Archive for the ‘The Holy Spirit’ Category

Back to the Basics Series: What is Your Spiritual Gift? Part 2

Posted: December 12, 2010 in Sermons, The Holy Spirit
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Stephen R. Covey teaches The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People for leaders who want to improve their gift of leadership. The second habit is seeing the End from the Beginning. Leaders think, “What do I want to acccomplish in the next 20 years of my life?” What are the five most important accomplishments that I should focus on?

The gift of leadership is also called the gift of “ruling.” This person is gifted by God to motivate others to do ministry for the Lord. In 1 Corinthians 12:28, Paul called this gift “governments.” This gift can be divided into two areas: Management and Leadership.

Here are some differences between leaders and managers. Neither is more important than the other, just gifted differently by God.

Leaders focus more on dreaming the vision of the future like Joseph (Gen. 37). Managers analyze the details of today.

Leaders spend more time looking for opportunities. Managers smooth out current situations.

Leaders focus more on people like Barnabas the encourager (Acts 4:36; 9:27; 11:26; 15:37). Managers focus on accomplishing tasks.

Leaders prefer high risks environments. Managers prefer safety zones.

Leaders have a bias toward creativity, fluidity, and innovation. Managers have a bias toward preservation, protection, and procedure.

The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament says that the Greek word in 1 Corinthians 12:28 kubernasis translated “governments” means “to steer a ship.” An example of this gifted manager is in Acts 27:11. On the ship sailing to Rome were both the captain or the pilot and the owner. The manager like captain was concerned about the daily routine of sailing and the leader like owner was a risk taker who saw the opportunity of making money and had already charted the course to Rome.

The last gift that Paul mentions is the gift of “mercy.” This believer will be found at the nursing homes, or the hospital, or the widow’s or widower’s house showing care and compassion. As you read about these spiritual gifts did one or two of them connect with you?

After taking the step of identifying and understanding the operative gifts for today Another Step to discover your gift is the confirmation of other believers. In Acts 13, God called Barnabas and Saul to be missionaries and the church at Antioch recognize these gifted men and laid hands on them. Later, Barnabas recognized Paul as a teacher. What do people recognize you for? What do you hear people thanking you for? What do people request you to do for them? Maybe these are indications of your spiritual gift. No one ever asks me to repair their car. They ask me not to come near their broken down car. I do not have the gift of helps. But that same person will ask me to teach their Sunday school class or preach in their church.

The Final Step which should really be the First Step. Where did Paul begin in his discussion of spiritual gifts in Romans 12? He started where we need to start if we are going to discover our spiritual gift and use them: Presenting our bodies as living sacrifices to the Lord. What is interesting in Paul’s discussion of spiritual gifts in the New Testament is how little he writes about discovering your spiritual gift. The emphasis is on loving God and others. When that happens, we will serve Him and others with our spiritual gift. Once we have surrendered our lives to minister for the Lord then Paul adds that we are also members of His Body, the church. We should not think more highly of ourselves than we ought but serve the body where He has placed us as members. If we make this total commitment to the Lord and His Church, He will make sure we will know how and where we are to serve Him.

When we use the spiritual gift God has given us, the church is edified and God is glorified. What two greater accomplishments could a believer in love with the Lord desire?

Arthur T. Pierson gave a great challenge to all believers concerning spiritual gifts:

“Everyone has some gift, therefore all should be encouraged. No one has all gifts, therefore all should be humble. All gifts are for the one Body, therefore all should be harmonious. All gifts are from the Lord, therefore all should be contented. All gifts are mutually helpful and needful, therefore all should be studiously faithful. All gifts promote the health and strength of the whole Body, therefore none can be safely dispensed with. All gifts depend on His fulness for power, therefore all should keep in close touch with Him” (J. Oswald Sanders. The Holy Spirit and His Gifts. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1970, 115).

Back to the Basics Series: What is Your Spiritual Gift? Part 1

Posted: December 11, 2010 in Sermons, The Holy Spirit
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Do you know what your spiritual gift is? The most prominent spiritual gifts operative today are serving, leadership, exhortation, evangelism, giving, mercy, and teaching. Which one is your dominant gift?

In the beginning of three chapters dealing with spiritual gifts, Paul states bluntly in 1 Corinthians 12:1, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you to be ignorant.” The word “ignorant” comes from a Greek word from which we get our English word “agnostic.” An agnostic says, “I don’t know if God exists.” Paul was and is saying, “I do not want you to say, ‘I don’t know what my spiritual gift is.’”

A concise Biblical definition of a spiritual gift is found in 1 Peter 4:11: “the ability which God gives.” What is implied in all these verses is that the Holy Spirit gave you this ability or gift at conversion. 1 Corinthians 12:4 says: “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.” When you were saved and received the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9) you also were gifted by the Holy Spirit. Notice these God given abilities are not called Spiritual Rewards but Spiritual Gifts. We do not earn nor deserve them. They are God given gifts.

The First Step to discover your spiritual gift is to take a spiritual gift test. You can go to Elmer Towns.com and take his Spiritual Gifts Questionnaire. This test will help you determine your spiritual gift. Another helpful source is Fred G. Zaspel’s Spiritual Gifts. He gives 22 brief chapters on-line that thoroughly cover spiritual gifts. This leads to the next step.

The Next Step you can take to discover your spiritual gift is to understand the operative gifts for today’s believers. Paul lists most of these gifts in Romans 12:6-8. As I briefly survey these gifts, ask yourself, “Which one or more of these gifts has the Holy Spirit given to me?”

The first gift Paul mentions is the gift of prophecy. Although this gift is not operative today preaching which was the purpose of prophecy in the Old Testament is a present day gift. Old Testament prophets were interpreters of God’s Word (Exodus 7:1-2). New Testament preachers are also interpreters of God’s Word (2 Timothy 4).

Paul exhorted Timothy to “Preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering” (2 Timothy 4:2). Preaching and teaching in a pulpit ministry are synonymous. In 1 Timothy 3, when Paul is giving the qualifications for a pastor, he states that the pastor must be “able to teach.” What is interesting in this list, Paul does not include preaching. The two are interchangeable. In Ephesians 4:12, Paul is describing the different gifted men God has given to the church and he mentions apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors/teachers. Notice he did not say pastors/preachers. But as we shall see momentarily, it is possible for a believer to have the gift of teaching and not be a preacher. But this has to do with a difference in role more than a difference in ability.

The next gift that Paul lists is “ministry.” In 1 Corinthians 12:28, Paul calls this gift “helps.” This gift by far is the most prominent gift in the church. The church needs more servants or helpers than preachers for example. An example of a believer with the gift of helps is Dorcus in Acts 9:36-41. With her hands she made clothes for women in the church. She was said to be “full of good works and almsdeeds.”

These gifted workers are the behind the scenes people who serve faithfully for the Lord without the need to be publically recognized: such as nursery workers, ushers, greeters, sound system technicians, Children Church workers, AWANA workers, Youth workers, Hospitality Committee workers, etc. This word is also translated “deacon.” Deacons are servants of the Lord and the church who mostly serve unnoticed. Acts 6 describes these men as quietly ministering to the needs of widows.

