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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Indwelt vs. Infilled | John 20:22 | Kaylo199 | 104192 | ||
What are the specific differences between being "indwelt" by the Holy Spirt and "infilled" by the Holy Spirit? | ||||||
2 | Indwelt vs. Infilled | John 20:22 | Makarios | 104313 | ||
Greetings again, Kaylo199, I will revisit your question with an Answer of my own this time, even though I like many of Kalos's posts.. :-) It is not only possible for a Christian to be "filled with the Holy Spirit," he is, in fact, commanded to do so! "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18). However, this is a teaching on which there is a great deal of confusion today. Many Christians believe it describes an experience which God gives only to a select group, enabling them perhaps to preach with outstanding power or even to work miracles. Others tend to think that a Spirit-filled person is someone who is fanatically religious, or possibly someone who constantly lives a very pious life, devoid of all problems and temptations. However, in the definitive passage cited above, it is evident that the key thought is one of "control." In contrast to one whose actions and words are under the control of wine, as a drunken man, the Christian should be a person completely guided and controlled by the indwelling Spirit of God (1 Cor. 6:19,20). It is instructive to study the fifteen times in which this filling of the Holy Spirit is mentioned in the New Testament. It is significant that the first mention is in connection with John the Baptist, whom Jesus said (Matt. 11:11) was the greatest man who ever lived outside of Himself. Before John's birth, the angel prophesied, "For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb" (Luke 1:15). Here again the Spirit's filling is associated with the absence of any such other controlling agent as wine or strong drink. It is also of real interest to note that John, even though continually filled with the Holy Spirit, "did no miracle" (John 10:41). It is certain, therefore, that supernatural manifestations are not at all necessary evidences of the Spirit's fullness. On at least one occasion each, both of John's parents were filled with the Spirit (Luke 1:41,67). Also, Jesus Himself was, of course, "full of the Holy Ghost" (Luke 4:1). In His case, it is most important to note, that in the very same verse, it is said that the Spirit led Him into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Therefore, being controlled by the Holy Spirit does not mean being free from temptations and sufferings, but it does assure victory over such circumstances! (1 Cor. 10:13) The early disciples, including all or most of the members of the first local church, in Jerusalem, were filled with the Holy Spirit on at least two different occasions (Acts 2:4; 4:31). This proves that the filling is not a once-for-all experience, but may be repeated, and furthermore, may be for different purposes and produce different specific results. In Acts 2:4, the disciples were miraculously enabled to preach God's Word in different languages; in the second, it says merely that "they spake the Word of God with boldness." Whatever the specific manifestation, it is clear that when the Holy Spirit really controls a man's tongue, that man will speak words which are uncompromisingly true to God's Word! Certain disciples are also mentioned as being filled with the Holy Spirit on special occasions requiring unusual courage or wisdom: Stephen (Acts 7:55), Peter (Acts 4:8), and Paul (Acts 13:9). The filling of the Spirit is mentioned as being also accompanied by fullness of wisdom (Acts 6:3), fullness of faith (Acts 6:5; 11:24), and fullness of joy (Acts 13:52). Now, although the above passages make it clear that the Holy Spirit's filling comes on repeated occasions and often for special and immediate needs, it is also true that a Christian's entire life can and should be characterized by this fullness of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul became so filled almost as soon as he became a Christian (Acts 9:17), and both Stephen (Acts 6:5) and Barnabas (Acts 11:24) were commonly recognized as being men "full of the Holy Spirit." In fact, one of the specific requirements laid down for the first deacons to be chosen by the early church was that they should be "full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom" (Acts 6:3). (my thoughts continued in my next post) - Makarios |
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