Wednesday: The Spirit of Truth
Read John 14:6 and John 17:17. What is the meaning of truth in these passages?
In the Gospel of John, the word truth is a key term. Our contemporary understanding of truth often is very abstract and theoretical. In the Western world it has been shaped by Greek philosophy. However, in the Bible, and particularly in John’s Gospel, truth carries a rather personal and specific meaning:
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Jesus is the truth (John 14:6). While God’s Written Word is truthful (compare with John 17:17, Ps. 119:142), God’s truth is revealed in a supreme way in the person of Jesus Christ. A true knowledge of God is given to us in Jesus, of whom the Scriptures speak, because God has revealed Himself through Him.
Read John 15:26 and John 16:13. What function does the Holy Spirit have as the Spirit of truth?
In John 16:13 we are told that the Spirit of truth will guide us into all truth. He does this by pointing to Jesus Christ and by helping us to remember what Jesus has said (John 15:26) and done for us. The truth into which the Holy Spirit leads us is very personal: He lifts up Jesus and leads us into a living and faithful relationship with Him. When Jesus talked with the woman of Samaria, He said that God must be worshiped in spirit and truth (John 4:24). When we ask for the leading of the Holy Spirit, He will lead us to Jesus, who is the way and the truth and the life (John 14:6).
Truth in the Bible is no abstract thing or theory, such as often appears in philosophy. Truth encompasses a deeply personal and faithful relationship to our Creator and Redeemer, who is called “the God of all truth” (compare with Deut. 32:4, Ps. 31:5). Thus the Holy Spirit is aptly called the “Spirit of truth” (John 14:17, NASB; John 16:13, NASB), who is sent to us from God the Father (John 15:26), indicating not only His personal character but also His divinity.
| We do tend to think of truth in terms of propositions, such as the logical concept known as modus ponens. “If A, then B. A, therefore B.” And no question, a lot of what we understand as truth we understand as propositions. How, though, do you understand the idea of truth as a Person? Bring your answer to class on Sabbath. |
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Indeed,the Bible speaks of Jesus as the truth,the Holy spirit also testifies of the same. In the contemporary society, truth has been interpreted in varied context depending on the place,setting and situation. They say that 'TRUTH IS RELATIVE'.Help me understand this.
Simeon, this is not complicated. The Greek for truth is Aletheia al-ay-thia.Simply means true, verity. No need to elaborate more. The truth that Jesus was referring to, was information that the Disciples did not fully understand, that Jesus would soon depart from their presence and the Holy Spirit would take His place. John 15:4-15
Truth has form, it is simple and has power. Truth heals and truth has a lot of energy. Divine truth does not fade and it is the truth from Christ only that will set true adventists free. And if you are seeking for the real truth always seek the counsel from the Holy Spirit! Amen
That's a good exercise, to meditate in truth as a person, The Person, Jesus. If we are full of truth then we will reflect This Person... Proposition...
Reflect Jesus how? EGW says that "We can never equal the pattern." She also says that this side of Jesus' Second Coming and not until we lay down our armor at His Feet and God gives us a glorified body will it be safe to say that "We are saved and sinless?" So if not until we get a glorified body from God and not until after His Son's Second Coming, to what extent does God expect us to "Reflect Him now?"
Humans aren't perfect, but that doesn't mean we can't show Christ-like behavior to those around us. It is, after all, our mission to learn about Christ so we can be more like Him and show His character to others, right?
Yes i got your point Stephanie you are right
Addressing the last question; in the context of Jer. 17:9, 10. These verses reveal that there is no way we as fallen being can be secure, all by ourself, to grasp real truth. There are many religions in this world claiming the truth. Some know what is right, they just don't want it to be right because it rubs them the wrong way or asks of them more them they are willing to give up. Now in this context, there is no doubt how much we need the help of the comforter to guide us into (all) truth. Thank God we have the word of God to sanctify us in this process. How precious this gift; "please God keep us from squandering it away."
What does it really mean to worship God in spirit?.
True and acceptable worship encompasses the Trinity. Jesus said true worshipers of (God the Father) must worship Him in Spirit (God the Holy Spirit), and in Truth (Jesus (God the Son) is the Truth, the Way and the Life).
