Where is the Holy Spirit?

And not only is it a mistake to ask for a "baptism of the Spirit," which confounds the baptism with the coming, but it is equally a mistake to pray for a descent, an outpouring, or a coming of the Spirit. Such petitions as that contained in the hymn — "Come, Holy Spirit, heavenly Dove;" and other kindred expressions often used by devout and godly men in prayer, are not merely errors of language; they indicate how sadly Christians have lost the sense of the Holy Ghost's presence on earth. The Spirit has come and is already here. All the three results of the Spirit's descent at Pentecost were results attained once for all. The powers were conferred once for all, the fitness to bear testimony was bestowed once for all, the assembly was formed once for all. It is true, of course, that persons individually receive the Spirit and individually become members of the assembly, as they themselves believe in Jesus. Thus when Peter went to Cornelius, "The Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word" (Acts 10:44). This, however, is not the result of another sending or baptism of the Holy Ghost, but of the individual being brought into the sphere of the Spirit's operations. A company may today be exercising the powers conferred by a charter granted more than a couple of centuries ago. It is not necessary to the validity of their acts that the charter should be renewed with each generation of those who exercise the authority it bestows. So the baptism of the Spirit forming and indwelling the Church, is an act performed once for all; and every person who, by grace, believes on Jesus as his Saviour, is as much baptized by that one act, as completely incorporated in the body of Christ, as though he had been one of the hundred and twenty on whom the Spirit sat, like cloven tongues of fire, on the day of Pentecost.

But as well as the great work of the Spirit in new birth and eternal life (which was taking place before our present dispensation), there is a work now in which He is engaged that was never known before the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). For now the Spirit of God Himself has come to indwell the church of God. The beginning of this is seen in Acts 2; and since the Spirit of God has come, He has remained in every believer individually, and in the entire church of God collectively. “Do ye not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have of God; and ye are not your own?” (1 Cor. 6:19). This was said even to the Corinthians, who were called “carnal” and “babes in Christ” and needed serious reproof (1 Cor. 3:1). Each individual believer was indwelt by the Spirit, though he was not manifesting this properly. Also, they were asked, “Do ye not know that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Cor. 3:16). This is not individual but rather, unitedly, the church is the temple of God, and the Spirit dwells in the church.

(3) His omnipresence. David said, "Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?" (Ps. 139:7). He felt that wherever he went, below or above, whether in darkness or light, the Spirit of God knew all his movements, and discerned the thoughts and intents of the heart. And in the present period of grace, does not one Spirit dwell and act in all the saints of God the world over?

It is questionable whether David knew of such an expression as "the omnipresent Spirit". However his statement "Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit?" expresses that truth. David realized that there is no hiding place from God. His Spirit knew exactly where he was, what he was thinking, saying and doing. A most sobering consideration. David's sin with Bathsheba and other failures would never have occurred had he remembered the omnipresence of the Spirit of God. Needless to say the same applies to all believers in Christ.

Does Scripture support David's assertion that it is impossible to be outside of the Spirit's cognizance? In Revelation 5:6 the Spirit of God is presented in the figure of seven spirits which are sent into ALL the earth. There is no place in this world where the Spirit cannot move or operate. The Spirit is omnipresent. The habitation of God in the Spirit refers to the dwelling place of God and this consists of all believers in Christ in every place upon earth at any given moment (Ephesians 2:22). It is another expression of the omnipresence of the Holy Spirit. When it is remembered that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, co-equal with the Father and the Son, it will be realized that He cannot be confined to a particular company or place. The Lord Jesus referred to Him in figure as wind "The wind blows where it will, and thou hearest its voice, but knowest not whence it comes and where it goes …" (John 3:8).

Thus God has His temple on earth now as surely as of old in Israel. But this is often not seen by those who confess that the old Levitical order is judged and gone, and that the effort to imitate it since redemption is to fall away from the grace and truth of God now come in Christ, and proclaimed in the gospel, and to be displayed in the Christian and the church. It was the presence of God always which constituted God's temple. Not the costliness of stones, nor the splendour of gold or silver, but the cloud wherein Jehovah was pleased to come down was its true glory, when Israel could boast of a habitation in their midst for the mighty One of Jacob. So now it is not merely that there are Christians, but God has His house or temple. It is the assembly, not the individuals considered as such, but those builded together for the purpose in virtue of the Spirit. See Ephesians 2:22. The Spirit dwells in each believer doubtless; but this is another truth and equally certain from God's word. "Know ye not that ye are God's temple, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you!" How solemn the fact that a divine person, the Holy Ghost, dwells where Christians are; and this, it may be added, because of redemption! For it was never so till the work of Christ was wrought, and He going on high sent the Holy Spirit down to be in the saints and abide with them for ever. It is God's testimony to the efficacy of His sacrifice. Whatever the mercies and blessings and privileges before, this could not be till the blood that makes atonement for ever was shed. Now the Spirit of God comes where that blood-shedding is confessed; and there He dwells, making those who confess Christ and His work God's temple.

