We are continuing in the theme of the Grace of God. In the last post, we mentioned the Trinity and that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are One. All three parts of the Godhead share the same nature and that is the nature of Grace. God’s grace can be described as salvation, mercy, compassion, favor, and kindness. All of these are given by God not because we have earned or deserved grace, but because of Grace. Show More
The Grace of Father God is that He provided a way to restore the broken relationship in the Garden of Eden, between mankind and Himself. The Father did this by providing a “Seed”, a Messiah in Hebrew, a Christ in Greek, a Savior in English, and in any language- Jesus.
The Grace of Jesus Christ is revealed in the Gift of the Holy Spirit to the believer. The Holy Spirit empowers us to live the Christian life in grace and power.
When Jesus walked the earth, His followers had the benefit of His presence. They felt His love, experienced His fellowship, witnessed His signs and wonders that only God could produce. Jesus came to the earth to live as a human being for approximately 33½ years. Jesus made it very clear that when He departed He would leave us “another like Himself” or a “Helper”, but this time instead of a physical person the Helper would come in the Spirit, the Holy Spirit.
Jesus in the flesh could only be in one place at one time, but in the spirit, He could live in every believer. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says, that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit and that He lives in us.
In Acts 1:4 Jesus appeared to His disciples and commanded them to stay in Jerusalem where they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit. They were to wait in Jerusalem for the Promise of the Father, of which Jesus had already told them about before He was crucified. Listen to what Jesus said in John 16:7, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you”. In Acts 1:8 Jesus assures his disciples that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them.
Power to do what you might ask? Power to live the Christian life and to be a bold witness in words and action of the Gospel or Good News of Jesus Christ.
You see, Jesus had to leave or ascend to heaven, in order to send the Holy Spirit to us. In the gospel of John 14:16 Jesus says the following, “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you”.
The word “Helper” means intercessor, advocate, or one who is alongside you through thick and thin. Jesus calls Him another Helper, in other words one like Himself. God will never leave you or abandon you. How wonderful it is to know that although Jesus in the flesh is not here, His Spirit lives in us. The Holy Spirit provides the love, the fellowship, the signs and wonders that only God could produce, but now though us!
An important function of the Helper is to guide you into doing what Jesus would do. Jesus says in John 14:25, “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
Now what are some of the truths that the Holy Spirit brings to our remembrance? Here is a list of ten out of hundreds that the Holy Spirit reminds us of:
- The Holy Spirit confirms to us that we are the children of God (Romans 8:16).
- The Holy Spirit is our down-payment or guarantee of the our future resurrection (2 Cor. 1:22; 2 Corinthians 5:5).
- The Holy Spirit reveals Christ to us and in us (John 16:14-15).
- The Holy Spirit teaches us how to pray (Rom. 8:26-27; Jude 1:20).
- The Holy Spirit sets us free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2).
- The Holy Spirit reveals to the world what sin is, what is righteousness and the coming judgment(John 16:8).
- The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth (John 16:13).
- The Holy Spirit fills us (Ephesians 5:18).
- The Holy Spirit empowers us (Acts 1:8).
- The Holy Spirit produces in us the fruit [character] or evidence of His work and presence in our lives (Galatians 5:22-23).
As you can see Jesus’ gift of the Helper or the Holy Spirit is actively revealing to us that we are loved, forgiven and accepted by Father God!
