The Old and the New

I've had some on and off discussions going with some other believers, one that I email, and one I speak to personally. The guy I email with and I have a slight difference of opinion on the relationship or ministry (take your pick) of the Holy Spirit to believers in the Old and New Testaments.

It seems to me that in John 14:16 and 17, Jesus explained the difference when He said, "16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you." The prepositional change in the statement from "with" to "in," and the tense in the statement, looking from the present to the future, suggest that time to be a sort of dividing line between the Old and New Testament ministry of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was dwelling with the true disciples of Christ, but Pentecost hadn't yet happened, and the church hadn't started when Jesus was speaking those words. In New Testament times after Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came to believers and "indwelt" them, to live "in" them, as Jesus said in verse 16, that He may abide in us forever.

In Ephesians 4:30, Paul writes, " And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." God does not change. God the Holy Spirit, does not change. "Sealed" in that sentence is translated from the Greek word, "sphragizo." It could be taken a couple of ways, but I'm betting that most scholars would agree that it is used in the sense of being stamped with a signet ring or mark. It doesn't say that the Holy Spirit is the One doing the sealing, but that He is the seal. God the Father is the One that seals us with the Holy Spirit.

Just what that mark represents, it the way of the believer's security is something that we will not be able to say with complete certainty until the we are in heaven. For some it means that the believer is secured by God and that no one, not even the believer him or herself may take themselves from God. For others it is an attestation to others that the believer belongs to God, evidenced by a change in the heart of the believer now that he or she is indwelt by the holiness of God.

Surely though, Saul was had the Holy Spirit, as evidenced in 1 Samuel 10:5-13, but his behavior grieved the Holy Spirit, and we know from 1 Samuel 16:14 and 1 Samuel 18:10 that the Holy Spirit departed from Saul. One can sort of see why David might have a concern about the Holy Spirit leaving him, as He did Saul, but I think David's concern came from his knowledge of his own sin and imperfection, and his humble heart, so God did not take either David's kingdom from him, and His Spirit did not depart from him.

We are assured by God in Hebrews 13:5 "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." I think it is both telling and interesting that Hebrews 13:5 is recalling both Deuteronomy 31:6 and Joshua 1:5, from the Old Testament. God does not change. His Holy Spirit does not change.

This is where those who believe in the Doctrine of Eternal Security and I come to an 'almost' agreement. I believe that we have the capacity to quench the Holy Spirit, and that we can certainly grieve the Holy Spirit. I know that He will never leave or forsake us. I just cannot see how anyone who has ever known the grace, wisdom, the love, the mercy, the forgiveness, the steadfastness, the truth, the kindness, the patience, the justness and the goodness of God in their lives could ever, ever leave or forsake Him.