When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior He covers us with the Robe of His Righteousness. At this point, people do not see a flawless, sinless, Jesus in us, But they do see that we do not behave as rotten as we used to. Then comes the minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day, year by year, sanctifying process which then becomes our life work. And even here people still do not see in us a flawless, sinless, absolutely perfect Jesus in us. But again, Jesus' Robe of Righteousness covers us and people do see that we now live to bless others in a way that we did not do before. This is why Jesus said that the world cannot receive The Holy Spirit because it does not see Him nor does it know Him. But then Jesus said that His followers would know the Holy Spirit because of two reasons: 1. Because of accepting Jesus as Savior, the Holy Spirit would dwell with them. and 2. Because of the same reason and because of the sanctification process, the Holy Spirit would then be in them. Praise His Holy Name!
Jesus is the expression of truth. His very being, His actions and words are the truth of history, the gospels and most important the truth of Gods way and character. The Holy Spirit constantly leads us to Christ because in Him is the fullness of living truth. In Him truth is alive and has personhood.
The Comforter is None other than Jesus himself who comes in the form of His Spirit, since He had become 100% human and could no longer be omnipresent.
The Holy Spirit is the comforter, as the personal presence of Christ to the soul. RH November 29, 1892
Akhir, when I am subbing and acting "as" the teacher I am not literally the teacher. I am acting as the teacher. Why would Jesus need to go away to send Himself back in spirit form? After alll, the Spirit descended in dove form while Jesus was still here in human form. Was the dove just His "attitude.?" Did Jesus' own spirit make Mary conceive?
whom did Jesus refer to when He says I will come to you? John 14:18
start with verses 16
[16] And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
[17] Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
here is the verse
[18] I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Greetings again Akhir, wouldn't "another comforter" mean Someone besides Himself?
Doesn't the passage below say the Christ dwells in us by faith, through the Holy Spirit?
that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
Ephesians 3:16-17 NKJV
Jesus said clearly that He was talking about the Holy Spirit, "another" Comforter - one very much like Himself, but an individual person. The relationship between Christ and the Spirit is so close that the presence of the Spirit is also the presence of Christ because they are both Persons of the same one God.
Cumbered with humanity, Christ could not be in every place personally; therefore it was altogether for their advantage that He should leave them, go to His father, and send the Holy Spirit to be His successor on earth. The Holy Spirit is Himself divested of the personality of humanity and independent thereof. He would represent Himself as present in all places by His Holy Spirit, as the Omnipresent. “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall (although unseen by you), [This phrase was added by Ellen White.] teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance. EGW, 14MR 23
Clearly, Holy Spirit is none other than The Spirit of Christ, it is Jesus himself divested of his humanity, since his humanity had become human and no longer omnipresent.
This is consistent with John 14:18 KJV
[18] I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
also consistent with John 20:21-22 KJV [21] Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. [22] And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: …
There is only ONE spirit Ephesians 4:4
and it is made clear that the Spirit of Jesus is also the Spirit of the Father. Read Romans 8:9
Romans 8:9 KJV
[9] But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
It is clear from the Bible that the Spirit of Jesus is none other than Spirit of the Father, hence their Spirit. No where in the Bible there is God the Holy Spirit ...
In heaven there is a throne for the Father, for the Son, but not for Holy Spirit; since Holy Spirit is none other than the Spirit of the Father, and Spirit of Jesus (their Spirit)
I believe that the Bible teaches there is only one Spirit (Ephesians 4:4); the Bible calls it Spirit of God, it is also the Spirit of Jesus (Romans 8:9) it is their Spirit; so the one who conceived Jesus is none other than the Spirit of the Father.
To say that the Holy Spirit is "their spirit" is confusing, because it implies either that
a) the Father and Son "own" the Spirit in a manner that makes Him beneath God
b) that the Spirit is not a Person
But Jesus made very clear that He would send "another" (like Himself, but a different Person) Comforter to minister to His disciples in His place. One like Jesus would have to be a Person, since Jesus is a Person. Since the Spirit is as much God as the Father and the Son are God, His presence is the very same as the presence of the Father or the Son.
Notice that in John 16:7-8, Jesus says He will send Him (referring to the Comforter) and that He will reprove ... etc. These are the words of someone referring to another Person.
