Page 35 Following the leadership of the indwelling Spirit is a vast topic. We can write an entire book on the subject. But I would like to say a few basic things about it that I trust will be useful to you. God’s moral law has been written in your heart and mind. The Holy Spirit dwells in your innermost being. Therefore, there are spiritual impulses, promptings, and instincts that function inside of you. The more you get to know the Lord, the more you will intuitively know if a decision is inside or outside of His moral will. Because God is love and love fulfills His will, those inward registrations, promptings, and instincts will always lead you in the way of love. Paul told the Thessalonian Christians, ,You don’t need anyone to teach you how to love. For you have been taught by God to love (1 Thess. 4:9). In like manner, John says the anointing (the indwelling Spirit) teaches us how to walk in love and righteousness. Thus we don’t need anyone to teach us how to walk this way (1 John. 2:27ff.). What I’m about to say is a common experience for all Christians. You get into an argument with someone very close to you. Perhaps some cutting word comes out of your mouth. Instantly, within your inward parts you feel uncomfortable and convicted. That is the indwelling Spirit–the anointing–revealing to you that you have just stepped outside of the parking lot. You may be going about your business, and a person comes
If sin is not our core problem, the gospel itself – the thing of first importance – is marginalized. The good news that Jesus proclaimed and offered is that there is forgiveness of sins, not through our own attempts to please God but by placing our confidence in Jesus Himself, in His death and resurrection. If sin is not our primary problem, then the gospel of Jesus is no longer the most important event in all of human history.
Edward Welch