Bible Studies

---

ARE WE SHORTCHANGING THE HOLY SPIRIT?

“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Holy Spirit will not come to you, but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in me; of righteousness because I go to my Father; and you see Me no more; and of judgment because the ruler of this world is judged. I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He the Spirit has come, He will guide you into ALL TRUTH; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears, he will speak and He will tell you things to come.” John 16: 7-13

This is one of the longer recorded discourses of our Lord, and makes some life-changing statements. He avers in the first sentence that what He is about to say is “the truth”. Later He makes the same claim for the Holy Spirit, only stronger: ALL TRUTH. It would seem, then, that it is an important matter of devoted study for the Christian. For many years of our church history, we have leaned toward a shadowy idea of the Holy Spirit. To a lot of believers, He is not really REAL, and His role in the triune God is downplayed, more because we have not studied and taught very extensively of His role, than of neglect. It is easier to explain and concentrate on God the Father and Christ the Son than the Third Person of the Trinity. But Scripture declares unequivocally that the Holy Spirit is very much here with us, guiding us and leading us through this life because that is His role, as Jesus announces in the above quote.

Perhaps we should devote some dedicated time to studying the multiple Scripture passages that deal with the work of the Holy Spirit, not just the reading. He plays an absolutely incontrovertible role in the life of the Christian according to Scripture. Studying and acknowledging His presence in our lives will bring us great rewards. We neglect it at our peril. He is with us here and now. Jesus said the Helper would guide us into ALL TRUTH. We would do well to hear and obey. We sorely need His help in this world of ours.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE