Wow great topic for another study!!!

 

Galatians 3:2(NKJV)

This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 

Isn't that a great question?

I have been studying the word Spirit in Scripture.  The word is used 523 times throughout the Bible.  Scripture tells us that God is Spirit.

One of the things that I have found interesting is the misconception that I had.  The Holy Spirit being given to all who accept Christ is a New Testament phenomena.  That made me wonder where the Holy Spirit was in the Old Testament.

Well as I read through I find plenty of references of God giving His Spirit to different individuals who were acting on God's behalf.  I have become convinced that those are references to the very same Holy Spirit that we hear about in the New Testament.

What seems to have changed is that in the OT God didn't give His Spirit to everyone and the individual had no say in the matter.  Today We, not God, get to make the decision of whether we receive the Holy Spirit.  All we have to do is accept Jesus! 

God doesn't look down and decide "nope, even though you accepted Jesus, you can't have the Spirit".  God has made a promise that all who invite Jesus in to their lives can have the Holy Spirit.  Do you have the Holy Spirit yet?  If not why not ask Jesus to lead you right now?  Have a conversation with Jesus.  "Dear Jesus…."

Now back on track to my starting point.  This question would make a great topic for a Bible study.  Paul asks "did you receive the Spirit by faith or by the law?".  Obviously in the NT it was through faith.  I am going to go back and look at all the examples in the OT to see if they are that way as well.  My guess is that they will be but I won't know for sure until I do the research.

And why do I think it will be that way?  Because of one of my foundational beliefs which is that  most principals in the Bible are confirmed in both the NT and OT.  I'll let you know what I find out!