Hello everyone. We’re still going through the New Testament and trying to come to a deeper understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity and the self-understanding of Jesus. Tonight, we’re also going to discuss some more about the Holy Spirit. We’ve been in the gospel of John and tonight, we will finish up John 15 with verses 26-27.
26“When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. 27And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.
The Counselor, referred to earlier is the Holy Spirit and this is an apropos name for him. The Counselor is often described in terms of enabling and healing. We see him as the one who comes alongside us and the one who groans with us when we do not know what to pray and one who intercedes for us.
He is also sent from the Son by the Father, which I believe shows a hierarchy of some sorts in the Trinity. Of course, this isn’t based on inferior natures. There seems to be a willing submission where the Son is sent by the Father and the Spirit is sent by the Father and the Son both.
This Counselor is also called the Spirit of Truth and we have seen that truth plays an important part in the gospel of John. The one who is Truth is now sending the Spirit of Truth. Christ has a continual emphasis that those who claim to be his followers ought to walk in the truth and be people of the truth.
This also means that we should seek knowledge. We ought to know that our faith is true. I am not saying there will never be times of doubt. Doubt happens and it should be worked through. However, it becomes a problem if through most of your walk you cannot say “Yes. I know this is true.”
We are also told that the Spirit will testify. We do not know for sure how he will testify, but it could be based on what Jesus said earlier about the Spirit calling to remembrance what Jesus has said. While the Spirit could certainly give new revelation, more often when it means testify, I would take it to mean that he will testify about what the Son has done in the past and what he’s doing for us today in the act of reconciliation.
If that is the case, then this would also fit with the testimony that the apostles are to give since they are to state what they have seen from the beginning. They will remember all that Christ has done throughout his earthly ministry and testify to that. This no doubt had a greater emphasis after the resurrection when according to Luke, their minds were opened and they came to understand the Scriptures more. We are continuing their testimony today in that while we were not eyewitnesses, we trust that their accounts were reliable. Of course, why we think that is another blog series altogether.
What of you? Are you continuing to testify?
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