Another gift in Romans 12 is “teaching” or the ability to make clear the meaning of Scripture. A believer could be a teacher in a church, say in Sunday School, but not the preacher. So there is a difference between preaching and teaching in that one believer may be a teacher but not the pastor of a church. As far as the ability to communicate God’s Word there may be no difference. Our teachers are knowledgeable instructors of God’s Word who care for their students. Elmer Towns from Liberty University teaches that a Sunday school teacher is like the shepherd of a flock. He/she not only teaches but prays for his/her student  and cares for them and visits them with they are sick physically or wayward spiritually. It is a worn out saying but worth repeating: “People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

The believer with the gift of “exhorting” is like a counselor. He/she has the ability to apply God’s Word to people’s problems. Barnabas apparently had this gift which earned him the nickname “son of exhortation” (Acts 4:36). Barnabas encouraged people with his words and actions. In Acts 4:32-36, Barnabas sold part of his land and gave the proceeds to the poor believers in Jerusalem. In Acts 9, Barnabas put his arm around the former persecutor of the church, Saul of Tarsus, who was also newly converted and feared by the early church. In Acts 9:26-27, Barnabas introduced Saul to the leaders of the church and convinced them that Paul was genuinely saved and could be trusted. In Acts 11:22-26, we see Barnabas exhorting the new converts at Antioch. Barnabas, however, knew the church at Antioch of Syria needed a teacher to balance out his exhorting. So Barnabas recruits now matured Paul to come on staff at Antioch and serve as teacher. In Acts 11:23, Barnabas is exhorting and after Barnabas brought Paul on staff, Luke in 11:26 says they “taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.”  We call this staffing to your weakness. In Acts 12:25, Barnabas and Paul encourage again the famine victims at Jerusalem with a relief offering. In Acts 15:39, Luke records that Barnabas encouraged Mark when Paul was not yet convinced that Mark was ready again for full-time ministry. When people left Barnabas’ presence they were uplifted and better off than before.

The gift of “giving” does not mean that only these believers give. All believers are to give tithes and offerings. But this believer loves to give beyond the tithes and offerings. When I was a dirt poor college student there was a older man in the church who would very often give me a $20 hand shake at church.

In Part Two, I will continue with the gift of leadership and show the differences between leadership and management.

Were Old Testament Believers Permanently Indwelt by the Holy Spirit?

Posted: September 30, 2009 in The Holy Spirit
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I like what Mike Stallard did when he traced the ministry of the Holy Spirit throughout the OT beginning with the Pentateuch through the Post-exilic books. Another good article is at Treasuring Christ (Were OT Believers Indwelt by the Holy Spirit
by Dr. Jim Hamilton).This is laying a biblical theology foundation upon which you can build a systematic theology. It also avoids starting with the NT doctrine and reading the NT back into the OT. It seems that scholars who defend the permanent indwelling of OT believers by the Holy Spirit start with the NT doctrine of indwelling and argue backwards.

This is the case with Robert McCabe in his well researched article entitled, “Were Old Testament Believers Indwelt by the Spirit,” Detroit Baptist Seminary Journal vol. 9 (2004): 215-264.  He exegetes the following passages in the following order: John 7:37-39, John 14:16-17; 1 Cor. 6:19-20; 2:14-15; Ezek. 36:25-27; 1 Cor. 2: 14-15; Rom. 8:9-11; Num. 27:18, and Psa. 143:10. The majority of passages used to defend the permanent indwelling of the OT believers by the Holy Spirit are from the NT.

Leon Wood starts his arguments for the permanent indwelling of Old Testament saints with the Holy Spirit with this statement: “But if the Old Testament saint was not permanently indwelt by the Spirit, how was he able to remain a child of God? The New Testament is clear that believers now are preserved by the indwelling Spirit (2 Tim. 1:12; 4:18; 1 Peter 1:5). Were Old Testament saints able to keep themselves? It is not easy to believe so” (Leon Wood, The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, pages 39-40). Mike Stallard begins in the OT where progressive revelation commences on this doctrine.

The first reference to the indwelling of the OT believer by the Holy Spirit is in Gen. 42:38. This passage cannot be used dogmatically to add to the doctrine of the Holy Spirit in the OT because it was spoken by pagan Pharoah. However, Walvoord makes this comment: “While, of course, it may be held that Pharoah was mistaken, and Joseph was not indwelt by the Holy Spirit, in view of what Joseph had already accomplished and the later revelation of the doctrine of indwelling in the Old Testament, it may be concluded that Pharoah unwittingly gave voice to the first specific instance of a great doctrine, and the Scriptures include his testimony” (John Walvoord, The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit, Dallas: Dallas Theological Seminary, page 79).

Next, the Scriptures state that the Holy Spirit equipped individuals with natural skills to make garments for priests (Ex. 28:3) and furniture for the Tabernacle (Ex. 31:3; 35:31). This is similar to the NT spiritual gift of helps (1 Cor. 12:28) although not the same since NT gifts were God’s enablement for the Body of Christ (Eph. 4:11-14) which is exclusively NT truth (Eph. 2:11-3:12). Similarities do not equate sameness. This OT enablement is nowhere said to be permanent.

In Num. 11:24-25, the Holy Spirit, that was apparently permanently indwelling Moses, indwelt his seventy elders. 1 Pet. 1:10-11, in reference to OT prophets states that “the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.” The Spirit that was permanently indwelling Moses began to indwell the elders who before this experience did not possess the Spirit. Even though Num. 11:24-25 uses “upon” to describe the ministry the Holy Spirit with Moses and the elders, I’m using “in” and “upon” interchangably because in Isa. 63:11 the Spirit is said to be “within him” not just “upon” him. So here is a case where these believers who were not indwelt became indwelt. Were the elders permanently indwelt from this point? The Scriptures do not say the elders were permanently indwelt after this experience and to teach otherwise is to argue from silence.

In Num. 24: 2 the unusual experience of the Holy Spirit coming upon Balaam the non-Israelite false prophet is recorded. Whatever is the significance of this episode, it shows a discontinuity between the ministries of the Holy Spirit before and after Pentecost. The Holy Spirit’s ministry is very much different before and after Pentecost. This is an important point because those who wish to see permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit of OT believers emphasize the continuity between the Spirit’s work before and after Pentecost. They would argue that the Holy Spirit who regenerates, indwells, and seals in the NT must do so in the OT.

The last two references to the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Pentateuch are Num. 27:18 and Deut. 34:9 and both concern Joshua. Num. 27:18 says that Joshua was “a man in whom is the spirit.” The last reference in the Pentateuch is in Deut. 34:9 which refers to Joshua being “full of the spirit of wisdom for Moses had laid hands on him.” We have seen examples of permanent indwelling in the case of Moses and Joshua and cases of non-permanent indwelling as with the elders. There is one unusual case of the Spirit sovereignly using an unsaved prophet to pronounce a blessing on God’s people instead of a curse. Again the ministry of the Holy Spirit is very different before and after Pentecost.

In addition to all this OT evidence that the Holy Spirit did not permanently indwell all OT believers, I would like to briefly address the NT references used to defend the permnanent indwelling of OT believers. There is a change in the Holy Spirit’s ministry in the NT: (John 7:38, 39; 14:16, 17; 16:7). The permanent indwelling position’s response is that these verses are referring to the future baptizing ministry of the Holy Spirit and not to indwelling. But these three verses are not describing the baptizing ministry of the Holy Spirit but His indwelling ministry. In John 7:39, Jesus said, “He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” The Baptism of the Holy Spirit does not produce this result. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor.12: 13) identifies us with the Body of Christ and is nonexperiential. In John 14:16-17 and 16:7, Jesus promised the Comforter or Helper will come on the future Day of Pentecost. Again, this comforting ministry is not the result of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit but the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

The change in the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the NT is a difference not only in the fact that OT believers were not baptized with the Holy Spirit but they were not indwelt.

