Holy Spirit Job Description Series

John 15:26-16:9

NIV: John 15:26

“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.

John 16:1 “All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. 2They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. 3They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you. 5“Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. 7But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me;

THE MESSAGE:

“When the Friend I plan to send you from the Father comes—the Spirit of Truth issuing from the Father—he will confirm everything about me. You, too, from your side must give your confirming evidence, since you are in this with me from the start. “I’ve told you these things to prepare you for rough times ahead. They are going to throw you out of the meeting places. There will even come a time when anyone who kills you will think he’s doing God a favor. They will do these things because they never really understood the Father. I’ve told you these things so that when the time comes and they start in on you, you’ll be well-warned and ready for them. “I didn’t tell you this earlier because I was with you every day. But now I am on my way to the One who sent me. Not one of you has asked, ‘Where are you going?’ Instead, the longer I’ve talked, the sadder you’ve become. So let me say it again, this truth: It’s better for you that I leave. If I don’t leave, the Friend won’t come. But if I go, I’ll send him to you. “When he comes, he’ll expose the error of the godless world’s view of sin, righteousness, and judgment: He’ll show them that their refusal to believe in me is their basic sin;

What is the Holy Spirit?

The Greek word that is translated Holy Spirit is PARACLETE. It means-

“to call alongside for the purpose of helping, to exhort, to console, to encourage”

Jesus called the Holy Spirit “another Paraclete” (Jn 14:16), which means that He too is a Paraclete. When Christ was on earth He was a helper to His followers. Christ continues to be our Paraclete in heaven, in the sense of our “advocate” with the Father if we should commit an act of sin

In Christ’s absence the Spirit carries on this work of helping.

With reference to the Spirit the word parakletos is rendered variously:

Comforter (KJV),

Helper (Williams, NASB, TEV),

Advocate (Weymouth, NEB),

Counselor (RSV).

Friend (Message)

What will the Holy Spirit not do?

Your Job of being a living witness

27 NIV - and you also must testify

27 Message - You, too, from your side must give your confirming evidence

Keep difficult things from happening to you

2They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. 3They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you

Burden

I believe all evangelicals have an incomplete Holy Spirit theology. It is my hope that this study will bring balance to the understanding of the work of the “Friend”.

Basic Truth

God is clear and concise in the mission of the Holy Spirit in the world

Burning Question

What is the job description of the Holy Spirit?

-To be a source of truth in this world of lies.

26b. the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father

There is a moral code written in the hearts of men. Genetics, human fallen nature and environmental conditions can play havoc with the code that is imprinted in our DNA, but it is there from the Creator.