If believers are in Christ, how can
Christ be in believers at the same time? Does Paul really speak of mutual
indwelling of Christ and believers? It has been already pointed out that Paul
speaks of Christ’s indwelling in believers only six times, most of which can be
understood differently, and that Paul seldom speaks of the believer’s existence
in the Spirit but often of the indwelling of the Spirit in believers. From
these facts, one may safely conclude either (1) that it is the Spirit rather
than Christ himself who dwells in believers or (2) that Christ’s indwelling
takes place through the Spirit. (Sang-Won (Aaron) Son, Corporate Elements in
Pauline Anthropology: A Study of Selected Terms, Idioms, and Concepts in the Light
of Paul’s Usage and Background [Rome: Pontificio Instituto Biblico, 2001], 28)