SERMON: SEALED by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14)

Posted: September 26, 2009 in Ephesians Class, Sermons, The Holy Spirit
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Billy said to Jimmy, “My Dad has a list of names of men that he can wipe and your daddy’s name is first on it.” Jimmy went home and told he daddy, “Daddy, I have something to tell you. Billy’s dad has a list of names of men he can wipe and your name is first.” Jimmy’s dad went to see Billy’s dad and rolled up his sleeves. “Is it true you have a list of men you can wipe and my name is on it.” Billy’s dad responded, “That is right.” Jimmy’s dad replied, “You can’t do it and what are you going to do about it?”

Billy’s dad said, “Well, I guess I’ll just take your name off.”

Did you know, child of God, God has your name on a list, and He will never take it off?  In Luke 10:40, Jesus said, “Rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” We call this the doctrine of eternal security or the perseverance or preservation of the saints and this blessed truth is the result of the sealing of the Holy Spirit. In John 10:28, Jesus gave a powerful promise of security:

“I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish.” William Mounce in his Basics of Biblical Greek states the significance of the double negative (ou ma) with a subjunctive verb (apolontai).

This chapter describes a fascinating combination used by the Greek language to show emphasis: it is the use of the two negatives ou ma with a subjunctive verb to indicate a strong negation about the future. The speaker uses the subjunctive verb to suggest a future possibility, but in the same phrase he emphatically denies (by means of the double negative) that such could ever happen. This linguistic combination occurs about eighty-five times in the New Testament, often in significant promises or reassurances about the future.

In Jesus’ description of himself as the Good Shepherd in John 10, he gives one of the most treasured of these promises: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish [ou ma apolontai]” (10:27-28a NIV). It would have been enough to have ou with a future indicative verb here, but Jesus is more emphatic. The subjunctive combination strongly denies even the possibility that any of Jesus’ sheep would perish: “they will certainly not perish,” “they will by no means perish,” is the sense of Jesus’ assertion. This is reinforced by the addition of the phrase eis ton aiova, “forever.” Jesus’ emphatic promise is the bedrock of assurance and godly motivation for every one of his sheep! (William Mounce, Basics of Biblical Greek, Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1993, p. 281).

Do you agree or disagree with what Baptist theologian, A. H. Strong says about the security of the believer:

“Perseverance is, therefore, the human side or aspect of that spiritual process which, as viewed from the divine side, we call sanctification. It is not a mere natural consequence of conversion, but involves a constant activity of the human will from the moment of conversion to the end of life” (A. H. Strong, Systematic Theology, Valley Forge: Judson Press, 1907, p. 881).

Theologian Louis Berkhof disagrees with Strong’s emphasis on perserverance being the human side and sanctification being the divine side because “this is certainly liable to create the impression that perseverance depends on man. The Reformed, however, do not consider the perseverance of the saints as being, first of all, a disposition of the believer. They even stress the fact that the believer would fall away, if he were left to himself. It is strictly speaking, not man but God who perseveres. Perseverance may be defined as that continuous operation of the Holy Spirit in the believer, by which the work of divine grace that is begun in the heart, is continued and brought to completion. It is because God never forsakes His work that believers continue to stand to the very end.” (Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology, Grand Rapids: WM. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.,1941, page 546).

WE HAVE ETERNAL SECURITY BECAUSE OF THE SEALING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

1. Who Seals The Believer?

There are three passages that specifically mention the sealing of the Holy Spirit: 2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13; 4:30. According to 2 Cor. 1:22, God the Father is the agent who seals believers with the Holy Spirit. The last reference informs that believers are sealed in the Holy Spirit: “Grieve not the holy Spirit of God in [gk. en] whom you are sealed” (Eph. 4:30).

2. When are Believers Sealed?

At the time of conversion.

Eph. 1:13 reads in the Greek, “in whom having believed [aorist participle] you were sealed [aorist passive indicative] with that Holy Spirit of promise.” At the moment the sinner put his faith in Christ, he is sealed in the Holy Spirit.

3. Who are Sealed in the Spirit?

All believers are sealed, even the carnal Corinthians (2 Cor. 1:22). One carnal Corinthian had even committed incest. Believers who sin are chastened by the Lord; not cast out (Heb. 12:6-8). Eternal security is not a license to sin (Eph. 4:30-32). The sealing of the Holy Spirit is the basis for not sinning; not making an excuse to sin. Eph. 4:30-32, “Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God in whom you are sealed.”

“It should be noted that the Scriptures nowhere exhort any believer to be sealed. This would imply strongly that it is a universal experience, since it need not be sought by any. If it were not universal, then one would expect to find at least one, if not numerous, exhortations to be sealed, as is the case, for instance, with the filling of the Spirit” (Charles Ryrie, The Holy Spirit, Chicago: Moody Press, 1965, page 81).

4. Why are Believers Sealed?

The two verses in Ephesians on the sealing of the Holy Spirit give the believer security in his/her faith.

Eph. 1:13 promises that believers are sealed in the Holy Spirit who is the “guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it.”

The Greek word translated “guarantee” in this passage (arrabon) is a legal and commercial term that means ‘first installment, deposit, down payment which obligates the contracting party to make further payments.’ When God gave us the Holy Spirit within, he committed himself to give all the further blessings of eternal life and a great reward in heaven with him. This is why Paul can say that the Holy Spirit is the ‘guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it” (Eph. 1:14). Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994, page 791.

Eph. 4:30 promises that believers are sealed unto the day of redemption or the rapture. This is God’s promise of security to each believer.  Once the believer is in heaven in his glorified body, he will not need the sealing of the Holy Spirit to keep him saved.

5. What Does Sealing Mean?

Sealed meant ownership. A Biblical example is in Rev 7:1-8; 9:4; 14:1-5. The 144,000 believing Jews are sealed in the absolute most difficult of all times, the seven year Tribulation Period. Because they are sealed by God, they are preserved and not killed by the anti-Christ. If God can keep the sealed believers in the Tribulation Period surely He can keep us in less difficult times.

Mark Driscoll and “Sign” Gifts

Posted: March 26, 2009 in "Reader's Favorites", The Holy Spirit
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Mark Driscoll in a YouTube on the Four Lanes of the Emerging Church admitted that he agreed with Wayne Grudem that all of the spiritual gifts were operative today. What does the Scripture say?

Spiritual gifts fall into two areas: Temporary sign gifts and permanent service gifts. 1 Cor. 1:22 states that the Jews require a sign. There have been three periods in the history of Israel when there have been sign gifts performed because Israel refused to believe God’s messengers and their God given message: Moses and Joshua (Exodus 4:1-9; 12:12; Numbers 27:18; Deuteronomy 34:9), Elijah and Elisah (1Kings 17:17-24; 2 Kings 4:18-37); and Christ and the Apostles (Matthew 8:1-18; 10:8; 12:22-32; 2 Corinthians 12:12). Just as sign gifts did not follow Moses and Joshua and Elijah and Elisha eras, sign gifts did not follow Christ and the Apostles because in the last era the canon of Scripture was completed.

