Greetings!
As people grow older, they naturally spend more and more time thinking about the legacy they will leave behind. They begin to consider how they will be remembered, and what they will hand down to those coming after them. Like never before, they reflect on the heritage they have built over their lifetime.
On the financial front, many plan for the distribution of the wealth they have accumulated, wanting to make sure it goes to their heirs of choice, and not to the government or an unacceptable third party. Not surprisingly, addressing such concerns has become big business. There are innumerable estate planners, investment counselors, and attorneys offering means to accomplish people's differing objectives. Television commercials tout life insurance and exhort seniors not to burden their families with expensive funeral costs. Local bookstores are fully stocked with self-help books and computer programs dealing with estate planning. Special seminars are frequently offered on how to handle wills and trusts. All of this is predicated on people's desire to preserve their wealth and pass it on to the next generation.
Such concerns are valid. The Bible speaks of the importance of wise stewardship (cf. Prov. 27:23-27; Matt. 25:14-30; Luke 16:11), and assumes that people will leave an inheritance to those who come after them (Prov. 13:22; 17:2; 19:14; 20:21; Matt. 21:38; Luke 12:13; 15:11-12). But of far greater importance than the corruptible, earthly inheritance they leave others is the incorruptible heavenly inheritance God has for every child of His. That inheritance is "imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for [them]" (1 Peter 1:4; cf. Eph. 1:11). It is far beyond human understanding, prompting Paul to write,
Ephesians 1:18 (HCSB)
[I pray] that the perception of your mind may be enlightened so you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints,
I pray you will be challenged, convicted, encouraged, and blessed by today's devotional to the glory of God.
THE LEGACY OF JESUS
JOHN 14:15-26
Part 2
LEGACY 1
THE PRESENCE OF HIS SPIRIT
John 14:16-17 (NASB)
"I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
In John 14:15 Jesus had spoken of the disciples' love for Him; here He revealed His love for them. In keeping with His intercessory work as their Great High Priest, Jesus promised to "ask the Father" to send His people "another Helper"—the Holy Spirit. Paraklētos ("Helper") is a term the meaning of which cannot be exhausted by any one word. It literally means "one called alongside to help" and has the connotation of a helper, comforter, counselor, exhorter, intercessor, encourager, and advocate (defense attorney).
Allos ("another") refers specifically to another of the same kind. For example in Matthew 13:24,31, and 33, each succeeding parable is called "another" (allos) in the same category (they are all parables about the nature of the kingdom). In Mark 4:36 allos describes "other" boats of a similar style; in Mark 12:4 "another" slave of the same vineyard owner; in John 12:29 "others" in the same crowd; and in John 18:15-16 (cf. 20:2,3,4, 8) "another" disciple (the apostle John), who was of the same group as Peter.
While in English there is only one word for "another," there is a second Greek word used often in the New Testament. It is, in contrast to allos, the word heteros, which describes another thing of a completely different nature (cf. the English word heterodoxy). In Acts 7:18 Stephen spoke of "another [heteros] king over Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph." That pharaoh was not only from a different dynasty, but also had a radically different attitude toward the children of Israel. In Romans 7 Paul used heteros to distinguish the "law of sin" (Rom. 7:23) from the absolutely opposite "law of God" (Rom. 7:22).
Perhaps the most striking illustration of the difference between allos and heteros is in Galatians 1:6-7. There Paul rebuked those who were following a "different (heteros) gospel" than the one they had received. That false gospel was "not another (allos)" of the same kind as the true gospel, since there is only one true gospel.
Hence, Jesus' promise was that He would send "another (allos) Helper" exactly like Himself, a person who could adequately take His place and empower His work. The Holy Spirit is the perfect substitute for the Lord Jesus Christ—the original "Helper" (cf. 1 John 2:1, where "Advocate" translates paraklētos).
- 1 John 2:1 (NASB)
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My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;
- 1 John 2:1 (NLT2)
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My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous.
Like Jesus, the Holy Spirit would teach (John 14:26), strengthen (Eph. 3:16), and intercede for the disciples (Rom. 8:26). Though His departure was imminent, the Lord promised "that" the Holy Spirit would "be with [them] forever."
Contrary to the false teaching of cults such as the Jehovah's Witnesses and the assumption of many professed Christians, the Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force or power. The Bible clearly teaches that He is a person, and that is true because He is God.
Scripture reveals that the Holy Spirit possesses the attributes of personhood:
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an intellect (He knows the thoughts of God [1 Cor. 2:11]
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a mind [Rom. 8:27]);
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emotion (He can be grieved [Eph. 4:30; cf. Isa. 63:10]); and
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a will (He distributes spiritual gifts in the church according to His will [1 Cor. 12:11]).
He also does things that only a person can do, such as
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teach (Luke 12:12; John 14:26);
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testify (John 15:26; Rom. 8:16),
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lead and direct (Matt. 4:1; Acts 13:4; 16:6-7; Rom. 8:14),
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give guidance (Mark 13:11; Acts 15:28),
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convict (John 16:7-8),
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speak (Acts 8:29; 10:19; 13:2; 20:23; 21:11; 1 Tim. 4:1; Rev. 22:17),
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intercede (Rom. 8:26), and
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reveal (Mark 12:36; Luke 2:26; 1 Cor. 2:10; Acts 1:16; 4:25; 28:25; Heb. 3:7; 10:15-17; 2 Peter 1:21; cf. 2 Sam. 23:2; Ezek. 11:5).
Nor can an impersonal force be
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lied to (Acts 5:3),
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blasphemed (Matt. 12:31), or
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insulted (Heb. 10:29).
