1 John 3:16


"By this we perceive the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."

Saturday 11 September 2010

The Old Covenant

In the Old Covenant the Spirit was with God’s people, but He did not live within them (John 14:17). He moved upon certain people, such as kings and prophets, to fulfil His purposes. But it was not until the New Covenant that the Spirit would indwell His people permanently and would indwell all His people (1 John 3:24).

John the Baptist was filled with the Spirit and others in the Old Testament were filled (Ex 31:3), but this was for temporary ministry. They were filled in terms of being enabled, but not in terms of the New Covenant, where God’s people are born of the Spirit and are children of God. The term children of God is used in different ways in scripture. In the New Covenant it means to be born of the Spirit, to have the divine nature (Gal 3:26).

Before the day of Pentecost Jesus said to His disciples concerning the Spirit, “You know Him for He is with you, but He shall be in you” (John 14:17) and John said “… the Spirit… was not yet given, for Christ was not yet glorified” (John 7:39).

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