The phrase “that which is perfect is come” in 1 Cor. 13:10 is a reference to the completion of the canon of Scripture. The context proves that “perfect” means the completion of the canon and not the return of Christ. In verse nine Paul said that the sign gifts through which God reveal knowledge were still in effect because revelation was incomplete: “for we know in part and we prophesy in part.” But in verse 10, Paul referred to the completed canon when revelation would no longer be incomplete: “but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.” Also the word “perfect” (Greek teleiov) is a neuter noun. If “perfect” were referring to Christ the noun would have been masculine. Teleiov has a wide semantic range in meaning. One of the common meanings of teleiov which fits this context well is “complete” as in Hebrew 5:9. Christ was made complete in His incarnation in order to be our High Priest after the order of Melchisedec. When the canon was complete, the sign gifts were no longer necessary as a means of revelation.

Now for the explanation of specific sign gifts not operative today. The gift of apostleship was a foundational gift for the early church (Eph. 2:20; 2 Cor. 12:12) not needed today. Through the preaching and writing of the apostles we have the Scriptures. To be an offical apostle one had to have seen the resurrected Christ (Acts 1:22; 1 Cor. 9:1) which is no longer possible after the ascension of Christ.

The gift of prophecy was a gift of the first century when God was giving revelation which included the mystery of the Church (Eph. 3:5). In 1 Cor. 13:10 this gift ceased with the canonization of Scripture as explained before.

The gift of miracles was performed by the official apostles who witnessed Christ in His resurrection body and that office is no longer in existence as argued earlier. In Mark 16:17-20, after the ascension, the apostles “went forth and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with miraculous signs following.” But in Heb. 2:3-4 the author stated the confirmation of the apostles with the gift of miracles was past.

The gift of miracles probably was the ability to cast out demons. Christ could cast out demons because it was a sign of His messiahship which Matthew recorded in Matthew 8-11 as credentials of the Messiah. Christ proved His messiahship by exercising power over physical maladies (Mt. 8:1-18), over nature (Mt. 8:23) and casting out demons (Mt.8:28-34).

The apostles could also cast out demons as a sign of their apostleship to the nation of Israel because the Jews require a sign (Mt. 10:6-8). Peter and Paul could also cast out demons because they were apostles (Acts 5:16 and 19:11-12) and the sign gifts had not yet ceased (1 Cor. 13:10). But this sign gift like all sign gifts ceased with the close of the canon.

No one has the gift of exorcism today because nowhere in the Epistles are believers commanded to exorcise demons. Casting out of demons was part of the apostolic commission in Mark 16:17-20 which also included speaking in tongues, taking up serpents, drinking deadly poisons, and healing the sick. All of these must be practiced not just one or two of them if a person is an apostle with this apostolic gift. Also as discussed before the writer of Hebrews 2:2-3 considered these confirming signs as past.

When Paul explained how believers could stand against the wiles of the devil in Ephesians 6:10-18, he did not mention exorcism as part of the whole armor of God so we can stand. Demons are cast out by the gospel not a gift. Paul informed the Colossian believers that because they had experienced the gospel (1:6) they had been delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of the Son of His love (1:12-14).

The gift of healing is no longer operative today because this gift also was an apostolic sign gift which has ceased like the other apostolic sign gifts. The apostolic gift of healing included the ability to raise the dead (Acts 9:36-43; 20:6-12). The dead are not being raised today by faith healers who claim to possess the gift of healing.

Paul declared that “whether there be tongues, they shall cease.” As argued the Jews require a sign. God is no longer dealing with the Jews as a nation and therefore the gift is not necessary. In 1 Cor. 14, Paul was only regulating the legitimate gift of tongues until that gift ceased with the passing of the official apostles and the canonization of Scripture which church history confirms as had occurred.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, Part Two

Posted: February 24, 2009 in The Holy Spirit
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Why is there so much confusion about the baptism of the Holy Spirit today? The eight different views that we have identified is cause enough for the confusion. There is confusion because of past Bible teachers in the camp of “Second Blessing” Fundamentalists, like Torrey, Moody, and Rice, who taught incorrectly the doctrine of Spirit Baptism. They taught that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit gave power for witnessing.

The basis of their incorrect doctrine was Acts 1:5 where Jesus said the disciples, who were already believers, would be baptized soon. Baptism is not mentioned on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 whereas filling is mentioned. The two ministries of the Holy Spirit are thought to be the same. In the transitional book of Acts, both ministries of the Holy Spirit did happen on the Day of Pentecost. Peter’s account in Acts 11:15-16 shows that the baptism of the Holy Spirit happened on the Day of Pentecost.

From the Epistles, which are God’s final word on doctrine, we learn that the baptism and filling of the Holy Spirit are different and that Spirit baptism occurs at salvation. How are the baptism and filling of the Holy Spirit different?

Believers are never commanded to be baptized with the Holy Spirit, because believers have already been baptized into the Body of Christ at conversion. Paul in 1 Cor 12:13 says the ministry of the Holy Spirit is past for all believers: “For by one Spirit were we all baptized into one body.”

In Eph. 4:5, Paul says, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” The “one baptism” has to be the baptism of the Holy Spirit and not water baptism, because all believers have not been baptized in water, but all believers have been baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ.

Ryrie mentions seven passages that specifically refer to the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The first five references refer prophetically to the Day of Pentecost: Mt. 3:11; Mk. 1:8; Lk. 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 1:5. The next reference is the historical fulfillment at the Day of Pentecost (Acts 11:5-7).The final reference is to Baptism of the Spirit that all believers have received at the time of conversion (1 Cor. 12:13). In contrast to Holy Spirit baptism, believers are commanded to be filled by the Holy Spirit in Eph. 5:18.

Not only is there confusion because of the erroneous teaching of past “Second Blessing” Fundamentalists but because of present day groups that teach that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is subsequent to salvation. Again this view is based on the transitional book of Acts and not a correct understanding the Epistles. There is no norm for receiving the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts. There are four groups that received the Holy Spirit differently in the book of Acts. (1) In Acts 2, Jewish believers are Spirit baptized after salvation and speak in tongues (2) Acts 8, Samaritan believers are Spirit baptized after salvation and do not speak in tongues (3) Acts 10, Gentiles are Spirit baptized at salvation and do speak in tongues (4) Acts 19, OT believers are Spirit baptized after salvation and speak in tongues.

“The anointing is universally and equally applied to all believers, irrespective of race, age, gender, or legal status. In fact, this is Luke’s purpose: to demonstrate that all people who believe—Jew and Gentile alike—share in the anointing of Pentecost . . . . After the three ethnic groups of Acts 8, 10, 19 are shown to be incorporated into Christ’s purposes, Luke mentions these transitional acts no more. Christ’s intent of a universal church has been clearly expressed. We can assume that Paul’s statement of 1 Cor. 12:12-13 is now the norm: (Russell, The Anointing With the Holy Spirit in Luke-Acts, Trinity Journal, 1986, p. 62).

There is also confusion because the baptism of the Holy Spirit is made an experience to be sought. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not an experience to be sought by “Second Blessing” Fundamentalist nor by Charismatics. Because Holy Spirit Baptism is universal among all believers it is not experiental. It is not a question of spiritual maturity, yieldedness, or indoctrination. Every believer, while totally unconscious of the reality of this truth until taught, is baptized by the Spirit as soon as faith is place in Christ.

“Baptism is not experimental because it is positional truth. While our position in Christ is the ground of our experience when we are yielded to the Spirit, our position in itself does not produce experience. All Christians have the same position in Christ, but many have little spiritual experience” (John Walvoord, The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit, Dallas: Dallas Theological Seminary, 1943, pp. 162, 163).