DA 669 EGW made this statement about Holy Spirit:
The Holy Spirit is Christ's representative, but divested of the personality of humanity, and independent thereof. Cumbered with humanity, Christ could not be in every place personally. Therefore it was for their interest that He should go to the Father, and send the Spirit to be His successor on earth. No one could then have any advantage because of his location or his personal contact with Christ. By the Spirit the Saviour would be accessible to all. In this sense He would be nearer to them than if He had not ascended on high.
It makes sense why Jesus says in John 14:18, that "I will come to you"
When I get to heaven, I like to ask Jesus, why He had said "another" Comforter, when he was referring to himself in the form of his Spirit. I think I already know the answer but I want Jesus to tell me directly.
I thank God for Jesus, My Jesus, My Comforter, My Intercessor, My saviour and Redeemer...
In Heaven, Christ's humanity represents me, a sinner, to the Father....
On earth, Christ's Spirit (The Spirit of Jesus, not a separate third different being other than Christ) represents the Father to me, a sinner....
Oh Thank You Jesus, you are the ONLY way to the Father.
There are three living persons of the heavenly trio; in the name of these three great powers—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—those who receive Christ by living faith are baptized, and these powers will co-operate with the obedient subjects of heaven in their efforts to live the new life in Christ.—Evangelism, 615.
We need to realize that the Holy Spirit, who is as much a person as God is a person, is walking through these grounds.—Manuscript 66, 1899 (From a talk to the students at the Avondale School.).—Evangelism, 616.
Yes there are 3 dignitaries in Heaven, EGW calls it Heavenly Trio which consist of
1. God the Father
2. Son of God
3. Their Spirit (Holy Spirit)
The Spirit of God is the Spirit of Jesus, read Romans 8:9
Romans 8:9 KJV
[9] But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
There are only 2 thrones, not 3
The counsel in Heaven is only for Father and Son
Zechariah 6:13 KJV
[13] Even he shall build the temple of the Lord ; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
Akhir, may I ask how you explain the following quote I referenced in my earlier comment:
We need to realize that the Holy Spirit, who is as much a person as God is a person, is walking through these grounds.—Manuscript 66, 1899 (From a talk to the students at the Avondale School.).—Evangelism, 616.
This quote makes it clear that the Holy Spirit "is as much a person as God is a person". To me, this quote excludes any possibility of the Holy Spirit simply being "Their Spirit" as you term it.
In John 10:30, Christ said (KJV), "I and my Father are one." Now I do not believe that this means that Christ is the Father. Rather, I believe it is simply saying they are of one accord, one unity of purpose, one mindset, etc. Even though they are two persons.
Hence it is eminently reasonable, in my mind, to find the term "Spirit of God [the Father]" used interchangeably with "Spirit of Christ" in Romans 8:9.
I fail to see how the fact that the Holy Spirit is termed both "Spirit of God" and "Spirit of Christ" in this passage in any way precludes the Holy Spirit existing as a separate person, in harmony with the EGW quote, and in harmony with 1 John 5:7, which reads (KJV):
"For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."
As I see it, the Holy Spirit is not the Father. Nor is the Holy Spirit the Word [Christ, the Son]. Nor is the Holy Spirit simply "Their Spirit". Rather, the Holy Spirit is "as much a person as God is a person", and can fairly be termed the "Spirit of God" and "Spirit of Christ" since all "three are one" - all are of one accord, one unity of purpose, one mindset, etc.
Finally, I am unsure as to how you know there are 2 thrones. Have you a quote (Bible or EGW) that makes it clear there is more than one, the throne of God?
Akhir. It seems there are some differences in understanding. To begin with this question. Who was Jesus talking to in John 16:4? Jesus was talking to His Disciples. What information was Jesus conveying? That He was about to leave them and needed a replacement.John16:7 For what reason? John16:8-11. What was the Holy Spirits main function ? John16:13. Hopefully these verses will bring a bit of different understanding.
Allow me quote the words of the lesson writer "Truth encompasses a deeply personal and faithful relationship to our CREATOR and Redeemer.so when we are talking about the Spirit of Truth we are simply talking about the HolySpirit as a Person in other wards we are discussing the personality of the Holy Spirit as one who teaches us the Truth about God and Jesus Christ the creator and the Redeemer. May God bless us as we seek to understand these trut