Who or What is the Real Church? - Part 4

Fourthly, the Church has been given the Holy Spirit.
We have discussed so far that the Church is the Body of Christ, the community of those who have been called or chosen by God for a particular role in God's plan for His creation, and have been given the faith to embrace the gospel message that has been revealed to them.

The role God has for the Body will take more than human skills and effort, so it is not surprising that God has another gift He gives to prepare and equip them for it.

And that gift is the Holy Spirit.
Quoting Peter, speaking to a Jewish audience on the Day of Pentecost:

"Each one of you must turn away from your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be forgiven; and you will receive God's gift, the Holy Spirit.  For God's promise was made to you and your children, and to all who are far away—all whom the Lord our God calls to himself." 
[Acts 2 : 38 - 39 GNB]

Paul also affirms that the Gentiles God has chosen and to whom He has given faith are also given the Holy Spirit.

And you (Ephesian Gentiles) also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance ...
[Ephesians 1 : 13 - 14 NIV]

Paul then demonstrates this joint position with:

For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body - whether Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free - and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
[1 Corinthians 12 : 13 NIV]

So, as well as a guarantee of our inheritance, what benefit does this gift of the Holy Spirit give members of the Body?
They actually have God living in them and with them.

You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.
[Romans 8 : 9 NIV]

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?
[1 Corinthians 3 : 16 NIV]

What is God's purpose in this?

to teach them -

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
[Jesus quoted in John 14 : 26 NIV]

to help them make right decisions -

The peace that Christ gives is to guide you in the decisions you make; for it is to this peace that God has called you together in the one body.
[Colossians 3 : 15 GNB]

to fully reveal the purpose of Jesus' mission to them -

The helper whom I will send to you from the Father will come. This helper, the Spirit of Truth who comes from the Father, will declare the truth about me.
[Jesus quoted in John 15 : 26 GW]

to empower them -

And now I will send the Holy Spirit upon you, just as my Father promised. Don’t begin telling others yet—stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.
[Jesus quoted in Luke 24 : 49 TLB]

to mould them into the image of Christ -

And we all, with unveiled faces reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, which is from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
[2 Corinthians 3 : 18 NET]

So the real church, the Body of Christ, has been chosen, given faith and the Holy Spirit ... to do what?

Part 5 coming after Easter.
Blessings, Barry