The Christian gets his power for witnessing from the filling of the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:31) not from the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Christian gets his power for holy living from the filling of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22, 23) not the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Baptism of the Holy Spirit, Part One

Posted: February 21, 2009 in The Holy Spirit
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When you hear the words, “Baptism of the Holy Spirit“ what comes to your mind? For some there are scenes of highly emotional church services accompanied with tongues. For others, a confusing mix of ideas from different studies and sermons muddies the thinking. That is understandable because there are many conflicting views. In part one, I am going to review eight views of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. I am taking some of my information from Dr. Windsor’s notes on Pneumatology at Central Baptist Theological Seminary. In part two, I will discuss the Traditional view of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

(1) Church of Christ emphasizes water baptism (baptismal regeneration) and not Spirit baptism.

(2) Landmark Baptists stress the local church and not the universal body of Christ with an emphasis on water baptism (not baptismal regeneration) and not Spirit baptism. “The word ‘baptized’ unless clearly meant to be figurative, must mean water baptism, for this is its basic meaning” (Anderson, Baptist Unshackled, p. 106).

James Robinson Greaves is known as the father of Landmarkism. In 1851, Graves called a meeting at the Cotton Grove Baptist Church in Jackson, Tennessee to react to the liberalism creeping into the Southern Baptist Churches. This group formed the Cotton Grove Resolutions which became the organizational document for Landmarkism (1) Can Baptists with their principles on the Scriptures, consistently recognize those societies not organized according to the Jerusalem church, but possessing different government, different officers, a different class of members, different ordinances, doctrines and practices as churches of Christ? (2) Ought they to be called gospel churches or churches in a religious sense? (3) Can we consistently recognize the ministers of such irregular and unscriptural bodies as gospel ministers? (4) Is it not virtually recognizing them as official ministers to invite them into our pulpits or by any other act that would or could be construed as such recognition? (5) Can we consistently address as brethren those professing Christianity who not only have not the doctrine of Christ and walk not according to his commandments but are arrayed in direct and bitter opposition to them?

The following syllogism expresses Landmarkism. Major premise: To be valid, Christian ordinations and baptisms must be performed by a valid New Testament church. Minor premise: Only valid Baptist churches are valid New Testament churches. Conclusion: Therefore, only ordinations and baptisms performed by valid Baptist churches are valid Christian ordinations and baptisms. Dr. Mike Stallard has an excellent article at his website entitled The Significance of the Central Motif and Stratification for Method: A Case Study of Landmark Baptist Theology.                                    

(3) Pentecostal Theology believes that usually the baptism of the Holy Spirit is subsequent to salvation and is evidenced by speaking in tongues and all of the spiritual gifts are operative for today and must be sought. “The baptism of believers in the Holy Ghost is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance” (Constitution of Assemblies of God).

(4) Charismatics, unlike Pentecostals, are not dogmatic on the timing of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, (whether at conversion or subsequent) nor the evidence of speaking in tongues.

(5) The “Third Wave” movement is another Charismatic renewal movement with an emphasis on “Power Evangelism.” The late, John Wimber, and former senior pastor of the Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Anaheim, California described “Power Evangelism:”

“Power evangelism is evangelism that is preceded and undergirded by supernatural demonstrations of God’s presence. . . .Usually this takes the form of  words of knowledge . . . healing, prophecy, and deliverance from evil spirits” (John Wimber, Power Evangelism, San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1986, p. 45).

“They teach, however, that baptism in the Holy Spirit happens to all Christians at conversion, and that subsequent experiences are better called ‘filling’ with the Holy Spirit” (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994, p. 763). Wayne Grudem was trained Westminster Seminary (a Covenant theology seminary) and yet he is a part of the Vineyard movement. He represents the Third Wave when he writes “as far as the apostle Paul was concerned, baptism in the Holy Spirit occurred at conversion.” Wayne Grudem’s view on speaking in tongues is different from Traditional Dispensationalism as the following statement reveals. “While an experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit may result in the gift of speaking in tongues, or in the use of some other gifts that had not previously been experienced, it also may come without the gift of speaking in tongues. In fact, many Christians throughout history have experienced powerful infillings of the Holy Spirit that have not been accompanied by speaking in tongues. With regard to this gift as well as all other gifts, we must simply say that the Holy Spirit ‘apportions each one individually as he will’ (1 Cor.12:11)’” (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994, 768, 784).

(6) “Second Blessing” Fundamentalists believe there is a second work of the Holy Spirit after salvation to empower the believer for service and soulwinning. Men like D. L. Moody and R. A. Torrey called this second work the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Others like John R. Rice did not call it the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Here are John R. Rice’s comments:

In that great book, The Holy Spirit: Who He Is, and What He Does, Dr. R. A. Torrey in chapter five gives three defining statements as to what the baptism of the Holy Spirit is. So, before we consider the experiences of great soul winners and how they were filled with the Spirit, let us consider Dr. Torrey’s definition. Dr. Torrey says the following:

(1) In the first place, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a definite experience of which one may know whether he has received it or not. . . .(2) In the second place, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is a work of the Holy Spirit distinct from and additional to His regenerating work. . .(3) In the third place, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is a work of the Holy Spirit always connected with and primarily for the purpose of testimony and service.

While we do not insist on the term, “the Baptism with the Holy Spirit,” we believe Dr. Torrey has given a good definition of this special enduement of power from on high (John Rice, The Power of Pentecost or The Fullness of the Spirit, Wheaton: Sword of the Lord Publishers, 1949, p. 392.).

(7) Covenant Theology does not address the doctrine of the Holy Spirit extensively. Wayne Grudem admits this point: “Systematic theology books have not traditionally included a chapter on baptism in the Holy Spirit or filling with the Holy Spirit as part of the study of the ‘order of salvation,’ the study of the various steps in which the benefits of  salvation are applied to our lives” (p. 763). More recent covenant theologian, Robert Reymond writes “The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the work of the glorified Christ and is tantamount to the Spirit’s regenerating work. It precedes and is the precondition to faith in Christ, while the Spirit’s sealing follows upon faith in Christ” (Robert Reymond, Systematic Theology, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, page 764). As a covenant theologian, Reymond believes regeneration precedes faith.  This really fits the covenant theology view that NT water baptism which includes infants and as an ordinance symbolizes Holy Spirit baptism (Reymond, page 928), replaces the OT circumcision as the sign of “imputation of the righteousness of faith” (Reymond, page 937). Here is another example of Covenant theology emphasizing the continuity between the OT Israel and NT church. Dispensationalism stresses the discontinuity between Israel and the Church and would say that water baptism which is only for believers does not replace OT circumcision of unbelieving infants.

(8) Reformed Baptist like covenant theologians believe that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is more than identification with the body of Christ but also includes other ministries of the Holy Spirit such as empowerment for service.

1. The normative dispensational view is expressed by Dr. Windsor from Central Baptist Theological Seminary: “Baptism by the Spirit into Christ is a non-experiential, judicial placement of the convert into Christ. He thus becomes a member of the universal church (or body of the church)” (Dr. Windsor, Systematic Theology 402 Notes, page 43).

2. Covenant theologian, Wayne Grudem writes that the “‘baptism in the Holy Spirit,’ therefore, must refer to the activity of the Holy Spirit at the beginning of the Christian life when he gives us new spiritual life (in regeneration) and cleanses us and gives a clear break with the power and love of sin (the initial stage of sanctification). In this way ‘baptism in the Holy Spirit’ refers to all that the Holy Spirit does at the beginning of our Christian lives” (Grudem, page 768). Holy Spirit baptism does not include all of these ministries of the Holy Spirit just the identification of the believer with the body of Christ.

