The spirit of truth

This week is on John 16:12-15:

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

Jesus is talking about the Holy Spirit here. He's only got a bit of time left on earth, so he's telling the disciples how he will continue to speak to them and teach them once he leaves. He sets it up as a continuation of his relationship with them. It's not a contradiction of him, or a successor who is going to overrule what he taught. It's the same truth continuing.

Imagine that though: when the Holy Spirit speaks to us, on some level it's basically Jesus on the other end of the line, even though the last time he was physically among us was nearly two thousand years ago. There's no saying "I like the Holy Spirit better than Jesus" or "I like Jesus better than the Father." It's all one God.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. He's not going to lie. He isn't going to make things up which aren't true. What Jesus speaks, the Spirit speaks. He will tell us what happened, what is happening, and what will happen. Is that surprising coming from an eternal being who speaks truth?

This brings glory to God because he is consistent. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit all say the same things. The Holy Spirit brings glory to God because only God could figure out a way to continue in intimacy with mankind beyond the grave. Jesus isn't dead because the Holy Spirit isn't dead. God is eternal.

When we encounter the Holy Spirit, it isn't a surprise because Jesus told us the Holy Spirit was coming. He is glorified because he was right. Who else can predict a moment that will take place in a life that takes place hundreds or thousands of years in the future? God can do that.

God is alive. He speaks to us through a mechanism he invented that is better than anything we could make on our own. On our own we stay dead when we die, but God has no end. But better than that, God leads us into a life like his, giving us access to his power and his love and knowledge. He planned it, is planning it, has already carried it out, is carrying it out, and will continue to carry it out. He is eternal and unstoppable.

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