349 But, further, this is fully brought out in Scripture as a distinct thing from being in individual members. Both are spoken of; but they are spoken of to different purposes in Scripture. "Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God; and ye are not your own?" etc. (1 Cor. 6:19). Here accordingly it is applied to personal sanctification. "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are," 1 Cor. 3:16-17. Here it is clearly the Church of God, the building of God which some might corrupt by false doctrine. They were God's building. The Spirit of God does then clearly distinguish the dwelling in the individual and the dwelling in the body. And this is so much the same thought and connected with the idea of the presence of God in Israel, that in 2 Corinthians 6:16 it is distinctly introduced. "For ye are the temple of the living God: as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." And now I would ask, What is there debasing in the blessed doctrine that God dwells in His holy temple? We might perhaps say (were it not for that precious blood of Christ which has cleansed us) that it was a debasing idea that the Holy Ghost should dwell in our poor wretched bodies as His temple. But His testimony is to the value of that precious blood as cleansing us, so that His presence in the believer is a glorious testimony to the infinite preciousness of Christ's work, and His presence at the right hand of God the Father. But His presence in the Church as His temple, though no doubt founded on the same great truth, is at least more easily apprehended. Because, when I think of the Church, I do not think of the flesh, but only of the redeemed people of God on earth. Here, my soul says easily, the Holy Ghost can dwell. It belongs to Christ, whom the Spirit glorifies. Both, we have seen, are true, and distinctly true; but when I think of a man, I think readily of what he is in his infirmity; and (though it would be wrong) might be easily led to say, Can the Holy Ghost dwell in such poor vile creatures? But when I think of the Church, I do not think of the first Adam state. I think of the fruit of Christ's redemption. Here, my heart says, the Holy Ghost ought to be.

Thus, then, the Spirit of God takes a function at this present time towards the world, suitable to Him to whom He bears witness, making the Scriptures, as it were, the text on which He preaches of Christ. The world accordingly, not believing in Christ, is convicted of sin; and such, too, is His demonstration of righteousness and judgment. The righteousness is out of sight, and so slighted; the judgment, too, is not executed here below, where the world has its own way; but the cross as well as exaltation of Christ is the standing proof that the prince of this world is judged in God's sight. This world, as such, has never been worth a believing man's heed since the cross of Christ. Up to that time there had been long and gracious patience on God's part: since then God regards it us His enemy; it is what the intelligent saint knows to be the deadly enemy to God; and just as flesh found its character, so the world also; both were decided by the cross of Christ. To the world the Spirit keeps up this testimony; and how? Not according to the doctrine which supposes all the world to have the Spirit, but by the express contrary, by being outside the world. If the world believed in Christ, the Holy Ghost would dwell there; but, being unbelieving, the Holy Ghost is outside it; and consequently He is a reprover of the world, and not one who dwells in it as a Paraclete. Such alone He is among the saints of God.

Our present enjoyment of divine things depends upon the measure in which we keep from things and ways which would grieve the heavenly Seal, the Holy Spirit. He is sensitive to all that offends holiness, in conduct, speech, or disposition of heart as detailed from Eph. 4:20 and onwards. He will never withdraw Himself from the one sealed; that would be to falsify the whole truth of redemption. But He does, when grieved, withdraw joy and power from the Christian's life until the fault is confessed, and the frame of mind which allowed the old man to act again is judged. The reason that a Christian out of communion is inwardly wretched (even if he be outwardly placid) is not that the Spirit has abandoned him, but that He will not abandon him; necessarily depriving him of happiness until he has returned to his Lord in broken confession.

