The Spirit filled relationship is marked by:
Prayer (v15)
Proof (v16)
Whatever we get out of v16 and however we expound it must bring us to this – proof and assurance of faith, any exposition of this verse that takes us to less than that is inadequate.
“bear witness with” : “συμμαρτυρέω” : from “μαρτυρέω” is a word used:
in the setting of church order to prove, convict or convince another of sin or error (Matt 18:16), it involves the presentation of convincing evidence.
in a court of law (Matt 26:65; Mk 14:63) of factually dependable testimony, this level of 'witness' evidence is sufficient to convict a man of a crime in a court of law, before a judge, it is not simply a hunch.
of the apostles laying the foundation for gospel mission with reliable, eyewitness accounts of the person, work, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, such that others will be convinced by the overwhelming evidence and proof of their testimony. (Lk 24:48, Acts1:8,22 ).
of the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ to the truth of God and the message of the Gospel (Jo 18:37; 3:11)
It must contain the idea of authoritative and substantive testimony.
A feeling, notion, hunch or emotion just won't do as a meaning here!
It wouldn't do in court and it wasn't sufficient for the beginning of the evangelism of the world and it isn't enough for my assurance either!
How does the Spirit “bear witness with our spirit”?
This is a seemingly difficult question because it appears not to be answered in this section.
I think the answer does lie in this section but we need to know what we are looking for before we can find it!
John chps 14 to 16 is the seminal section on the Spirit of God in the NT.
In many ways John 14:16 parallels Romans 8:16:
“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;” (Joh 14:16)
The word “another” here is: “ἄλλος” and not 'heteros,' ie the Father would give to the disciples a comforter just like Christ!
Illust: If I have an apple I could ask for a 'heteros' piece of fruit and you could give me an orange, but if I asked for an 'allos' piece of fruit you would give me an apple.
When the Lord Jesus says that the Father will “give you another Comforter” He uses this word “allos” - another of the same kind.
Of the same kind as what?
Of the same kind as Christ.
So then if I knew how it was that Christ functioned as a Comforter then I would have a good insight as to how the Spirit of God would function as a Comforter.
We might reasonably conclude from this that the way in which the Spirit of God behaves with believers today is comparable to the way in which the Lord Jesus behaved with His disciples whilst he was here.
If I wish to know how the Spirit of God bears witness to my spirit that I am a son of God then if I knew how the Lord Jesus gave this assurance to His disciples I could well have the answer.
How did the Lord Jesus give His disciples that assurance that they belonged to Him?
He satisfied their thirst (John 4)
He satisfied their hunger (John 6)
He brought peace in the midst of the storms of life (John 6; 21; Matt 8, 14)
He gave them light in the darkness (John 9)
He thrilled their heart as He expounded to them the scripture (Luke 24)
He spoke to them personally concerning matters known only to them and Him: John 3 – Nicodemus; John 2 – Philip; John 21 – Peter; Acts 9 – the conversion of Saul of Tarsus.
The role of the Spirit of God in John chps 14 to 16 is to: Encounter the Person of Christ (Jo 14:16,18, 26; 15:26; 16:14) in a way similar to that of His disciples whilst He was still present on earth. Today in the evening of His physical absence I cannot turn to the side and speak to Him physically present with me, with my problem and receive an immediate oral response to that question and yet by the ministry of the Holy Spirit I have something which is comparable to just that.
By the ministry of the Spirit of God I can encounter the person of Christ by the following means:
Experience the Presence of Christ
Expound the Truth of Christ
Enjoy the Peace of Christ
Express the Character of Christ
Exposed to the Righteousness of Christ
Experience the Presence of Christ
John 14:16: “comforter” : “παράκλητος” : from 3870: 'para kaleo': 'para' : by the side and 'kaleo' : to call : 'a helper alongside' : He draws alongside to help, the timely personal help of Christ.
Interestingly scripture is referred to as “paraklesis” : Rom15:4; Heb12:5; Heb 13:22
Christ is our source of 'paraklesis' : Phil 2:1
John 14:16: “He may abide with you”
John 14:17: “He dwelleth with you and shall be in you”
John 14:18: “I will come to you”
John 14:20: “I in you”
John 14:21: “will manifest myself to him”
I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.
And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.
Expound the Truth of Christ
John 14:17; 16:13: “the Spirit of truth” - this is not only the objective truth, ie the facts about Christ but the personal and subjective experience and appreciation of those truths: “and shall be in you” (14:17)
Compare this with the two on the road to Emmaus, a timely encounter with reassuring truths of the person of Christ: “And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” (Luk 24:32)
John 14:26: “He shall teach you all things”
John 16:13: “He will guide you into all truth”
Here is the motive and ability behind all sound preaching, bible teaching, gospel exercise, evangelism, personal testimony to Christ, not a method, not an address, not message that went down well 12 times before, somewhere else, not a multi media presentation – but the Spirit of God.
Enjoy the Peace of Christ
John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you”
This is not a purely rational or reasoned peace that comes when we have worked it all out.
This is not a pharmacological sedation that settles anxiety!
This is the personal peace of Christ ministered by the presence of Christ!
This is a peace that surpasses understanding.
Express the Character of Christ
John chp 15
John 15:5: “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
Exposed to the Righteousness of Christ
John 16:8 “And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness and of judgement”
Notes from our bible study teaching series of messages preached systematically, verse by verse, through Paul's letter to the Romans. Free to download audio mp3 recordings of this sermon and other sermons are available at the end of this blog and on the website page.
Yours by Grace in Christ
Dr J Stewart Gillespie