FOR THE
CHILDREN:
D. The Work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
Grave errors have been made concerning the work of the Holy Spirit under the Mosaic economy. (That way of worship that God desired under the Old Testament Law).
A.W. Pink, a noted Bible scholar said:
>The crudest ideas are now entertained as to the relation between the Third Person of the God-head and the Old Testament saints. Yet this is scarcely to be wondered at in view of the fearful confusion which obtains respecting their salvation, many supposing that they were saved entirely different than we are now. Nor need we be surprised at that, for this in turn, is only another of the evil effects produced by the misguided efforts of those who have been eager to draw as many contrasts as possible between the present dispensation and those which preceded it, to the disparaging of the earlier members of God’s family. The Old Testament saints had far more in common with the New Testament saints than is generally supposed.
That teaching which objects to the Old Testament saints being born by the Spirit is contrary to God’s word. All believers in all ages have been convicted, renewed (born again), sanctified and indwelled by Him. Why would Jesus have reminded Nicodemus that he should know this truth, if there were no such thing (John 3)? How else could the image of God be restored to them except by the same Spirit that gave God’s image to Adam? How could they have been saints, children of God, etc. apart from the inner working of the Holy Spirit? Without the application of the redemptive work of Christ to hearts by Holy Spirit, that work would have been in vain.
A.W. Pink says concerning this:
Without the Spirit’s sanctification the redemption would avail no man. The gracious Holy Spirit pledged Himself to sanctify such wretches, and frame and fit them to be partakers of Holiness, and live forever in God’s spotless presence. How then could unholy, unregenerated, unsanctified sinners dwell in that ineffable place into which there shall in nowise enter anything that defileth.
Suffice it to say that aspect of it, which is now before us is the blessed work of the Spirit upon the soul, whereby He internally makes the saints meet for the inheritance in the light (Colossians 1.12): C Without this miracle of grace none can enter Heaven. Nothing but the supernatural operations of the Holy Spirit will avail.
The imperative necessity, then, of the Spirit’s work of sanctification lies not in the sinlessness of man, but in the state of spiritual death whereby he is unable to live, breathe, and act Godward as the corpse in the graveyard is unable to leave the silent tomb and move among the busy haunts of men.