In our class material for this past Monday, specifically on pages 561-565 in the Theology section, our instructor discussed “Section C. The Work of the Holy Spirit in relation to the New Covenant.” (Note that this material is also discussed in the Wilmington Guide.)
Of particular notice, the following statements are made on page 562, c:
“Under the New Covenant, Scripture is clear that the indwelling of the Spirit is synonymous with salvation. No one can receive the spirit who is not yet saved and every one who is saved has the Holy Spirit from the moment of salvation. No one who is saved can lose the Spirit.”
I am 100% in agreement with the above statements.
However, the following statement is very problematic:
“However, there are no clear passages that indicate that all of these statements were true in the Old Testament era.”
Although the class material does state…”The following thoughts should be considered in understanding the distinctions between the Old and New Testament ministries of the Spirit.” It’s one thing to discuss the “differences” with regards to how the Spirit dealt with the nation of Israel and that of the New Testament church – but, it is another thing to discuss the consistency of the Holy Spirit with regards to the convicting, drawing, washing / cleansing, regenerating, sealing, permanent indwelling of the believer, whether in the Old Testament or the New Testament.
Consider the following statements:
1. God states that He never changes.
Malachi 3:6 KJV 6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Hebrews 13:8 KJV 8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
John 10:30 KJV 30 I and my Father are one.
Genesis 1:1 KJV 1 In the beginning God [Elohiym: plural – 3 mighty ones, including the Holy Spirit] created the heaven and the earth.
Isaiah 55:1 KJV 1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Revelation 22:17 KJV 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
2. Since God never changes, and as the instructor rightly stated, “Salvation from the beginning has always been by grace through faith”, then we have to draw the conclusion that the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the new believer has always been the same.
Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV 8 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.
Read on…
3. When Adam sinned in the garden, spiritual death immediately occurred. The Scriptures state:
Genesis 2:17 KJV 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Romans 5:12 KJV 12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
4. The Mosaic ceremonial law and the prophets of the Old Testament taught that we are all sinners – through the need to shed blood for our atonement. And the New Testament further brings that understanding to light.
Psalms 14:3 KJV 3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Psalms 53:3 KJV 3 Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Romans 3:12 KJV 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Galatians 3:24-25 KJV 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Hebrews 9:22 KJV 22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Hebrews 10:9-12 KJV 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
5. The New Testament revealed that Jesus did not destroy the law – but that He fulfilled it through the shedding of His own blood.
Matthew 5:17 KJV 17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Isaiah 53:4-10 KJV 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
1 Timothy 2:5-6 KJV 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
6. The Old Testament saints (beginning with Adam) knew that it was necessary for the Messiah to come (to take away the sins of the whole world) – and by faith they believed that God would send the Messiah. The Jews were very acutely aware of this. The first prophecy was handed down from generation to generation.
Genesis 3:15 KJV 15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Consider the impact of this statement on Adam, Eve, Abel, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Genesis 5:24 KJV 24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
Hebrews 11:4-7 KJV 4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. 5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
7. And then Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob came on the scene – and the promise of the Messiah continued to be understood and believed – for which both the Old and New Testaments reveal.
Genesis 12:1-3 KJV 1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Genesis 18:18 KJV 18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
Genesis 16:6 KJV 6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.
Galatians 3:6 KJV 6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Romans 4:3 KJV 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Romans 4:9 KJV 9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
Romans 4:21-22 KJV 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
James 2:23 KJV 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
8. And then David (and let’s not forget Job) came on the scene.
Job 19:23-27 KJV 23 Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book! 24 That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever! 25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
Acts 13:21-24 KJV 21 And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years. 22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. 23 Of this man’s seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus: 24 When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
9. And then Nicodemus came on the scene. The dialog between Jesus and Nicodemus clearly discusses the agency of the Holy Spirit with regards to the regeneration and permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit to the believer – and especially with regards to the fact that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit was to be understood from the study of the Old Testament. Consider this, if the Holy Spirit did not regenerate and seal the believer, (whether Old / New Testament), and note that “sealing” would necessarily imply permanent indwelling – for if it didn’t how could you conclude that the “sealing” implied a finished act upon the believer? Read the following words carefully from John 3 below – remembering that Jesus is speaking to a man very learned in the Old Testament.
John 3:1-10 KJV 1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. 9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? 10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
10. Likewise, how could a person be born again and kept regenerated if the Holy Spirit did not bring within the individual a new divine nature by permanently indwelling them – whether Old / New Testament saints?
Titus 3:5 KJV 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Ephesians 2:1 KJV 1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Romans 3:20 KJV 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Romans 11:6 KJV 6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
2 Peter 1:2-4 KJV 2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
11. Additionally, consider what was written by the apostle Paul to Jews in Rome concerning the agency of the Holy Spirit – which would necessarily have included an understanding of the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Especially take note of the passage from Romans 8. You cannot have salvation without the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit – the One who had the power to raise Jesus from the dead – nor can you have the Lord’s righteousness without the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 4:1-25 KJV 1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. 9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. 13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: 15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, 17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
Romans 8:10-12 KJV 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
12. A couple final thoughts, although you might not find the [words] “indwelling of the Holy Spirit” or “permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit” within the believer in the Old Testament, the New Testament clearly reveals that to be true – in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament. Otherwise, how could God state, “I Change Not”? And, the Holy Spirit is God and He changes not.
Now, I can agree that the Holy Spirit did/does manifest Himself in different ways in His methods and operations between the Old Testament and the New Testament – especially with regards to Israel (the church of the wilderness) and the New Testament assemblies. However, He has never changed in the way that He saves a repentant believer: He convicts of sin, He draws us to Christ, He washes and regenerates the believer, He seals, and He permanently indwells.
Finally, if the Holy Spirit only indwells the New Testament believers – at what point did this begin to occur? Would it have been when Jesus ascended to heaven? Would it have been on the day of Pentecost? Would it have been???? Let us harmonize Scripture with Scripture.
Note that I realize that there will be questions on the test taken from the Theology pages 561 – 564, but, we need to know the truth concerning what the Bible does state concerning this very important topic. Otherwise, we will by-in to the premise that is taught by many that the believers in the Old Testament were saved differently than the believers in the New Testament.
