Rethinking The Role Of The Holy Spirit In The Lives Of Old Testament Believers -- By: Gary Fredricks

Journal: Trinity Journal
Volume: TRINJ 09:1 (Spring 1988)
Article: Rethinking The Role Of The Holy Spirit In The Lives Of Old Testament Believers
Author: Gary Fredricks


Rethinking The Role Of The Holy Spirit
In The Lives Of Old Testament Believers

Gary Fredricks

Nairobi International School Of Theology

From my earliest days as a new believer I believed that, as a Christian living after the Day of Pentecost, I was able to experience and enjoy the ministry of the Holy Spirit in ways that were entirely impossible for believers living before Pentecost. This was taught, preached, and reinforced through my own reading of Christian books about the Holy Spirit.

It was not until I began to teach classes both on the OT and the Holy Spirit that I began to question this. After continued study I began to rethink the Spirit’s ministry in the life of the OT believer. Was it possible that all OT believers were actually indwelt by the Holy Spirit? Coming across Leon Wood’s excellent little book The Holy Spirit In The Old Testament1 confirmed my doubts about my previous understanding of the subject and led to continued study.

Upon further study I began to see that there were others who held to a view more in line with my own newer understanding that OT believers had the Holy Spirit, yet I was not satisfied with their presentations. These, in my opinion, had not presented a strong case for the view and, even more importantly, had not dealt adequately with a number of relevant NT passages of Scripture.

It is my hope that this study will contribute to a better understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life, both in OT and NT times.

I. The Traditional Views

There are two traditional views regarding the indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of the OT believer. Each of these views is held by respected evangelical theologians. The first is that OT believers experienced the indwelling ministry of the Spirit and the second is that they did not.

A. View 1: OT Believers Indwelt by the Holy Spirit

The view that all OT believers were indwelt by the Holy Spirit and actively experienced His ministry is largely held by those holding to the more reformed traditions, but not in all cases. These tend to view OT Israel and the NT church more on a continuum rather than two entirely different entities. Following are some characteristic statements by those holding to this view.

The Holy Spirit of God, as a Personal Presence, is and always has been and always will be in the midst of God’s people, in their hearts and in their minds.2

In the Old Testament every believer and not only the inspired prophets had the...

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