Indwelling of the Spirit

From: Collected Writings By: Frederick George Patterson

• 4 min. read • grade level: 7

Q. “J. K. M.” If it be true that the Holy Spirit was not given to dwell in the bodies of believers, to unite them to Christ in Old Testament days; and that the personal presence of the Spirit in man after Pentecost, was a new thing previously unexampled in the word and ways of God; what is the meaning of Isaiah 43:10-11¹⁰Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. ¹¹I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour. (Isaiah 43:10‑11), “His Holy Spirit within him”; also 1 Peter 1:11¹¹Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. (1 Peter 1:11), “The Spirit of Christ which was in them?”

A. Everything good that ever was wrought from the creation of the world, was done by the power of the Holy Spirit. He moved upon the face of the waters in the Creation. By Him, souls were new-born. He inspired the prophets to write, or to speak God’s mind. Bezaleel was filled with the Spirit of God, to prepare the Tabernacle, Ark, Vessels, etc. (Ex. 31:3³And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, (Exodus 31:3)).

David was instructed by the Spirit of God in preparing the pattern of the Temple for Solomon (1 Chron. 28:12-19¹²And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the Lord, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things: ¹³Also for the courses of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of the Lord, and for all the vessels of service in the house of the Lord. ¹⁴He gave of gold by weight for things of gold, for all instruments of all manner of service; silver also for all instruments of silver by weight, for all instruments of every kind of service: ¹⁵Even the weight for the candlesticks of gold, and for their lamps of gold, by weight for every candlestick, and for the lamps thereof: and for the candlesticks of silver by weight, both for the candlestick, and also for the lamps thereof, according to the use of every candlestick. ¹⁶And by weight he gave gold for the tables of showbread, for every table; and likewise silver for the tables of silver: ¹⁷Also pure gold for the fleshhooks, and the bowls, and the cups: and for the golden basons he gave gold by weight for every bason; and likewise silver by weight for every bason of silver: ¹⁸And for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubims, that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of the Lord. ¹⁹All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern. (1 Chronicles 28:12‑19)). The saints were guided and instructed by Him. David prayed that the Holy Spirit might not thus be taken from him (Psa. 51:11¹¹Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. (Psalm 51:11)). Noah preached righteousness by the Spirit of Christ. John Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from his mothers womb. To multiply instances is unnecessary. Still all this is far from dwelling in them.

The statement in John 7:39³⁹(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (John 7:39), cuts in a clean line between the saints before the Lord’s glorification, and since that time. Had the Holy Spirit been given then, God would have been sealing souls in a state short of the consciousness of redemption; and thus accrediting such a state. Consciences were unpurged then (Heb. 10:2²For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. (Hebrews 10:2)), (although God was known in grace); and the Holy Spirit could not have sealed and accredited such a state. When the work of redemption was accomplished, and the soul thus introduced into the liberty of grace, the Spirit of God could then take up His abode and dwell in the body of the believer, as a seal of the perfection of Christ’s work. We see this clearly brought out in type, in the ease of the consecration of the Priests. The High Priest was anointed with oil (the Holy Spirit in type), without sacrifice; this was typical of the perfection of Christ’s person; the Holy Spirit descended in bodily shape like a dove upon Him. The Priests, Aaron’s sons, were anointed after sacrifices; this was a figure of the perfection of Christ’s work in which they stood. Habits of thought have confounded the state of the Saints before the day of Pentecost, with those since that time. Alas! too, souls are not free — they are not enjoying the liberty of grace which the Holy Spirit ministers to them now; and consequently they accept a state short of Christian liberty before God. They limit their experience to that of a godly Jew, under law, before redemption. They have almost come to the state of the men of Ephesus in Acts 19: “We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost”: that is, whether He was come yet or not. Nothing can be clearer than the line drawn by the Spirit of God in John 7:39³⁹(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (John 7:39), between believers before the glorification of Christ, and since that time. Before that time all that was ever done in or by a saint, prophet, or otherwise, was by the power of the Spirit acting in the vessel for the time. Now He dwells in the body of the believer, as in a temple (1 Cor. 6:19¹⁹What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19)), seals him, having believed (Eph. 1:14¹⁴Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:14)), until the day of redemption (Eph. 4:30³⁰And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30)). He may grieve the Spirit of God, but he never can lose Him. Besides all this, it was an action of the Holy Spirit, in whatever way it took place, in the Old Testament times. This is a different thing from His descending personally from heaven on the day of Pentecost, and dwelling amongst men. His person and presence upon earth is as distinct as that of the Lord Jesus when here. In the believer individually, and in the church corporately. The Lord’s promise of the Comforter — the Holy Spirit, was that He would not only be with them, (not for a limited time, as Christ had been); but in them as well; and that, “forever.” To this end it was expedient that He should go away. If He went not away, the Comforter would not come (John 16:7⁷Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. (John 16:7)). The passages you quote have reference to the action of the Holy Spirit in the vessel, whether of a prophet, or otherwise, at the time.

Words of Truth 3:39, 40.

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