The Narrow Path Ministries

I am reading thorough Luke and thinking about John the Baptist being filled with the Spirit while in the womb and also Elizabeth's filling with the Spirit while pregnant. I looked into it further and realized that Belazel (the Temple craftsman) in the Old Testament was also filled with the Spirit.

I have always understood (after the Fall, anyway) that the ability to be "filled" with the spirit (in contrast with having the Spirit come upon those in the OT) and to thus be a "part" of the Temple (as the Body of Christ) in the NT bearing the Spirit in this world was only a result of our justification following the resurrection and yet these (at least) are prior.

Any thoughts?

I would see it like the Holy Spirit can dwell and interact with the unregenerate, but regeneration produces a peculiar union and grace.

Christ said the Spirit was with the disciples, but would be in them; Peter said the Spirit of Christ was in the prophets of old. Prepositions of course can be imprecise things, and often swapped out for nuance or variety. King David did call his heart God's temple even in the OT, when just the "tent" was still standing, although it didn't seem as common an understanding. The torn veil of course symbolized deeper union.

I often feel like King David bore more fruit of the Spirit and experienced God more deeply than i ever have as a NT saint.

So then I would see union and regeneration as different than filling and dwelling—complex topic and perhaps not for us to fully know. A puzzling question is how any unregenerate person could bear the fruit of the Spirit necessary for obedience. It seems the Spirit would interact in a similar with as NT pre-conversion, where the Spirit can still convict and persuade in a kind of enabling called prevenient (preceding) grace.

There is no doubt at all, however, that the Holy Spirit was very active in OT saints, whatever the deeper grace we have today.

This is more than a little bit of "grit" in the "gears" of coherence that I have in my overall theology.

If the spirit can come and dwell in us and we can truly be filled with the spirit prior to the atonement and so forth, then what was the point? Was it just "satisfaction?"

I think this may need to be a call-in question for Steve.

Is Saul also among the prophets?

I would still see a lot of "point," but I'm sure Steve would enjoy that.

dizerner wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 05, 2023 2:19 am

Is Saul also among the prophets?

I would still see a lot of "point," but I'm sure Steve would enjoy that.

I'm not sure I understand your point about Saul. The Spirit came upon Saul to empower him as it did many, but it did not fill him, did it?