“But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.”
As much as we think nothing could be better than a face-to-face with Jesus. He indicates otherwise. In the Spirit is greater than in the flesh.
“When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:
The very first thing the Holy Spirit was tasked to do was correct us in our misunderstanding about three related, but specific details. They happen to be critical points of contention within the church today. The whys he gives are likely different from what you would expect. This is a testament to how wrong we may be about these three things. Most commentators I have seen on this don’t seem to consider this.
“About sin, because people do not believe in me.”
“About sin, because people do not believe in me.”
Many just say this means unbelief is a sin. However, if one does not believe, then they won’t have the Spirit. So He can’t prove anything to them, that must come from elsewhere. Besides, unbelief is hardly the root of all sin. Surely the Spirit would need to correct more than just disbelief for those with the Spirit. So let’s probe deeper and consider the root of their disbelief. Those who did not believe Him to be the Messiah, it was ultimately because they didn’t like what he had to say about the truth. It did not align with their presuppositions about scripture. Jesus frequently had to correct their application of it. (Matthew 5-7) So they rejected his authority because recognizing His authority would also undermine their authority and their own will that they had obviously interjected into the scriptures. Is that not similar to what denouncers of the Spirit do today? Do we still hold onto some of these Pharisee-like ideas about sin? This is why we may be in the wrong.
“About righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer.”
“About righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer.”
We need more than intellect to truly understand righteousness. It is more of a sincerity of heart issue after all. Jesus seems to be implying that the disciples didn’t understand fully themselves at this point. Perhaps we oversimplify and misconstrue righteousness ourselves to this day. If we only focus on avoiding wrongs, but not on embracing the right, we surely do. A sign we have shunned the Spirit. (Galatians 5:16-18) Clearly, Jesus thought future generations of leaders would need constant guidance to be truly righteous. It makes you wonder why so many teachers simply define everything and never lift a finger to help people live it. (Matthew 23:4) This is why we may be in the wrong.
“About judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.”
“About judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.”
"Prince of this world" is a euphemism for the devil. He was the one who led mankind astray in the Garden of Eden, which brought judgment to us. Yet Jesus, the second Adam, overcame Satan in the wilderness. Condemning the judgment Satan brought on humanity. (Matthew 4:1-11) Even though Jesus talked about God’s Judgment often, dedicating many parables to it. People still project an Old Testament mindset into it, as if are still condemned. They forget that there is absolutely only one judge, and it isn’t us. (James 4:11-12) God wants us to be a part of so many aspects of the body of Christ, but not as a judge. So it seems we still covet what we do not have. We were called to seek and save the lost, so they may escape judgment through hope in the gospel, by the power of the Spirit. Not seek and judge the lost, instilling hopelessness through the law that we are unable to keep in the power of our own flesh. (Galatians 3) This is why we may be in the wrong.
I recall a time someone telling me that they initially hated Jesus because a woman from his church told him the reason his mother was sick, was because his mom was a sinner and was being punished for it. Not only did she utter a heresy (John 9:1-3) she was guilty of potentially leading a child astray. (Luke 17:1-2) She did not have a good grasp on the reality of sin, judgment, or how to lead people to righteousness. I wish I could say this was an isolated incident, but many still ascribe to this primitive idea. Many are also more motivated by pride, and only use the gospel to establish their own sense of superiority. (Romans 12:16) However, if they had the Spirit as a guide they wouldn’t have committed a sin, in a misguided attempt to combat sin.
An individual or even a church without the Spirit is inevitably going to be in the wrong somehow. Since by the power of the flesh, we are effectively trying to walk through the eye of a needle. By our own logic and understanding alone, we are so beneath God. Incapable of truly comprehending the depths of the truth to the fullest. Only able to ascribe to the juvenile letter of the law approach that leaves no room for the blood of Christ and the Spirit of grace that comes with it.
I recall a time someone telling me that they initially hated Jesus because a woman from his church told him the reason his mother was sick, was because his mom was a sinner and was being punished for it. Not only did she utter a heresy (John 9:1-3) she was guilty of potentially leading a child astray. (Luke 17:1-2) She did not have a good grasp on the reality of sin, judgment, or how to lead people to righteousness. I wish I could say this was an isolated incident, but many still ascribe to this primitive idea. Many are also more motivated by pride, and only use the gospel to establish their own sense of superiority. (Romans 12:16) However, if they had the Spirit as a guide they wouldn’t have committed a sin, in a misguided attempt to combat sin.
An individual or even a church without the Spirit is inevitably going to be in the wrong somehow. Since by the power of the flesh, we are effectively trying to walk through the eye of a needle. By our own logic and understanding alone, we are so beneath God. Incapable of truly comprehending the depths of the truth to the fullest. Only able to ascribe to the juvenile letter of the law approach that leaves no room for the blood of Christ and the Spirit of grace that comes with it.
“Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.” -John 5:22-27
