Category: Theology 101
The Work of the Holy Spirit (Cont'd)
When a person experiences the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God, he or she will inevitably begin to experience growing inclinations toward love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; for this is the result of walking in the power of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22f.). The Spirit can be sown to, and the fruit of this plant is eternal life (Gal. 6:7, 8).
God's Spirit dwells in a temple which He is building. Although previously enemies, Jews and Gentiles are now being placed together into a new structure wherein the Spirit of God manifests the divine presence among His people. That structure is the Church. The cornerstone of this edifice is Christ, the foundation are the apostles and prophets, and the building blocks are believers (Eph. 2:11-22). The members of this Spiritual temple, the Church, are now able to worship by and in the power of God's Spirit and in the truth of who Jesus Christ is (Jn. 4:21f.; Phil. 3:3).
Are you a believer? Then you owe your new life in Christ to the Holy Spirit for He is the one who invigorated your dead spirit. You certainly didn't do it; you were dead. Are you enjoying the use of abilities, talents, and insights that help others in the Church? Then thank the Spirit for He is the giver of those gifts. The world thinks that education, politics and secularism are the keys to making people better, but the only source of real change in ethics and morals is the Holy Spirit of God.