These other ministries of the Holy Spirit are unique but separate ministries called regeneration, sanctification, and filling.

3. The reformed Baptist view on baptism of the Holy Spirit is represented by Robert McCabe and Leon Wood. The Reformed Baptist view is a move in the direction  of the Covenant Theology position. The Leon Wood writes his point of view: “The last matter to notice is that baptism involves a certain aspect of empowerment for the believer.” Wood quotes Acts 1:8 to Biblically support his view. Acts 1:8, however, is prophesying the filling of the Holy Spirit that the disciples received on the Day of Pentecost in addition to the baptism and indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Charismatics, Pentecostals, Third Wavers, and “Second Blessing” fundamentalists make the baptism of the Holy Spirit experiential when it is positional in Scripture and not an experience we seek. In part two, I will discuss the Traditional view of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Signed, Sealed, and Delivered

Posted: February 20, 2009 in The Holy Spirit
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Billy said to Jimmy, “My Dad has a list of names of men that he can whip and your daddy’s name is first on it.” Jimmy went home and told his daddy, “Daddy, I have something to tell you. Billy’s dad has a list of names of men he can whip and your name is first.” Jimmy’s dad went to see Billy’s dad and rolled up his sleeves. “Is it true you have a list of men you can whip and my name is on it.” Billy’s dad responded, “That is right.” Jimmy’s dad replied, “You can’t do it and what are you going to do about it?”

Billy’s dad said, “Well, I guess I’ll just take your name off.”

I like that little story. Did you know, child of God, God has your name on a list, and He will never take it off? In Luke 10:40, Jesus said, “Rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” We call this the doctrine of eternal security or the perseverance or preservation of the saints and this blessed truth is the result of the sealing of the Holy Spirit.

In John 10:28, Jesus gave a powerful promise of security: “I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish.” William Mounce in his Basics of Biblical Greek states the significance of the double negative (ou ma) with a subjunctive verb (apolontai).

This chapter describes a fascinating combination used by the Greek language to show emphasis: it is the use of the two negatives ou ma with a subjunctive verb to indicate a strong negation about the future. The speaker uses the subjunctive verb to suggest a future possibility, but in the same phrase he emphatically denies (by means of the double negative) that such could ever happen. This linguistic combination occurs about eighty-five times in the New Testament, often in significant promises or reassurances about the future.

In Jesus’ description of himself as the Good Shepherd in John 10, he gives one of the most treasured of these promises: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish [ou ma apolontai]” (10:27-28a NIV). It would have been enough to have ou with a future indicative verb here, but Jesus is more emphatic. The subjunctive combination strongly denies even the possibility that any of Jesus’ sheep would perish: “they will certainly not perish,” “they will by no means perish,” is the sense of Jesus’ assertion. This is reinforced by the addition of the phrase eis ton aiova, “forever.” Jesus’ emphatic promise is the bedrock of assurance and godly motivation for every one of his sheep! (William Mounce, Basics of Biblical Greek, Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1993, p. 281).

Do you agree with what the former reigning Baptist theologian, A. H. Strong says this about the security of the believer?

“Perseverance is, therefore, the human side or aspect of that spiritual process which, as viewed from the divine side, we call sanctification. It is not a mere natural consequence of conversion, but involves a constant activity of the human will from the moment of conversion to the end of life” (A. H. Strong, Systematic Theology, Valley Forge: Judson Press, 1907, p. 881).

Theologian Louis Berkhof disagrees with Strong’s emphasis on perseverance being the human side and sanctification being the divine side because “this is certainly liable to create the impression that perseverance depends on man. The Reformed, however, do not consider the perseverance of the saints as being, first of all, a disposition of the believer. They even stress the fact that the believer would fall away, if he were left to himself. It is strictly speaking, not man but God who perseveres. Perseverance may be defined as that continuous operation of the Holy Spirit in the believer, by which the work of divine grace that is begun in the heart, is continued and brought to completion. It is because God never forsakes His work that believers continue to stand to the very end.” (Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology, Grand Rapids: WM. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1941, page 546).

Who Seals the Believer?

We have this eternal security or perseverance because of the sealing of the Holy Spirit. There are three passages that specifically mention the sealing of the Holy Spirit: 2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13; 4:30. According to 2 Cor. 1:22, God the Father is the agent who seals believers with the Holy Spirit. The last reference informs us that believers are sealed in the Holy Spirit: “Grieve not the holy Spirit of God in [gk. en]  whom you are sealed” (Eph. 4:30).

When are Believers Sealed?

Believers are sealed at the time of conversion. Eph. 1:13 reads in the Greek, “in whom having believed [aorist participle] you were sealed [aorist passive indicative] with that Holy Spirit of promise.” At the moment the sinner put his faith in Christ, he is sealed in the Holy Spirit. While being sealed is passive because God seals us at salvation, believing is not passive; the sinner has a responsibility to believe. Of course, our Arminian friends would have to change the passive to an active to fit their theology of works.

Who are Sealed in the Spirit?

All believers are sealed, even the carnal Corinthians (2 Cor. 1:22). One carnal Corinthian had even committed incest (1 Cor 5:1-13). Believers who sin are chastened by the Lord; not cast out (Heb. 12:6-8). Eternal security is not a license to sin (Eph. 4:30-32). The sealing of the Holy Spirit is the basis for not sinning; not making an excuse to sin as Paul stated in Eph. 4:30-32: “Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God in whom you are sealed.”

“It should be noted that the Scriptures nowhere exhort any believer to be sealed. This would imply strongly that it is a universal experience, since it need not be sought by any. If it were not universal, then one would expect to find at least one, if not numerous, exhortations to be sealed, as is the case, for instance, with the filling of the Spirit” (Charles Ryrie, The Holy Spirit, Chicago: Moody Press, 1965, page 81).

What Does the Sealing of the Holy Spirit Mean?

To be sealed meant ownership. “Seals were marks of ownership. Some placed the imprint of their seal on virtually everything they owned as a result, the family signet ring was very important. Some expressed their commitment to and possession by their god by bearing on their bodies the distinctive mark of a seal representing the god. This supposedly brought them under the protection of that god. Worshipers of Dionysius had their god’s sign, an ivy leaf, burned on them, a procedure described by the verb “to seal.” This concept is similar to Paul’s teaching on being sealed by the Holy Spirit” (Eldon Cockwood, The Seal of the Holy Spirit. Bibliotheca Sacra 155 April-June 1998, page 146). 

A Biblical example in found in Revelation 7:1-8 where God seals the 144,000 Jewish believers in the first half of the Tribulation (the Trumpet Judgments start in the middle of the Tribulation in chapter eight). One specific incident of God’s protection is mentioned in Revelation 9:4. Because of the seal of God, these believers are protected throughout the disasters of the Tribulation Period are seen safe in Revelation 14:1-5. If the seal of God can protect these believers through the absolute worst times of God caused natural disasters in human history, cannot the seal of the Holy Spirit protect us until the day of redemption? 

Why are Believers Sealed?

The two verses in Ephesians on the sealing of the Holy Spirit give the believer security in his/her faith. Eph. 1:13 promises that believers are sealed in the Holy Spirit who is the “guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it.” The Greek word translated “guarantee” in this passage (arrabon) is a legal and commercial term that means ‘first installment, deposit, down payment which obligates the contracting party to make further payments.’ When God gave us the Holy Spirit within, he committed himself to give all the further blessings of eternal life and a great reward in heaven with him. This  why Paul can say that the Holy Spirit is the ‘guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it” (Eph. 1:14). Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994, page 791. Eph. 4:30 promises that believers are sealed unto the day of redemption i.e., when we receive our glorified body and no longer need the sealing of the Holy Spirit. 

