Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - July 16/59

Contributor - Rev. H. W. Kolenbrander

Title - The Spirit of Truth

Topic - Holy Spirit

John 16: 13-14

"How be it when he, the Spirit of Truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine ,and show it unto You."

The personality and work of the Holy Spirit is often overlooked and disregarded today. We forget that without him there could be no Christian faith and no Christian Church.

Evidently Jesus had selected his words with care when he told his chosen disciples that it was necessary for them that He should go away. If He did not go, He asserted, the Spirit would not come. His followers might well ask what could possibly be more to their advantage than the continued bodily presence of their Lord and Master?

Yet as we look at the words of Jesus in the light of their fulfilment we realize the truth of Jesus' promise. A harvest of souls larger than Jesus had garnered through three years of labor had been gathered in during the single day of Pentecostal blessing. Men said of Jesus: "Never a man spake like this Man". Jesus said: "I am the Truth". Yet Jesus also speaks of the Holy Spirit as the "Spirit of Truth". Not that there are two sources of truth, - Jesus' teaching, and the teaching of the Spirit. For Jesus said: "He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine and show it unto you".

Christ's teachings, and the significance of his death and resurrection were not understood until the Holy Spirit took possession of the minds and hearts of the disciples. It is the Holy Spirit who gives witness to the living Christ.

As we today cannot know the second person of the Trinity apart from the third, so we cannot know the third person apart from the second. The Holy Spirit does not speak of himself but points men to Christ. The Holy Spirit like a great searchlight, lights up the person of Christ, so that we may see him and know him.

We are saved by the Triune God. "All things that the Father hath are Mine", said Christ. And Paul writes, "It pleased the Father that in Him (Christ) should all fullness dwell", and "of His fullness have we all received". However, it is only through the work of the Holy Spirit that the riches of Christ becomes our personal possession.

A certain scholar, Ralph Erskine, speaks of grace as honey - honey for the cheering of the saints, for the sweetening of their mouths and hearts. In the Father: the honey is in the flower, which is at such a distance from us that we could never extract it. In the Son: the honey is in the comb, prepared for us in our Immanuel, God-man, the Word made flesh. But we must have the honey in the mouth. This is the Spirits work. "He makes us eat".

The Holy Spirit does not bring a new revelation. He applies the principles, unfolds the deep meaning of Christ's words and deeds, and -especially the meaning and mystery of the cradle, the tragedy of the cross and the glory of the resurrection. The truth into which the Spirit guides is the personal Christ.

It would be a rare privilege to have such a noble person as Paul or Luther or Calvin live with us; to have the benefit of their insight and wisdom. Even so, we might not copy their devotion. But if the Spirit of these men could be infused into our minds and hearts we would be able to reproduce their deeds.

May Christ live in us by means of His enlightening and sanctifying Spirit.

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