A correct understanding of why Jesus comforted his disciples with his focus on the Holy Spirit is essential to one’s grasp of the everlasting gospel. Getting this right will protect us from being captivated by the allure of limited gospels, which promise salvation without character transformation.

Another Comforter (John 14:16). The Greek is so much clearer than most English translations: "one who comes to our side just like Jesus had been to the disciples [paraphrasing]." Not "another of a different kind" but "another like Jesus." Christians have two "Comforters"—Jesus and the Holy Spirit. That promise steeled the backbone of those eleven disciples as they faced a hostile world with the good news that changed the course of history.

He shall glorify Me (John 16:14). Here Jesus specifies the job description of the Holy Spirit, the One who is always by our side. The whole New Testament reflects how seriously the disciples understood the purpose of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the gospel; what we say about Jesus only elaborates on the good news. The gospel is a Person, not mere words about that Person.

How does the Spirit glorify Jesus? A good place to begin is to listen to Paul in Galatians: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. … If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (6:22–25). "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples" (John15:8). That summary of the Christian character is a reflection of our Lord’s character whose main job was to glorify his Father—the fruit of the Spirit is proof that the Spirit is fulfilling his job description.

Spirit of Truth. Here Christ describes the Spirit’s job description as the Spirit goes about fulfilling his purpose. Before he can be the Comforter he must define Truth (Jesus). When one gets the truth about who Jesus is, why he came and why he died, that person will have a rock of comfort that will never fail no matter what the storm may be. Truth should come before peace if we want either.

If the Christian church had listened carefully to Christ’s explanation of the Spirit’s job description, church history would have been written much differently. The Holy Spirit is not given to dazzle us with phenomena such as charismatic "tongues" or to be judged by religious empires that exalt men and women. Or even to do anything that will "glorify" a man or woman!

The Holy Spirit’s primary job is to prepare people to witness faithfully for Jesus. As the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit prepares men and women to reflect him—the Truth—mentally, physically, emotionally, socially, as well as spiritually. "The impartation of the Spirit is the impartation of the life of Christ. He imbues the receiver with the attributes of Christ."1 "The Holy Spirit comes to the soul as a Comforter. By the transforming agency of His grace, the image of God is reproduced in the disciple."2

After reviewing all this, we can better understand why the work of the Holy Spirit is "as essential" to the plan of salvation as was our Lord’s death on Calvary. "The Spirit was to be given as a regenerating agent, and without this the sacrifice of Christ would have been of no avail. … It is the Spirit that makes effectual what has been wrought out by the world’s Redeemer."3

Thought Questions:

What may be the difference between logical reasoning about Jesus and the convicting power of the Holy Spirit who flashes truth into the mind?

In the Judgment, what will be the difference between church members who are wise bridesmaids and those who are unwise? Will it be only a matter of how much a person may know about Jesus?

Notes and References

1. Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (Mountain View: Pacific Press, 1940), 805.
2. Ibid., 391.
3. Ibid., 671.

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