It is not only in His gifts that the presence of the Spirit of God is manifested. There are prophecies and miracles, men moved by the Holy Ghost, before the day of Pentecost. That which is attributed to faith in Hebrews 11 is often ascribed to the Spirit in the Old Testament. But the Spirit was promised in a special way in the Old Testament. He was never at that period the presence of God in the midst of the people, as He dwelt in the assembly. The glory came to take possession of the tabernacle or temple. His Spirit acted in sovereignty outside the order of His house, and could be with them when that glory was gone. But the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven to dwell in the disciples and in the assembly on earth, was the manifestation of the presence of God in His house, of God who was there by the Spirit. And this presence of the Spirit is so distinct, and so plainly noted as a thing known and realised by the first Christians, which demonstrated instead of being demonstrated, that it is spoken of in the word as being the Holy Ghost Himself. In John 7 it is said, "The Holy Ghost was not yet." In Acts 19 the twelve men say to Paul, "We have not so much as heard whether the Holy Ghost is." It was not a question whether there was a Holy Ghost (every orthodox Jew believed it), but whether this presence of the Holy Ghost Himself dwelling here below, the new Comforter and Guide of the disciples, of which John the Baptist had spoken, had yet taken place. When come down, it was the presence of God in His spiritual temple on earth. The place in which the disciples were gathered together was shaken to show that God was there. Ananias and Sapphira fell down dead before the apostles for having lied to God. Philip is caught away by His power from the presence of the man who had received the knowledge of Jesus by his means.

A. It is extremely important not to carry any passage as doctrine beyond what is stated in it. The question with the Galatians was how they received the Holy Ghost. Was it in connection with works or with faith? How they knew they had received it is not touched upon. I have no doubt that its presence there was manifested in such a way as enabled the Apostle to appeal to it as a known thing. Nor was it necessarily the personal experience each one had of it in his soul that was the means of his knowing it was there, though that knowledge could not be separated from its presence in the man. "But ye know Him, for He dwelleth with you and shall be in you." But He does abide and dwell with us, and for ever — does not leave the Church as Jesus did His disciples. The manner of His displaying His presence is another thing. This may be outwardly sensible or inwardly known. If outwardly sensible, it can be publicly appealed to; if inwardly known, the person who has it can be appealed to as to his knowledge of it. And so can any body of Christians who own His presence in the degree in which that presence is felt, as it often is very really. But the Holy Ghost, once given, does not leave the Church again. This is certain from the Lord's words. The manifestation of the Spirit, of which the Scripture also speaks, is another thing. It may be by gifts that are signs. It may be by gifts that are only for edification, flowing from the head. The first may fail as ornaments put on the body, but in principle, the latter forms an essential work of God in Christ. God was in Christ … committing the ministry of reconciliation. He called His own servants, and gave them money to trade with; and then returned and takes account. Men are to hear, and they cannot hear without a preacher. Now this is a gift. He gave evangelists. But the presence of the Holy Ghost is shown in another way, more important even than this. A man might be even partaker of the Holy Ghost as power, and be lost, but not one sealed, or bearing fruit: that 'accompanies salvation.' This (not presence, but) special character of the presence and work of the Holy Ghost in the believer personally, is twofold. There is liberty, joy, and love shed abroad in the heart, the crying Abba Father on the one hand, and the producing fruits on the other. This is not the public display of His presence in outward signs of power, but is connected with divine life. The fruits of the Spirit are such and such. "God is not unfaithful to forget your work and labour of love." This accompanied salvation. Hence what is ascribed to the Holy Ghost in Ephesians is considered as life in the Colossians. And in Romans 8, the Spirit is first named as the source of life, and identified with it, and with Christ too, and then looked at personally apart, bearing witness with our spirit. So he who searches the hearts knoweth what is the φρονημα, the moral mind in us of the Spirit; for He maketh intercession for us, and it is said to be according to God. So he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit. Fruits then, in life on the one hand, and in conscious joyous liberty as children with God in love on the other, mark the work and presence of the Spirit of God — one giving us the consciousness of His presence within, and of our relationship with God in Christ, the other the proof to others of the reality of that we profess to enjoy, to the consciousness of the union of the body — the knowledge that Jesus is in the Father, we in Him, and He in us. All depend on the presence of the Holy Ghost, which we thus consciously possess. The presence of the Holy Ghost is a revealed fact, and it was to abide for ever. The presence of the Holy Ghost must not be confounded with the manifestation of the Spirit. These manifestations, or their absence, depend on the wise and holy government of God in the Church. The presence of the Holy Ghost is certain by the Lord's word. Men may have grieved Him, so that He does not manifest His presence as He would — that depends on the government of God. He distributes as He will, but His presence depends on Christ's being in heaven, and is the witness of it, and of divine righteousness therein, and cannot cease as long as that is to be made good for faith; that is, as long as Christ sits at God's right hand. The Holy Ghost came the day of Pentecost, and that day the saints were baptized, and the Church formed into one. This remains till it goes. For individual believers, who have submitted to the righteousness of God in Christ, who have believed, this presence of the Holy Ghost becomes an unction, a seal, and an earnest. "He that stablishes us together with you in Christ, and also hath anointed us is God; who also hath sealed us, and put the earnest of His Spirit in your hearts." "In who, after ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise, which is the earnest of your inheritance till the redemption of the purchased possession."