Arminians who do not believe in eternal security argue that the seal can be broken. After all, the Roman seal on Jesus tomb was broken when the stone was rolled away. My question is, “Who broke the seal?” God or the angels of God. Man’s sin did not break the seal which the Arminian would say can break the seal of the Holy Spirit. God never promised the Roman seal would never be broken. Also, God had nothing to do with the seal on Jesus’ tomb. God has promised, however, that believers are sealed until the day of redemption. This seal will never be broken. Jesus said he gives unto believers “eternal life” in John 10:28 not temporary life.

After Paul explains the sealing of the Holy Spirit in Eph. 1:13-14, Paul bursts out “unto the praise of His glory” and so should we for the eternal security promised by God. 

“Something that is sealed by God is as secure as God’s promise. . . . One of the best earthly illustrations of sealing is a piece of registered mail. When something is registered at the post office, it is sealed until delivered. Actually only two persons can open the registered mail-the sender (if it is delivered back to him) and the recipient. In the case of the believer, God is the one who sends him on the way to heaven, and God in heaven is the recipient on his arrival. Therefore, only God can break the seal of our redemption, and He has promised not to do so; and the guarantee of that promise is the presence of the Holy Spirit who is the one in whom we have been sealed by God” (Ryrie, page 82).

Believers are sign, sealed, and delivered.

The Old Testament Ministry of the Holy Spirit

Posted: February 10, 2009 in The Holy Spirit
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Charles Hodge in his Systematic Theology said of the Holy Spirit: “The Spirit is the executive of the Godhead. Whatever God does, He does by the Spirit” (p. 529). If this is the case then God was busy in the Old Testament. The Holy Spirit created the universe. Of course, all three persons of the Trinity are said to have created (Acts 4:24; John 1:3; Isa.40:12-14). Holy Spirit inspired Scripture (2nd Pet. 1:21). In the OT, believers knew little about the Trinity (Deut. 6:4) because the oneness of God was emphasized. It is like walking into a dark room. At first you see little, but as you linger your eyes ajust and you begin to see faintly the outlines of furniture. As the student studies in the OT, he will begin to observe traces of the Trinity as in Isaiah 63:7-11. The plurality of God would have led Israel to worship three Gods (Dt.6:14-15) with their propensity for polytheism. The Holy Spirit also instructed the nation of Israel (Neh.9:20, 30).

The Holy Spirit interpreted dreams (Gen. 41:38) and gave special skills (Ex. 31:3; 35:31; Hag. 2:5; Zech. 4:6). “The thought of spiritual enablement in such cases does not exclude the idea of natural ability but indicates both an act of providence in the bestowal of the natural ability latent in the individual and a special quickening to accomplish the task. While the natural is not excluded, the result is clearly supernatural and impossible without the enablement of the Holy Spirit” (Walvoord, John. The Holy Spirit, p. 75).

The Holy Spirit gave superhuman strength (Samson-Judges 13:25; 14:6, 19; Elijah-I Kgs. 18:46) and anointed rulers (called the Theocratic Anointing by Alva J. McClain, The Greatness of the Kingdom). The “Theocratic Anointing” was a special ministry of the Holy Spirit given to the head of the Theocratic Kingdom that enabled him to function as mediator between God and Israel. The following are examples: Moses (Num. 11:17), 70 Elders (Num. 11:17, 25), Joshua (Deut. 34:9; Josh. 1:5), Othniel (Judges 3:10), Saul (I Sam. 10:6, 9, 10), David (I Sam. 16:13-14; Psalm 51:11), and Solomon (I Kings 3:7-12). This has a bearing on the Holy Spirit departing from King Saul and David praying in Psalm 51:11 that God not take away the Holy Spirit. Some believe that these two instances are not examples of the Holy Spirit leaving these men as far as permanent indwelling is concerned but the Holy Spirit taking away His Theocratic Anointing or His enablement to be King over the OT theocratic kingdom.

Although the Scriptures are silent concerning the anointing of kings after Solomon, anointing probably came on all Davidic kings (because of the Davidic Covenant). There was probably no anointing of any northern kings after the division. With the departure of the Shekinah glory in September, 592 B.C. (Ezek. 8-11), the Theocracy ceased to function, as did theocratic anointing. It may have even left as early as April, 597 B.C. when Jehoiachin, the last legitimate Davidic king, was taken captive to Babylon. What about the anointing of Jesus at His baptism? The best way to explain this is a theocratic anointing. This launched Jesus’ public ministry, and enabled Christ to function as the King in the offered and coming messianic Kingdom which He was presenting. In His incarnation the Holy Spirit and the theocratic anointing gave Christ His ability to perform miracles (Dr. Windsor, Class notes on the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit, Central Baptist Theological Seminary,  pages 14, 15).

Holy Spirit also regenerated sinners. Regeneration is the impartation of spiritual life to unregenerate sinners who are dead in trespasses and sins. There are different views on the necessity of the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the OT in order to make regeneration possible. Dispensationalists hold generally to three different views on the necessity of the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the regeneration of the Holy Spirit in the OT.

One view is that there is no regeneration nor permanent indwelling of believers in the OT. This view was held to by Alva J. McClain, Homer Kent, and Herman Hoyt. “Regeneration of the individual cannot be separated from the Kingdom, and redeemed and regenerated people since the cross are being prepared for the Kingdom which Christ will establish when he comes to sit upon the throne of His glory” (Herman Hoyt, Expository Messages on the New Birth, p. 5).

C. H. Chafer believed in the renewal of OT believers, but not the regeneration.

With respect to regeneration, the Old Testament saints were evidently renewed; but as there is no definite doctrinal teaching relative to the extent and character of that renewal, no positive declaration can be made. In its New Testament aspect, regeneration provides for the impartation of the divine nature; the regenerated person becomes thus the very offspring of God, and heir of God and a joint heir with Jesus Christ. It results in membership in the household and family of God. If the first law of interpretation is to be observed—that which restricts every doctrinal truth to the exact body of Scripture which pertains to it—it cannot be demonstrated that this spiritual renewal known to the Old Testament, whatever its character may have been, resulted in the impartation of the divine nature, in an actual sonship, a joint heirship with Christ, or a placing in the household and family of God. So the case of Nicodemus—a perfected saint under Judaism—was duplicated in the experience of every Jew who passed from the old order into the new. To Nicodemus Christ said, ‘Ye must be born again,’ and it is significant that this imperative was not addressed to the lowest member of Jewish society but to one of its rulers who could serve as the supreme example of all that entered into the reality which Judaism provided. Nicodemus, like Saul of Tarsus, could have been called as a ‘just man’ before the Mosaic Law; but to claim for him that he was justified on the ground of imputed righteousness through a placing in Christ by the Holy Spirit is to assert that which could have no foundation in fact, otherwise he would have had no need or occasion to be born ‘from above’ (C. H. Chafer, Systematic Theology, VI, p. 73).

Dr. Mike Stallard argues there is a continuity between the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Gospels and the OT.

