in God’s presence and behold Him.
• The Spirit’s gracious work gives us the power to live in God’s presence and behold Him.