The Gospel of the Apostle John–the apostle “Jesus loved”–is all about love.  In it he writes about the love the Lord’s saints have for Him which they MUST PROVE BY OBEYING HIS AND HIS FATHER’S TEN COMMANDMENT LAW which is a condensed version of the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation.  In his Gospel John also teaches about God’s love for man and how God promises to prove His love by doing what He said He would do.  The main promise–the one that makes all other promises possible–is that both Father and Son would abide in Their obedient servants and answer their prayers.  This constitutes a covenant, which in modern times is called a contract that is entered into voluntarily and is applicable to two persons.  This contract specifies what each party will do in order to make the contract legal.  If either party fails to fulfill his part, the contract is voided.

In John 14:12-15 Jesus promises to answer the prayers of those who “believe in Me,” meaning that they believe what is written in the covenant–the Holy Bible.  Here is where a deadly, church-wide problem begins to raise its ugly head.  BELIEVING IN JESUS (BELIEVING HIS WORD) HAS A SECOND PART THAT IS SUMMARILY IGNORD BY THE RELIGIOUS MASSES.  The Apostle James highlights this part in chapter 2 verses 10,14,17,18,20,24,26 where He declares, under the power of the Holy Spirit, that faith (belief) in God (His Words–Rom. 10:19) is DEAD FAITH unless one OBEYS those Words.  Such faith, James declares, does not save the soul unless it is followed by strict obedience to what one believes (vs 14)–God’s Words.  With those Biblical Truths in mind, let us return to John 14.

In verses 13 and 14 Jesus promises to answer the disciples’ prayers.  However, as is always the case with the Lord, there is a caveat (condition) that must be met in order to receive those answers.  As was highlighted in the previous posting, OBEDIENCE TO THE LAW is necessary in order to receive the promises in that OBEDIENCE PROVES ONE’S LOVE FOR HIM (vs 15).  This rule persists throughout the Holy Bible beginning in Genesis where we are told about a certain tree whose fruit could not be eaten, OR EVEN TOUCHED (Gen. 3:3).  GOD IS SERIOUS ABOUT HIS RULES (LAW) OF ENGAGEMENT.

All this sounds rather “legalistic” doesn’t it?  Have no doubt about it, IT IS DEFINITLY LEGALISTIC–IT’S THE LAW OF GOD.  IT DOESN’T GET ANY MORE LEGALISTIC THAN THAT.  GOD IS A LEGALIST.  Truth alert: God said one could not be JUSTIFIED by obeying His Law, that one is JUSTIFIED BY ONE’S FAITH AND GOD’S GRACE ONLY.  JUSTIFICATION involves the forgiveness of PAST SIN ONLY (Rom. 3:25).  It does not involve salvation in this life.  Salvation is the END RESULT of living in holiness for the remainder of one’s human life (Rom. 5:21; 6:22/ Mat. 10:22; 24:13).  The ultimate irony relative to Law-keeping is that church people are sticklers when it comes to obeying man’s law where a monetary fine is the result for breaking it.  However, when it comes to God’s Law, which involves eternal life and death, those same people keep it “nailed to the cross.”

To prove the importance if obeying God’s Law, He offers the services of His Holy Spirit–His power–to help true saints keep it.  In verses 16 through 18 Jesus makes a statement that those unfamiliar with His “fine print” do not understand.  Let us examine that passage.  In verse 16 Jesus promises to PRAY FOR THOSE WHO OBEY HIS COMMANDMENTS (LAW) and ask His Father to send to them “another Comforter” Who would abide with them forever.  In verse 17 He calls this “other Comforter” the “Spirit of Truth” that had been dwelling WITH them and would ENTER INTO their hearts (minds) upon His descent from heaven.  At that time the Spirit would come to abide IN their hearts (minds) and give them POWER to live a life of holiness by overcoming Satan’s temptations to sin as had Jesus during His earthly tenure (Rev. 3:21).  This Spiritual “baptism” would take place on the Day of Pentecost 31 A.D.

In verse 18 Jesus makes a strange statement relative to saints receiving the Holy Spirit (the Comforter) that God would “give” (send) to them (vs 16).  He said: “I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you.”  Here is the scenario: Jesus would die, be resurrected, ascend to heaven, ask the Father to send them another Comforter.  God would send the “other comforter.”  Recall that Jesus said that HE would come to them.  The Scriptures tell us that Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father who resides in the northern heavens.  Father and Son are in only one place at a time.  So how do they “abide in” true saints who scattered throughout the earth?  Now recall that it is written: “He (the Messiah) will be called Emanuel which means, “God with us.”  True saints are also reminded of the mystery of “Christ IN you, the hope of glory.”  Christ sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven.  But David said that He was everywhere (Ps. 139:8-10).  How can He be everywhere and sitting at His Father’s side in heaven at the same time?  David tells us in verse 7: “Where can I go from Your (God’s) SPIRIT.  Father and Son are everywhere in the form of their HOLY SPIRIT, which is indeed everywhere.

Evry reference to God and Christ being “IN” Their Very Elect refers to Their Holy Spirit.  Recall that David told God that He was everywhere.  Then he said that he could not get away from “Your (Holy) Spirit.”  David understood that the Spirit was everywhere, and that the Spirit was the power of the Godhead and represented Them in all of Their doings.  GOD AND CHRIST ARE EVERYWHERE IN THE FORM OF THEIR HOLY SPIRIT, WHICH IS EVERYWHERE AT ALL TIMES, INCLUDING THE HEARTS (MINDS) OF THEIR VERY ELECT.

In summary, in order to receive the promises the Godhead (Father and Son) has made to their true saints, those saints must live IN Them.  To do so those saints must prove their love for the Godhead by obeying Their Law (commandments).  Obeying Their Word enables the saints to EARN what they have been promised, just as the man Jesus EARNED His messiahship by obeying His Father’s Words.  Father and Son want believers to join them in paradise.  Therefore, They provide an instruction manual that tells man how to EARN that privilege.  They also provide Their Holy Spirit (power) that helps man obey Their Law.  Those who do so have a crown reserved for them in heaven (2 Tim. 4:8).  Upon His death and resurrection, Jesus went to heaven to receive His inheritance.  Read about the Nobleman (Jesus) who went into a “far country” to receive His kingdom (inheritance).  He returned to the kingdom he had left and claimed it (His inheritance) for himself.  Read Luke 19:12-27.  Jesus has gone to heaven to receive His inheritance.  He will return to earth–His inheritance–one day and share it with His JOINT-HEIRS (Rom. 8:17).  THESE ARE HIS VERY ELECT SAINTS WHO, DURING THIER CONVERTED LIVES, PROVED THEIR LOVE FOR HIM AND HIS FATHER BY OBEYING THEIR LAW THROUGH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.  IT IS TROUGH THEIR HOLY SPIRIT THAT THEY ABIDE IN THEIR SAINTS.  L.J.