John_C said:
Since OT believers were saved by grace in their belief in Christ Jesus, did they experience a new birth as we have? I assume they did, but there is nowhere (that I know of) in the OT that speaks of them receiving the Holy Spirit as we are taught in the NT.
John,
1. No one
experiences the new birth (aka: regeneration). This is the sovereign and silent, imperceptible work of the Holy Spirit. One who has received the "new birth" experiences the
result of it which the Scripture teaches as conversion; those fruits of regeneration, e.g., conviction of sin, need for reconciliation with God, loveliness of Christ, need of Christ, repentance and believing.
2. Since OT saints were no less sinners, born in the likeness of Adam, having been recipients of Original Sin; a) imputed guilt and b) inherited corruption of nature, they were in no less need of the Spirit's work of regeneration than those who were born after the death and resurrection of Christ.
3. Scripture was given by inspiration and thus not only is the Bible's contents infallible and inerrant, but likewise the
timing of how the word of God came through Moses, the Prophets and Apostles was perfect. We often speak of this as "progressive revelation"; the gradual unfolding of various truths of God in history. The best example would probably be the coming and work of the Messiah, Who was prophesied in vague shadows in the beginning (Gen 3:15) but Whose identity, purpose and work was more and more revealed in the later writings of the Prophets. So it is with the person and work of the Holy Spirit. He was mentioned in Genesis 1:2, and sporadically throughout the OT. But the bulk of information we have about His person and work is to be found primarily in the NT. But just because we are told about the Holy Spirit mainly in the NT doesn't mean He wasn't active in doing what He primarily does in the OT. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
You may enjoy and benefit from reading these two articles by Thomas Goodwin:
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The Work of the Holy Spirit in Our Salvation I-
The Work of the Holy Spirit in Our Salvation IIIn His grace,