Does the Holy Spirit fill us at our conversion, or must we invite Him?
The New Testament teaches that when someone is regenerated the Holy Spirit is with him and will remain with him. It also teaches that we can quench the Holy Spirit, we can be filled, and then, apparently, not so filled with the Holy Spirit. So, the presence and power of the Holy Spirit does rise and fall in the Christian life.
The language of “inviting Him in” implies a second blessing, which the New Testament does not teach. We have the Spirit, but sometimes the Spirit is more active in us, and sometimes we’re more responsive to Him. So, we should certainly seek the presence and power of the Holy Spirit by mortifying sin and listening to His Word, but we should know that He’s always with us as Christians.
This transcript is from a live Ask Ligonier event with W. Robert Godfrey, and has been lightly edited for readability. To ask Ligonier a biblical or theological question, email ask@ligonier.org or message us on Facebook or Twitter.
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W. Robert Godfrey
Dr. W. Robert Godfrey is a Ligonier Ministries teaching fellow and chairman of Ligonier Ministries. He is president emeritus and professor emeritus of church history at Westminster Seminary California. He is the featured teacher for many Ligonier teaching series, including the six-part series A Survey of Church History. He is author of many books, including God’s Pattern for Creation, Reformation Sketches, and An Unexpected Journey.
