Indwelling in 2 Corinthians: Empowered and Sealed


This text locates the Spirit in the heart of the believer. Here indwelling is connected to two important theological concepts. First, Paul connects anointing to indwelling. Anointing has a rich biblical history. Throughout the Old Testament the language of anointing was used to set apart objects and individuals for a particular task determined by God. Certain items used in the sacrificial system were anointed to make them holy in their usage (Lev 8:10).

Certain individuals were anointed for specific tasks related to God’s purposes. For example, certain kings (1 Sam 16:13), prophets (1 Kgs 19:16), and priests (Ex 40:15) were anointed to carry out their vocations to the glory of God.The anointing of people was coupled with the Spirit’s presence and empowerment. The anointing communicated that the Spirit was with the individual empowering them to fulfill their God-given role (1 Sam 16:13).

This anointing motif comes to a head in the work o Jesus. His title “the Christ” literally means anointed one and Messiah. He was the subject of Isaiah’s words in this text (cf. Lk 4:18).


Jesus is the anointed servant of God tasked with saving the world. His work is enabled by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Through his death and resurrection he secures our redemption. In his ascension and exaltation he shares the Spirit with his people (Acts 2:33).

The Spirit now anoints all believers without exception. The indwelling of the Spirit universalizes anointing to include the entirety of the covenant people. The task assigned the new covenant people is to expand the kingdom of God by bringing the gospel to all nations.

The second theological concept in this text tied to indwelling is sealing and guaranteeing. The coming of the Spirit to live within us is equivalent to God setting his seal of ownership upon us. The text identifies God as the “one sealing us.” The Father is the subject of this sealing, the actor in our text. Believing humans are the objects of this sealing. God seals, believers are passively sealed.

God’s seal is God’s guarantee that we are his people and he is our God. It is the promise of inviolable mutual ownership. The doctrine of indwelling is a rich source of encouragement in this passage. It communicates the permanent empowering presence of the Spirit for the tasks to which we are called. It speaks of the assurance of belonging to God through his seal and guarantee.