Is He There?

This is how we know that we remain in Him and He in us: He has given to us from His Spirit. - 1 John 4:13

I once shared (in this space) that in order to effectively present an accurate picture of God's character to this world, He must remain among us (corporately) and in us (individually). The follow-up question for today is this, "How can we know if He is there?"

The apostle gives a portion of the answer to that vital question in 1 John 4:13. We can know that God is among us and in us when "He has given to us from His Spirit." So, let's see. What exactly has God given us?

Conviction of sin, for starters. Are you under conviction when you sin? Good, it is a gift from His Spirit. How about righteousness? Do you seek the righteousness that can only be found in Christ?Good, it is a gift from His Spirit. There is also judgment. Are you conscious of the judgment of God that is coming on all mankind? Good, that also is a gift of His Spirit. Sin, righteousness, and judgment, you would not know about any of them if God had not revealed them to you. All of these gifts, plus the supernatural gifts that enable us for God's service, are evidence of His abiding presence among us and in us.

Now, this vital question becomes very personal. Is He there?

In examining the evidence of the Christian religion, it is essential to the discovery of truth that we bring to the investigation a mind freed, as far as possible, from existing prejudice, and open to conviction. - Simon Greenleaf