Correct!
Now
He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who
gave to us
the Spirit as a pledge. 2 Corinthians 5:5
(NAS)
Summary of
God's Covenants with Abraham and Moses, and
New Covenant |
God's Covenant With: |
Ratified by Blood? |
Sign
or Pledge of the Covenant |
1. Abraham |
Yes, animals were cut
in two and they passed between the cut
animals, a turtledove and pigeon (Genesis
15:8-10). |
Circumcision (Genesis
17:11) |
2. Moses and the
children of Israel: The Law of Moses |
Yes, after law was
given to Moses, he sprinkled the blood of
animals (young bulls) on the people (Exodus
24:8) |
Observing the Sabbath
(Exodus 31:12-17) |
3. All Men - Jews and
Gentiles: The New Covenant |
Yes, with the blood of
Christ who was crucified on the cross
(Hebrews 9:24-26). Believers are baptized or
immersed in water...spiritually being immersed into
Christ and into His death. |
Indwelling of the Holy Spirit
(2 Corinthians 5:5, Romans 8:9-11) |
How to Receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit...the
Pledge
"And
Peter said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be
baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the
forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the
gift of the Holy Spirit. "For the promise is for you
and your children, and for all who are far off, as
many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself."
Acts 2:38-39 (NAS)
"For by one Spirit we were all
baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks,
whether slaves or free, and we were all made to
drink of one Spirit." 1 Corinthians 12:13 (NAS)
"And we are witnesses of these
things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has
given to those who obey Him." Acts 5:32 (NAS)
"He saved us, not on the basis
of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but
according to His mercy, by the washing of
regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom
He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ
our Savior, that being justified by His grace we
might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal
life." Titus 3:5-7 (NAS)
The Gift of the Holy Spirit - The Pledge that We
Are Sons and Heirs
"For
all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these
are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit
of slavery leading to fear again, but you have
received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we
cry out, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit Himself bears
witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow
heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in
order that we may also be glorified with Him. Romans
8:14-17 (NAS)
"And the one who keeps His
commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And we
know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit
whom He has given us." 1 John 3:24 (NAS)
Freedom from the Law of Moses?
Once we have been baptized "into Christ"
(Romans 6:1ff) and receive this gift of sonship (as
adopted children of God), are we free from the
law of sin and death?
"There
is therefore now no condemnation for those who are
in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life
in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin
and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as
it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own
Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an
offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in
order that the requirement of the Law might be
fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the
flesh, but according to the Spirit." Romans 8:1-4
What does it mean to be "led by the Spirit"
or "walk by the Spirit?"
"For
those who are according to the flesh set their minds
on the things of the flesh, but those who are
according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind
set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the
mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it
does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is
not even able to do so and those who are in the
flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the
flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God
dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the
Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. And if
Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of
sin, yet the spirit is alive because of
righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised
Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised
Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to
your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells
you. So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not
to the flesh, to live according to the flesh--for if
you are living according to the flesh, you must die;
but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the
deeds of the body, you will live." Romans 8:5-13
(NAS)
"But I say, walk by the Spirit,
and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit,
and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in
opposition to one another, so that you may not do
the things that you please. But if you are led by
the Spirit, you are not under the Law*. Now the
deeds of the flesh are evident, which are:
immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery,
enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger,
disputes, dissensions, factions, envying,
drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of
which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you
that those who practice such things shall not
inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;
against such things there is no law. Now those who
belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with
its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit,
let us also walk by the Spirit. Galatians
5:16-25 (NAS)
* Paul is referring to the Law of Moses - See
Galatians 3:17
"And not only this, but we also
exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation
brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven
character; and proven character, hope; and hope does
not disappoint, because the love of God has been
poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit
who was given to us." Romans 5:3-5 (NAS)
How are some ways that the Spirit helps those
that are "in Christ" today?
"And
take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God." Ephesians 6:17
(NAS)
"For the word of God is living
and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and
piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit,
of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the
thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12
(NAS)
"But if we hope for what we do
not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.
And in the same way the Spirit also helps our
weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we
should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us
with groanings too deep for words; and He who
searches the hearts knows what the mind of the
Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints
according to the will of God." Romans 8:25-27 (NAS)
How did the Spirit help the twelve disciples
(apostles)?
Jesus speaking to His apostles during the last
supper in John 16:13 says:
"But
when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide
you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His
own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will
speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come."
John 16:13 (NAS)
Jesus, speaking to His apostles during the last
supper in John 14:16-17, 25-26 says:
"And
I will ask the Father, and He will give you another
Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the
Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive,
because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you
know Him because He abides with you, and will be in
you." "These things I have spoken to you, while
abiding with you. "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach
you all things, and bring to your remembrance all
that I said to you." John 14:16-17, 25-26 (NAS)
Note: the truth that the Holy Spirit revealed to
the disciples and the words that Jesus spoke to
these disciples are recorded in the New Testament
books.
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