8.82 The promise of the Holy Spirit is for the New Covenant believer
The New Covenant is about what Christ has done for us on the cross and what He continues to do in us through His Spirit. It is about Christ living in us and through us. John 15:5 says that we are to abide in Christ, and He is us. When we allow Him to live through us, we will bear fruit and fulfill His purpose.
How does Christ live is us when He is in heaven, interceding for the Church. He does so through His Spirit, called the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is referred to as the “Spirit of Christ” (Rom 8:9; 1 Pet 1:11). While the Holy Spirit is a separate Person in the trinity, He is one in purpose with Jesus. He was sent to glorify Jesus (John 16:14). He manifests the reality of Christ in us.
The promise of the Holy Spirit is only for New Covenant believers. When Peter preached to the 3,000 on the day of Pentecost, he said to them:
(Acts 2:38-39)
Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For THE PROMISE to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
Days earlier, Jesus had also spoken to His disciples about the promise of the Holy Spirit when He gave instructions on the baptism in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5). The Holy Spirit has been poured out on the Day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2, and He has dwelled in the Church ever since.
This is the significant difference between the New and the Old covenants. Under the Old Covenant, the people did not have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Only a selected few had the anointing upon. But under the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit indwells every single believer – including you and me. That is why we are called the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19).
Therefore, the Holy Spirit is expected to play the central role in our lives in this dispensation of grace. The Book of Acts; also called the Acts of the Holy Spirit - demonstrated this reality. The Apostles and early disciples lived by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
When the Spirit indwells the believer, He becomes the source of life and empowerment in our Christian walk. We no longer walk by the performance by the flesh. The believer experiences transformations that start from within. He experiences empowerment. He experiences the reality of Christ living in Him.
How does Christ live is us when He is in heaven, interceding for the Church. He does so through His Spirit, called the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is referred to as the “Spirit of Christ” (Rom 8:9; 1 Pet 1:11). While the Holy Spirit is a separate Person in the trinity, He is one in purpose with Jesus. He was sent to glorify Jesus (John 16:14). He manifests the reality of Christ in us.
The promise of the Holy Spirit is only for New Covenant believers. When Peter preached to the 3,000 on the day of Pentecost, he said to them:
(Acts 2:38-39)
Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For THE PROMISE to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
Days earlier, Jesus had also spoken to His disciples about the promise of the Holy Spirit when He gave instructions on the baptism in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5). The Holy Spirit has been poured out on the Day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2, and He has dwelled in the Church ever since.
This is the significant difference between the New and the Old covenants. Under the Old Covenant, the people did not have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Only a selected few had the anointing upon. But under the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit indwells every single believer – including you and me. That is why we are called the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19).
Therefore, the Holy Spirit is expected to play the central role in our lives in this dispensation of grace. The Book of Acts; also called the Acts of the Holy Spirit - demonstrated this reality. The Apostles and early disciples lived by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
When the Spirit indwells the believer, He becomes the source of life and empowerment in our Christian walk. We no longer walk by the performance by the flesh. The believer experiences transformations that start from within. He experiences empowerment. He experiences the reality of Christ living in Him.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 11:14 PM
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