Peter promised "the gift of the Holy Spirit" to all believers who would repent and be baptised. He made it quite clear as to how many receive the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Spirit. "The promise is to... as many as the Lord our God shall call" (Acts 2:38-39).

Jesus also promised that God will give the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks him in the proper way (Luke 11:9-13). Note "everyone" in verse 10. Anyone who comes to Christ will receive the Spirit (John 7:37-39). Note "any one" in verse 37.

The Spirit's Seal

Those who have saving faith in Christ are "sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit". The Spirit is given to them "as a guarantee" of their inheritance. (Eph 1:11-14). The Holy Spirit is given to those who have hope having been justified by faith. Their "hope does not disappoint", because the Spirit has been given them.(Roms 5:5).

All those who are saved through "the washing of new birth" have the Holy Spirit "poured out abundantly" upon them so that they, having been justified by faith, may become heirs. This is true of all God's heirs (Tit 3:4-7).

Those who are "in the flesh" are enemies of God, but those who are "in the Spirit" are heirs of God (Rom 8:1-17). The latter are so because not only are they in the Spirit, but the Spirit dwells in them (as stated in verse 9). The repeated use of "if" [ ] in verses 9-17 is rhetorical. It expresses causality in the sense of "since". It does not express doubt. The condition is affirmed in verse 15, so there is no question of doubt. Similar examples of this sense of the word "if" may be found elsewhere in the New Testament (eg Php 2:2, 2Co 2:10, 1Pe 2:3).

The Spirit is given to guarantee eternal life. This includes the guarantee that we will always be able to fulfil the conditions required for inheriting eternal life. We are guaranteed that as a right, and nobody can take that right away from us.

The gift of the Spirit, the renewing and outpouring of the Spirit, the indwelling of the Spirit, and the seal of the Spirit, are best understood as all being one and the same thing. It makes for complication and confusion when we try to make distinctions between them. These are likely to be "distinctions without any difference".

The Spirit's Work

The Holy Spirit is active in our lives. Like so many things in our faith and religion, we can fully accept the gift of the Holy Spirit and his work among us and in us, without fully understanding how he "operates".

It has been well said, "The Holy Spirit does not operate separate and apart from his word". For nearly every Bible passage that states what the Holy Spirit does for us, you can find an equivalent passage showing God's word does the same thing. Therefore it is through following the word inspired by the Holy Spirit that we enjoy the gift of the Holy Spirit and his fruits in our lives.

Speaking to all Christians, Paul said, "Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his". Paul said that you have life from Christ only "if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you" (Rom 8:5-17 esp 9,11).

The idea that some Christians lack the Spirit is therefore incorrect. If you lack the Spirit, you do not belong to Christ. Therefore you already have the Holy Spirit if you are a Christian. He indeed dwells in you. There is no need for you to "get" the Spirit.

There may be a need, however, to permit the Holy Spirit to work more abundantly in your life. Perhaps you are hindering him. For he can only work in you only to the extent that you prayerfully follow his word. The possessions and cares of this world can, if you let them, push God out of your life.