Were old covenant believers indwelt by the Holy Spirit? What does the Old Testament say about where God took up residence? What does the New Testament say about the issue? If believing members of the old covenant remnant were not indwelt by the Spirit, how did they believe and remain faithful? What about those whom the Old Testament describes as having the Spirit in or on them?
And then there’s the question of the Old Testament’s promise of a new experience of the Holy Spirit – how does that fit in the big storyline of the Bible?
Can we take a close look at what the gospel of John says about these issues?
What about the Spirit in Acts?
Can I get some help from Romans 8 on how to overcome the flesh by setting my mind on the Spirit?
If you’ve asked these questions, you might be interested in my book God’s Indwelling Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Old and New Testaments. I don’t address every one of these questions in that book, but those questions are the ones that drive the five sermons on the Spirit that I preached at the Winter Bible Conference at Grace Church of Tallahassee January 25–27, 2013. On that page, by the way, there are also links to the talks Michael Haykin gave on Scripture and the ones Bruce Ware gave on Beholding the Glory.
Here are the titles of the sessions I did:
Session 1 – The Holy Spirit and Old Covenant Believers
Session 2 – The Promise of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
Session 3 – The Holy Spirit in John
Session 4 – The Holy Spirit in Acts
Session 5 – The Holy Spirit in Romans
Questions & Answers Session
Audio and video for each session available on the Grace Church of Tallahassee site.
RT @DrJimHamilton: God’s Indwelling Presence: Five Sermons on the Spirit: Were old covenant believers indwelt by the Holy Spirit? W… h …
RT @DrJimHamilton: God’s Indwelling Presence: Five Sermons on the Spirit: Were old covenant believers indwelt by the Holy Spirit? W… h …
@DrJimHamilton Excellent!!!! that’s exactly what i have been waiting for!!!!
RT @DrJimHamilton: God’s Indwelling Presence: Five Sermons on the Spirit: Were old covenant believers indwelt by the Holy Spirit? W… h …
Great stuff. Making my way through it now. Really well done.
Dear Pastor Jim,
I attended seminary tonite; I am overwhelmed with your manner of delivery and your training in the Bible; I am reserving what I request
from you for later, but I am moved, esp. since I have to stand up before
people and make what I teach something they want to hear; that is what you do, Jim….Recall, I have listened to you in the past but never with my physical eyes. So, now I know why you coach your 9 year old son in BB and you have a winning team–look at your hands and your reach…..This is my up to date observation on your theology—-your convictions and stories out of Scripture make valid sense–from the Eden example and the other examples of the tabernacle up thru Jesus in the NT….Your regeneration concepts also make sense..You are saying I believe, that the lingering of God, or the indwelling of God occurs at the tabernacle and the temple. I hope I got that right.
I have two hours to meditate on pray for you before I head to bed tonite. Congratulations on your son’s victory in BB; i love the sport but
it is all the better when your fam is in it with you….
I love you Pastor Jim–your heart shows compassion, deep compassion.
Thank you,
David
Dr. Hamilton:
Excellent sermons. My lingering questions based upon your conclusions are if Old Testament believers are in the New Covenant and/or how they will experience Jesus’ sacrificial ransom?
I think the blood of Jesus achieves atonement for them, but I don’t think they participate in the New Covenant until they are raised from the dead.
Did Christ blow on HIs disciples and they received His Spirit? I am not sure about the disciples being regenerated while Jesus was with them and the changes that the Holy Spirit marked out in them.
What about today…When someone repents for the first time, is that person reborn and a recipient at that moment of the Spirit of Christ, that then indwells him.
How can one walk in newness of life? Are there recommendations you have for this today, esp. old persons who need this constantly.
Thank you,
David