Further, the New Testament refers to the Holy Spirit using masculine pronouns, even though the Greek noun pneuma (spirit) is neuter.
The Bible also teaches the deity of the Holy Spirit.
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As the third person of the Trinity, He is associated with God the Father and God the Son.
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He is called the Spirit of God (Ezek. 11:24; Matt. 3:16) and the Spirit of Jesus (Acts 16:7; Gal. 4:6; Phil. 1:19; 1 Peter 1:11).
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He is mentioned with them in the Trinitarian baptism formula in Matthew 28:19 (cf. Isa. 48:16; 2 Cor. 13:14).
The Holy Spirit possesses divine attributes, including,
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eternity (Heb. 9:14),
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omniscience (1 Cor. 2:10-11),
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omnipresence (Ps. 139:7),
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omnipotence (as demonstrated by His power to create; Gen. 1:2; Job 33:4),
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veracity (truthfulness; 1 John 5:6), and the
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power to give life (He is called the "Spirit of life" in Rom. 8:2).
The Holy Spirit does the works that only God can do, including,
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creating the universe (cf. Gen. 1:2 with Ps. 33:6-9),
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inspiring Scripture (cf. 2 Peter 1:21 with 2 Tim. 3:16),
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regenerating lost sinners (John 3:6; Titus 3:5), and
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sanctifying believers (2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2).
Finally, Scripture unequivocally states that the Holy Spirit is God.
- Acts 5:3 says that Ananias lied to the Holy Spirit, while verse 4 says he lied to God.
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Paul's declaration in 2 Corinthians 3:17, "Now the Lord is the Spirit," also unmistakably affirms the deity of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus called the Holy Spirit "the Spirit of truth" (cf. John 15:26; 16:13) to emphasize His work of revealing spiritual truth to believers. In particular, the Holy Spirit was to reveal to the apostles the inspired truth of the New Testament (John 14:26; 16:13), as He had revealed the Old Testament (2 Peter 1:19-21).
"The world," on the other hand, "cannot receive" the Holy Spirit "because it does not see Him or know Him." Just as the world failed to recognize Jesus Christ (John 1:10; Acts 13:27), so also would it fail to recognize the Holy Spirit.
Unregenerate people cannot comprehend spiritual truth.
- 1 Corinthians 2:14 (NASB)
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But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. (cf. 1 Cor. 2:7-13; 1 John 2:20,27)
- 1 Corinthians 2:14 (NLT2)
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But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.
Not surprisingly, on the day of Pentecost some of the bystanders derisively accused the Spirit-filled believers of being drunk (Acts 2:13). Jesus cautioned the disciples in advance that despite the Spirit's work in and through them, they would still face hostility and rejection from the unbelieving world (cf. John 15:19; 16:33).
- John 15:19 (NASB)
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"If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you."
- John 15:19 (AMP)
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If you belonged to the world, the world would treat you with affection and would love you as its own. But because you are not of the world [no longer one with it], but I have chosen (selected) you out of the world, the world hates (detests) you.
Though the world would not recognize the Spirit, the disciples would "know Him because," Jesus told them, "He abides with you and will be in you" (John 14:17) The "Lord's promise" that the Spirit would indwell the disciples in the future does not mean the Holy Spirit was not present or active before Pentecost. Compare:
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Genesis 6:3 (NASB)
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Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years."
- Psalm 51:11 (NASB)
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Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
- Psalm 143:10 (NASB)
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Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
- Ezekiel 36:27 (NASB)
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"I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances."
No one in any era of redemptive history could be saved, sanctified, empowered for service and witness, or guided in understanding Scripture and praying in the will of God apart from the Spirit's internal soul work. That He was already present with the disciples, before the cross, is clear from the present tense of the verb translated "abides." One author explains the Holy Spirit's ministry prior to the church age with these words:
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"Old Testament saints had to be regenerated by the Spirit to experience their spiritual blessings. The Spirit effected this regeneration when the person placed his or her faith in Jehovah God and became a genuine part of the covenant community. Regeneration essentially involved a "circumcised heart," which demonstrated itself in heartfelt participation in the sacrificial system, plus a life of obedience to God's revelation.... Theologically, it would seem that some ministry of the Spirit had to be constantly applied to the old covenant believer. To distinguish it from the intimacy of new covenant indwelling, perhaps this ministry is best designated "abiding." In the words of the prophet Haggai, "As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!" (Hag. 2:5). The Spirit dwelt "with" the Old Testament saints through the community but would not be "in" them individually and intimately (John 14:17) [since] the Old Testament saints could not have enjoyed the benefits of the new covenant before it had been inaugurated."
Under the old covenant, the Spirit was present with believers in a general sense. But soon, as Christ promised His disciples, the Comforter would in an unprecedented way personally and permanently indwell those who believed.
There was to come for believers a giving of the Spirit by which unique power would be provided for ministry and evangelism. That happened on the day of Pentecost, when the Spirit was given to believers in a new fullness that became normative for all believers since.
- Romans 8:9 (NASB)
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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.
- Romans 8:9 (AMP)
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But you are not living the life of the flesh, you are living the life of the Spirit, if the [Holy] Spirit of God [really] dwells within you [directs and controls you]. But if anyone does not possess the [Holy] Spirit of Christ, he is none of His [he does not belong to Christ, is not truly a child of God].
- 1 Corinthians 12:13 (NASB)
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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.
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1 Corinthians 12:13 (TLB)
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Each of us is a part of the one body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But the Holy Spirit has fitted us all together into one body. We have been baptized into Christ’s body by the one Spirit, and have all been given that same Holy Spirit.
Proverbs 22:19 (NASB)
So that your trust may be in the LORD, I have taught you today, even you.
Amen.
