Q: Does the Holy Spirit live in individuals?

A: Obviously the Holy Spirit is omnipresent (Psa 139:7). So when we say that he lives in us, that can not mean he is retained in us. Thus we must initially be wary of communicating the idea that our bodies are containers for the Holy Spirit. Any talk of him living in us is metaphorical and at best means he affects our Spirit through some inexplicable communication, participation, or action on our behalf. I also think it dangerous to talk as if we possess the Holy Spirit rather than him possessing us. Now to the point at hand. I'm not suggesting that the Holy Spirit does not have some kind of personal interaction with our Spirits. I absolutely believe he does through fellowship with us (2 Cor 13:14; Php 2:1; Heb 6:4; 1 Jn 3:24) and worship (Php 3:3; Rev 1:10; 4:2; cf. Jn 4:23). He grants us joy (Lk 10:21; Acts 13:52; Rom 14:17; 15:13; Gal 5:22; 1 Thess 1:5-6) and peace (Acts 9:31; Rom 8:6; 4:17; 15:13; Gal 5:22; Eph 4:3). He sanctifies us through the atonement of Christ (Rom 15:16; 1 Cor 6:11; 2 Thess 2:13; Titus 3:5; 1 Pet 1:2). He validates those who are his own (Acts 15:8; 2 Cor 6:6) by sealing us (2 Cor 1:22; 5:5; Eph 1:13). He expresses God’s love (Rom 5:5; 15:30; Col 1:8) and prompts us to call God Abba (Rom 8:14-17, 23; Gal 4:6); and intercedes for us with the Father (Rom 8:26-27). All of this indicates a deep and abiding relationship that each individual Christian has with the Holy Spirit, personally.

My point is that when the Bible speaks of the "body" being indwelt by the Holy Spirit, the primary issues is the Church being the temple of the Holy Spirit, not the individual Christian (who, by the way, is incapable of such a thing). All the verses that speak of the Holy Spirit in the body have the church primarily in view, not the individual: (1 Cor 3:16; 6:19 [cf. v. 15]; Eph 2:22; 1 Jn 4:13). Our confusion comes from reading these passages with an individualistic Western mindset rather than an Eastern, group-oriented world view. This causes us to be unfortunately individualistic in our relationship with God and with one another. It causes us to look at the Holy Spirit as a personal possession as opposed to a Lord, dictator, pope or director of the body of Jesus. And it causes us to view gifts of the Spirit as means of self-gratification and fulfillment rather than edification of the body of Jesus.

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