Ephesians 1:13

Ephesians 1:13

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

Let us not forget that at the time of this writing in the first century AD the indwelling Holy Spirit was something altogether brand new. Through out the history of mankind the Holy Spirit would visit upon a person for a time usually to perform a particular task. Now with the new covenant a new era of the operation of the Holy Spirit has dawned on the history of man, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. Put another way the physical body of the believer is now the container of the actual Spirit of the Living God. This was radical and revolutionary, unprecedented and for the most part inconceivable. Remember up until this point there existed an ongoing debate over where to worship? In Jerusalem or Samaria? On this mountain or that? Where? In what physical place is the real temple to be located? However the new covenant changed all of that, God henceforth would not abide in a temple made with the hands of men but instead would reside in men. We now in this modern age take this concept for granted but not so for these first century believers. Let us also not forget that this was a new age of communication with God as the preceding 400 years were absent the voice of the Almighty. There is something about not having something and then finally getting it that causes it to be more highly regarded and much more valuable.

application

I need to not take the indwelling Holy Spirit for granted today. I need to cherish His presence, in order for this to take place I must decrease so that He may increase.

Consider reading my wife Margaret's devo on this verse as well - http://mrsd4him.blogspot.com

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