The Spirit of Truth Part 5

As we continue on with our study of the Holy Spirit, making much of Him, the third person of the Trinity, equal in all respects with the Father and the Son, let us take a look at what Jesus meant by the word "ANOTHER" as He said that He would send another Helper in John 14:16. In the Greek language, that which the New Testament was written in, there are two words for the word another. One is another person, another place, another time. Nothing in the word tells you anything. In the Greek, the word "HETEROS", means another, but it means another of a different kind. An example in Galatians 1,"Deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ for a (different, another) heteros, gospel, which is really not another (ALLOS) the same kind." So, Paul is saying this gospel that the church at Galatia is falling for is a gospel of a different kind than what he has been preaching.

But in John 14:16, the word Jesus uses, is ALLOS, He is going to send you ALLOS PARAKLITOS, Another Helper of the exact kind that He is. I will send you another exactly like I am, so that you will have the kind of Helper like the Helper I am to you now. This should bring us great comfort, for we are truly comforted by God Himself. And to the end of verse 16 in John 14, Jesus says that this Helper will be with us forever. He will be a permanent Companion, these three years with His disciples were coming to a quick close, but this Guest as the same kind, will be with them forever. And this Helper will come based on our love, and keeping His commandments, and His asking the Father.

So, what would the result of that look like in our lives? Romans 8:9,"However, you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him." The "flesh" is everything in the world, minus God. No desire, no taste, no longing for God, just living for the things of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Being a natural man, (1Cor.2:14),"For the natural man does not accept the things of God, they are foolishness to him, nor does he understand them, for they are spiritually discerned." But for the believer, one who the Spirit dwells in, are in the Spirit, meaning you prefer the things of God, you love them, you treasure them, you are swayed in your mind to the things of God. You are controlled by the words of God, constrained by the Spirit of God, and comforted by the presence of God.

Paul said in Galatians 5:16,"Walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh." The next verse tells us why this can be so. "For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please." English Puritan John Owen says, "This is to walk in obedience to God in dependence on the supplies of grace which the Holy Spirit gives us. If we walk in the Spirit, we shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. This can only mean that we shall be kept by the Spirit in holy obedience and enabled by the same Spirit to avoid sin." Next time we will talk a bit about loving the Spirit more, and not grieving the Spirit. Be meditating and increasing in the fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self- control.

Elder Randy Slak
08/08/2023