For the Holy Spirit to come and dwell within us we must first repent and have our sins forgiven.
We have to trust God and his word to be the truth and do what is required for salvation according to the Word of God.
Salvation starts with repentance.
Acts 2:38 KJV Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
After repenting of our sins and accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and saviour, there is a continual process of keeping clean from sin, because when we first come to Christ we still have the sinful nature to deal with on a daily bases, so the Word of God tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Romans 12:1 KJV I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Although the Word of God says that we are a new creation in Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
We still have to go through a process of overcoming sin on a daily bases, because we are faced with temptations everyday, so it is a daily working out of our salvation.
Salvation is not earned by works.
In the old testament there were laws, rules regulations, does and don’ts
Since Christ came and did what he did we are no longer under the law of rules and regulations in keeping of sabath days, seremonial washing, feast days etc. Our salvation is not based on any goodness or merit of our own, but on the grace of God. It is the unmerited favour of God, the free gift of God that we did not deserve. Ephesians 2:8 KJV For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
The Word of God gives us clear guidance and instructions on how to keep ourselves from sin.
What is sin? How can we avoid it?
Lets look at what the Word of God says about sin.
Galatians 5:19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Amplified Bible)
We cannot overcome sin I our own strength.
As we read through out the Old and New Testament we can learn and understand what is sinful in the eyes of God.
We mentioned that the Holy Spirit comes and dwell in our body and He seals us for eternal life, so that we will make it into heaven, as our eternal home.
Ephesians 1:13 And you 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, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. (Amplified Bible).