dr. olson continues, CITING n. t. wRIGHT:
“…when we say the holy spirit desires control, it means he longs to guide, teach, transform, protect, and empower us in every area of life - our thoughts, decisions, relationships, habits, work, and even our emotions. surrendering to the spirit does not mean losing our will, but rather aligning our will with god’s perfect plan - a plan that leads to true freedom, peace, and purpose. god wants us to be holy, becAUSE HE IS HOLY. HE WANTS US TO BE PERFECT BECAUSE HE IS PERFECT. BUT WE CAN’T GET THERE ON OUR OWN, WITH OUR OWN CONTROL. WE CAN ONLY GET THERE UNDER GOD’S [INDWELLING] DIVINE INFLUENCE [ON OUR SOUL]. . . . PAUL TELLS US IN ROMANS 8 AND OTHER PLACES IN HIS EPISTLES THAT DURING OUR TRANSFORMATION WE ARE BECOMING A NEW CREATION, I.E., A PART OF GOD’S FUTURE WORLD, EVEN AS WE CONTINUE TO LIVE WITHIN THE PRESENT OLD CREATION, IN WHAT PAUL CALLS ‘THE PRESENT EVIL AGE’. . . . WE ARE GETTING A FORETASTE OF WHAT THE NEW WORLD WILL BE LIKE. WE ARE PART OF THE NEW CREATION IN ADVANCE.”
“ALREADY BUT NOT YET” DESCRIBES THE CHRISTIAN THEOLOGICAL CONCEPT THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD HAS BEEN INAUGURATED THROUGH CHRIST’S FIRST COMING, BUT ITS FULL CONSUMMATION IS STILL IN THE FUTURE. gEEHARDUS VOS OF THE DUTCH REFORMED CHURCH IS CREDITED AS FIRST USING THE PHRASE. THAT BELIEVING, SAVED CHRISTIANS ARE INDWELLED AND FILLED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, SENT AS PROMISED BY THE RISEN JESUS CHRIST, GIVES TESTIMONY TO THE FUTURE NEW CREATION WHEN THE GLORIFIED SAINTS ARE IN THE ETERNAL PRESENCE OF jESUS.