Reflections
If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. (John 16:7)
The Holy Spirit dwelt IN no one before Acts 2. Jesus clearly stated that the Comforter could not come until He ascended. Of course not. Jesus had to ascend before He could come back down through the Spirit and dwell within His people. Acts 2 also began the New Covenant of, “Christ in us,” and began the church. All of these were the result of a permanent habitation in people of Christ through His Spirit.
How about John 20:22, where, after the resurrection, but BEFORE the ascension, it says, “(Jesus) breathed on them, and said unto them, Receive you the Holy Ghost.”? Did they not receive if Jesus said to receive? The meaning here is explained by an earlier statement of Jesus, “The Spirit of truth…dwells WITH you, and shall be IN you.” Before Acts 2 the Spirit of God was only WITH people – this was an ongoing visitation, but not a permanent habitation within people. Also note that in John 20:22, Jesus didn’t breathe IN them, but ON them – He was assuring them that the Spirit was still WITH them.
Again — Jesus said that the Spirit could not yet been given until He ascended. Jesus had been with people, but would later be IN them. But then there would be a permanent habitation: Christ in us.
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