Pastor’s Pen Pulpit Series: Truth for the Heart

February 13, 2005

THE PROMISE OF THE HELPER

John 14:15-18

Kenneth Gangel reminds us, “Although the Holy Spirit’s activity is best demonstrated in Acts, perhaps no book in the Bible contains more theology (what theologians call “pneumatology”) than John 14-16.”

In this passage the Lord was about to leave His disciples, and they would be filled with sorrow. How would they be able to express their love to Him? The answer was by keeping His commandments. Their love would be shown, not by tears, but by obedience. The commandments of the Lord, to which He referred, are the instructions which He has given us in the Gospels as well as in the rest of the New Testament.

Here we see Jesus coming to the end of His ministry on earth. In a short while He will be going to the cross. He has told His disciples that He is leaving them. Now in this section Jesus begins to teach them that He will be replaced by the Spirit of Truth, who will not be available to the world because the world did not see Him nor know Him.

In verse 16 He asks the Father to give them another Helper who would be with them forever. The word “another” is from a Greek word meaning “another of the same kind” – another just like Jesus. This Helper would be their eternal companion and this Helper would also be God. He identifies this Helper as the Spirit of Truth. We’ve already seen that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Thus the Spirit of Truth would illuminate the person of Christ to His disciples (John 16:14,15; I Corinthians 2:11-16).

The Spirit of Truth was already dwelling with them but a time would come when He would take up residence within them. To fully understands this truth, read John 7:37-39. In the Old Testament The Holy Spirit was with men. He came upon men and He left men. He related to men in the Old Testament for the purpose of accomplishing God’s work. As an example, the Holy Spirit departed from King Saul (I Samuel 16:14; 18:12), and David, when confessing his sin, asked that the Spirit not be taken from him (Psalm 51:11).

The Holy Spirit related to men on a TEMPORARY basis in the O.T. The reason for this seems to be that the Spirit’s ministry is based upon the work of Jesus Christ. Animal sacrifices in the O.T. were TEMPORARY as they spoke of the coming work of Jesus. Thus, the Holy Spirit’s relationship with man was TEMPORARY. When Jesus came and died on the cross, His was a perfect PERMANENT sacrifice never to be repeated (Hebrews 10:10, 12). Now on the basis of the PERMANENT sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit can take up PERMANENT residence within the believer.

Robert Gromacki writes insightfully, “First the Spirit was dwelling “with” the apostles in the Gospel era. In Greek the words “with you” literally means “beside you.” In that sense, the Holy Spirit had a companion ministry to the apostles. He was beside them, but not inside them. Second, Christ predicted that the Spirit would be in them. After the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, the same Spirit who was beside them would be inside them. Christ also changed verbal tenses to show the difference in the two relationships of the Spirit to the apostles. The verb meni (“dwells”) is in the present tense, whereas the verb estai (“will be”) is in the future tense.”

Not only that, but this indwelling will be endless - the new Counselor will be with you forever. No orphans in the family of God, no abandoned people with no place to turn. The Holy Spirit will be a constant presence of Jesus with all believers. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ today, because of His once-for-all sacrifice on the cross - the Holy Spirit, who is the seal of your salvation is a permanent resident within you (Ephesians 4:30). He can never be taken from you if you truly know Jesus, and what a comfort that is!

God bless,