However, the experience of the Holy Spirit in the Gospels is essentially unchanged from the Old Testament.  For example, the Holy Spirit comes upon some believers to empower them  for certain tasks.  The Holy Spirit certainly comes upon Jesus early in his ministry (Mt. 3:16-17) although it could be argued that Christ is a special case.  However, Jesus sends out the twelve disciples with “authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness” (Mt. 10:1).  Nowhere in this particular context is the Holy Spirit mentioned.  However, in the debate between Jesus and the Pharisees two chapters later, Jesus essentially tells the representatives of that belligerent sect that He casts out demons by the  Spirit of God (Mt. 12:28).  Hence, the enablement granted to the disciples to do the same thing also came from the Holy Spirit of God (Mike Stallard, The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament, Stallard’s website Hope, page 10).

Since there is a continuity between the Gospels and the OT, regeneration did occur before the Day of Pentecost according to John 1:11, 12 and also Jesus imperative stated to Nicodemus that he must be born again or regenerated which was prior to the Day of Pentecost.

The second view advocates both regeneration and permanent indwelling of OT believers. This view is held to by Leon Wood, Rolland McCune, and Robert V. McCabe. Robert V. McCabe summarizes this position: In the final analysis, if men have been totally depraved since the Fall and if God has chosen to save any of Adam’s descendants, then the Spirit, in coordination with the proclamation of God’s message of salvation, must impart new life at regeneration and sustain this saving relationship through indwelling. If Old Testament saints were not indwelt, then they had not been regenerated and they were still ‘dead in trespasses and sin.’ As McCune has aptly summarized the Spirit’s indwelling work in the Old Testament: ‘Just as the evidence of spiritual fellowship and communion with God cannot be accounted for without regeneration, neither can they be accounted for without a continuous ministry of the Holy Spirit after the new birth.’ Therefore, the Spirit’s indwelling ministry was a necessity for Old Testament saints, just as it is for New Testament saints” (McCabe, Detroit Baptist Seminary Journal, page 264).

McCabe admits that this view is the standard Covenant position. Those who see a consistent continuity between the Old Testament, most covenant theologians, affirm that Old Testament believers were indwelt, while those who see a fundamental discontinuity between the testaments, many dispensational theologians, affirm that they were not indwelt. In McCabe’s footnote he lists covenant theologians who hold to the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the OT such as John Owen, B. B. Warfield, and Sinclair B. Ferguson (p. 216).

There are many examples, however, of discontinuity between the OT and NT ministry of the Holy Spirit. For example, in Num. 11:24-25, the Holy Spirit, who was apparently permanently indwelling Moses, indwelt his seventy elders. 1 Per. 1:10-11, in reference to OT prophets states that “the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.” The Spirit that was permanently indwelling Moses, the prophet, began to indwell the elders who before this experience did not possess the Spirit. Even though Num. 11:24-25 uses “upon” to describe the ministry the Holy Spirit with Moses and the elders, I’m, using “in” and “upon” interchangably because in Isa. 63:11 the Spirit is said to be “within him” not just “upon” him. So here is a case where these believers who were not indwelt became indwelt. Were the elders permanently indwelt from this point? The Scriptures do not say the elders were permanently indwelt after his experience and to teach otherwise is to argue from silence.

The third view holds to regeneration but no permanent indwelling of OT believers. Charles Ryrie and John Walvoord taught this position. John Walvoord addressed this issue in The Holy Spirit.

The first reference to this doctrine is found in Genesis 41:38, where Pharaoh asks the question concerning Joseph, ‘Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom the spirit of God is?’. . . . Further references to this same operation of the Spirit are not difficult to find . . . . No doubt all the prophets were indwelt by the Holy Spirit, though this was not necessarily essential to their ministry. From these specific instances and inferences which may be fairly drawn from other cases, the fact that the Holy Spirit indwelt some saints in the Old Testament can be conclusively established. . . . Indwelling was a sovereign gift usually associated with a special call to service, and it had in view enablement for a specific task. Indwelling was not a universal privilege. Only a few were indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and these were known for their distinctive gift, were sought out as leaders and prophets, and were usually marked men (John Walvoord, The Holy Spirit, pages 72, 73).

The Holy Spirit did not permanently indwell OT believers for the following reasons (1) There is no definitive statement of permanent indwelling in the OT (2) Some believers were said to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit, but it never says that they were all permanently indwelt as seen in the Walvoord quote (3) There is a change in the Holy Spirit’s ministry in the NT from the OT: (John 7:38, 39; 14:16, 17; 16:7). The permanent indwelling position’s response is that these verses are referring to the future baptizing ministry of the Holy Spirit and not to indwelling. But these three verses are not describing the baptizing ministry of the Holy Spirit. In John 7:39, Jesus said, “He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” The Baptism of the Holy Spirit does not produce this result. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13) identifies us with the Body of Christ.

In John 16:7, Jesus promised the Comforter or Helper will come in the future (Day of Pentecost). Again, this is not the result of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit to help believers but the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The same is true for John 14:16, 17. In this promise, Christ said, He would not leave His disciples comfortless or helpless. The ministry of strengthening believers is the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit not the baptizing ministry of the Holy Spirit.

This is how Paul explains the indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit in Romans 8:11: “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 dwells in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if you live after the flesh, you shall die: but if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live.” It is the indwelling Spirit that enables us not to live after the flesh.

The change in the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the NT is a difference not only in the fact that OT believers were not baptized with the Holy Spirit but they were not permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

Mike Stallard gives three additional arguments of those who do not believe the Old Testament believers were permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit (which is his view).

They argue, first of all, that the argument from the distinction between the coming and going of the Spirit upon individuals in the Old Testament in contrast to the post-Pentecost New Testament indwelling cannot be so easily dismissed as the confusing of apples and oranges.  The continuity of the Gospels with the Old Testament in the area of the ministry of the Spirit was established earlier.  Its significance for this question is that passages such as John 14:17 show that the New Testament makes the exact distinction that those who want to accept Old Testament indwelling refuse to accept.  The Gospels speak of the Spirit coming upon Christ and through Him to the disciples in the same way that He operated in the Old Testament.  The Spirit was “with them” but would be “in them,” an indwelling to begin later at Pentecost. 

In addition, the promise of a New Covenant given in the Old Testament highlights the distinction between the Old Testament experience of the Spirit’s presence and that of New Testament saints.  The Church in some way experiences the blessings of the New Covenant (1 Cor. 11:25).  The content of the New Covenant will be discussed below, but for now, it significance lies in the empowerment for obedience that is promised to those receiving the blessings of that covenant (see Jer. 31:33-34; Ez. 36:26-27).  It must be noted that this was a prediction in those Old Testament passages with respect to the nation of Israel.  If the universal and permanent indwelling of the Spirit were true of Old Testament saints, then the promise of the covenant for future fulfillment would not be much of a promise since all Old Testament saints would already possess what was promised.

Finally, those who do not see Old Testament indwelling would point to biblical examples that show the ability of spirit beings to affect humans to great extents without indwelling them.  Thus, it would not be necessary to argue for the indwelling of the Spirit in order to produce regeneration, sealing, and perseverance.  One such example is Satan’s influence on Job (Job 1-2).  Another example is Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5).  Satan, the unholy spirit, leads them into lying disobedience.  There is no mention in the passage that he entered them in any way.  If this is so for Satan, how much more will the divine Spirit be able to produce the desired effects in individual believers without indwelling. 

I agree with Dr. Stallard’s conclusion: In light of this and the preceding arguments, it seems best to reject the belief that the Holy Spirit indwelt Old Testament believers (Hope, page 16).

Although I have painted with broad strokes the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the OT, we indwelt NT believers should appreciate His empowerng and encouraging ministry in us and through us in service to others for our Risen Savior.