In the 14th chapter of John’s Gospel we find Jesus telling His disciples that, because they had seen Him, they had seen the Father. In verses 10 and 16 Jesus explains that the above-stated Truth was possible only because He was “in the Father” and the Father was “in Him.” He explains that symbolism by confessing that the words He spoke and the works He performed were possible only because God’s Holy Spirit abode “in Him.” It is through the power of His Holy spirit that God performed everything He did through Jesus. Read John 12:44-50. It is only through the Holy Spirit that Jesus could bear fruit (bring people to the Father). Never lose track of the fact that JESUS CHRIST WAS A HUMAN BEING LIKE ALL OTHER HUMAN BEINGS EVER BORN ON THIS EARTH. WHAT HE DID WAS POSSIBLE ONLY BECAUSE OF GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN HIM. Read The God of the Old Testament and Jesus of Nazareth: God, Man Or God-man? Key words–Testament and Nazareth respectively.

Relative to the title of this series, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Holiness and the provider of the power needed to walk in obedience to the Law which draws true God-seekers to emulate the saint’s life and make him/her into a fruit-bearer. In the same way (the Holy Spirit with him/her) the true saint becomes “the way, the Truth and the life” for others to see and hear and, hopefully, to emulate (copy). This Truth is proclaimed by Christ Himself in verse 12 where He declares the most incredible fact in the entire Bible: “Verily, verily (truly, truly) I say unto you: HE THAT BELIEVES IN ME, THE WORKS THAT I DO HE SHALL DO, AND GREATER THINGS THAN THESE WILL HE DO BECAUSE I GO TO THE FATHER, Who would then send the Holy Spirit to abide in the believer (vs 16-18). Now we will examine what is involved in becoming the way, the truth and life during this life-time.

In 14:21-24 Jesus tells us what we must do in order for verse 12 to be manifested in us. It is this caveat (condition) that 99% of professing Christendom rejects because Satan has convinced them that the Law was “nailed to the cross” of Jesus Christ. It is true that the sacrificial law written by Moses (the “handwriting of ordinances”) was nailed to the cross, but not the Ten Commandment Law that all must obey in order to be saved upon Christ’s return.

Beginning with verse 21 we find Jesus making this abundantly clear by saying that one must obey His Law in order to show his love for Him (Jesus). The Father’s love for the believer is dependent on the believer’s love for Christ, which is proven by the believer’s obedience to the Ten Commandments. Christ’s love for the salvation seeker is dependent on his/her love for Him (Jesus) which is proven by his/her obedience to the Law. Read Is God’s Love Conditional? Key word–Conditional.

In verse 23 Jesus states that IF a man loves Him he will keep His (Christ’s) words. THEN His (Christ’s) Father will live him (the man). THEN Jesus and His Father will come to him (the man) and will live within him (in the form of the Holy Spirit). This is what is meant by Christ and God being “in” the believer. In this way the believer has the power to walk in holiness (obedience to the Law) which enables him/her to be an effective fruit-bearer (soul winner) (vs 26).

In Chapter 15 Jesus explains how the Father relates to the fruit-bearer. In verses 1-10 Jesus tells us how the Father removes any branch (believer) who does not produce fruit and how He prunes the one (branch) that produces fruit so that it produces more fruit. By pruning us God removes from us everything that does not belong in us. I asked the Lord to remove EVERYTHING in me that was not generated by Him. He did. I no longer watch entertainment t.v., sports, movies, etc. I do not read novels, magazines, etc. Through His power I have totally separated myself from the world and the things of the world. I do not miss it or them. This makes me an odd creature to my family who graciously understands (but does not agree with) my rather solitary life. But I would not have it any other way. Read 15:13-14. Which brings us to the final part of the series–HOW OTHERS REACT TO ONE WHO IS TOTALLY SOLD OUT TO THE LORD.

In 15:18-21 Jesus tells true saints that the world hated Him because of His relationship with the Father, which totally separated Him from the world. He warns us that those who “walk as He walked” in this life would be hated as it hated Him, and for the same reason–His Words, which the world rejects, as does the church world. For this reason most of the hatred the true saint receives comes from the church. In verses 20 through 24 Jesus notes that those who hear our words hate them, thereby proving that they also hate both Jesus Himself and His Father. This is confirmed in Luke 10:16. Read the series titled Persecution, using that word as the key. Note that Jesus had spoken to those who then hated Him because of His Words. People hate true saints because, when they see them (the saints) they see Christ. We know what they did to Him, and why. The religious hierarchy of the Jews killed Jesus, some of the prophets, all of the original apostles except John, Stephen and Paul all for the same reason–THEIR MESSAGE. Nothing has changed. L.J.