John 14-15

We believe

Part 3

The third aspect of the apostles creed we are looking at is The Holy Spirit.

The person of the Holy Spirit

In 14:15 onwards, Jesus makes it clear that the Holy Spirit is a real and disctinct personality. Yet also when the Spirit comes, Jesus comes also. The Spirit is a part of God Himself. Later on, Jesus describes the Holy Spirit as an advocate, or counsellor. Someone who comes alongside and gives advice and guidance.

When the world puts us on trial, when they throw accusations at us, the Holy Spirit is like our lawyer. He provides defence and reveals the truth of our nature as children of God. Of our blamelessness before God the true judge. Those in the world cannot truly judge us, only God can. And the Holy Spirit stands as our advocate before Him to testify that our sins are taken by Christ on the cross. When our judge is also our defender, what charges are there that we must fear?

The presence of the Holy Spirit

In 14:18 Jesus claims that the Holy Spirit will come like an adopting father to comfort us. We can rely on communion with God the Father, we can rely on His presence to turn all things to His glory. Pain, suffering, and hardships can turn into opportunities for praise. This loving presence should cause us to follow the words of Jesus in 15:11. The outpouring of His presence flows out from us to others as we love and care for them just like He does to us.

The purpose of the Holy Spirit

15:26 makes this quite clear. The Holy Spirit is there to testify and glorify God. His goal in all things is to put the spotlight on Jesus. We are not the ones under the spotlight. The Spirit brings us to Christ and so the spotlight is shone one Him.

Transforming us into Christ

Not only is Christ revealed by the Holy Spirit, but by us as well. As He works in us, we become more and more like Christ in our character, and so He is seen in us. When people see us, they are seeing Christ.

The power of the Holy Spirit

Each of us is blessed with gifts and abilities in order to serve Christ and the church. Each one of those gifts helps the gospel spread in the world.

By the power of the Spirit the earth was formed. The same power sustains life, gives new life, raised Jesus, enabled the gospel to spread. This power is unending and nothing is impossible with it. This power is promised to us as children of God.