Tom, as I have already said, I believe the Holy Spirit possesses the ability to literally dwell in us in a way that only God can. Exactly how he does it is not clear to me. And, please bear in mind, I also believe as you do that God dwells in us through His word.

We've seen from the EGW quote that the only way God communicates with us involves the mind, or what I think she calls "brain nerves." So the "dwelling" you have in mind, must not involve communication, being something we cannot perceive. I see no point in that. These thoughts seem rather pantheistic to me, more along the lines of Eastern religions than Christianity.

Tom, you can disagree with me without insulting me. Just because I believe the Holy Spirit has the ability to literally dwell in us does not make me a pantheist.

The idea that God can somehow dwell in us without involving our minds seems pantheistic to me. That's what I'm saying. How would this "indwelling" be different than what God would do with an animal, a tree, or even a rock? (I'm not intending this as any sort of insult. Please don't take it as such. I'm simply addressing the idea expressed.)

The difference has to with free moral agency. We are conscious beings capable of rendering or withholding love and obedience. God dwells in us in a way that enables us to experience the miracle of love and obedience. The thing that makes it possible and miraculous is the indwelling of God.

How is anything that God does here not something which relates to activity of the mind? The aspects you are bringing up, that are different between humans and the other things I mentioned, all involve activities of the mind.

Tom, the idea you are arguing seems to divorce the miraculous aspect that enables us to resist the unholy clamorings of our fallen flesh and to imitate the lovely character of Christ.

Why do you think this?

You seem to be saying that there is nothing miraculous about sinners being able to cease sinning and begin imitating Jesus holiness. Your explanations seem to imply learning the truth is what enables them to do it, that knowledge is the source of their victory.

I didn't ask you to repeat what you said, but to explain why you think what you said is the case. I don't understand why you would think the fact that God's dwelling with us involves our minds would imply that God is not doing something miraculous. Can you explain this?