September 25, 2023
The Mission-Minded Christian
“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning. These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling.” John 15:26- 16:1 (NASB)
The other night my wife and I were watching a television show. We were getting more and more aggravated. It seems in every series; scandal pervades. After noticing it, I saw how many we saw resistance to existing truths of yesteryear. Our televisions are filled with the idea of scandal as a “pushing back against societal norms.” It is all in the name of expressions of independence, and embracing self. What they are doing is pushing back on God’s truth.
“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me,” When Jesus gave the disciples His mission, He knew the world would treat them the same way He was treated. He knew the trouble they would face. Truth itself would be confronting the hate and despise of God. This is why Jesus gave them the Spirit of Truth when He left Earth. By giving them the Spirit of Truth, Jesus knew that hostility to the Truth would be a challenge for the disciples. He also knew the Spirit of Truth would be the One who would equip and empower the disciples for the upcoming and ongoing work. It was a supernatural work; therefore, it would take supernatural empowerment to help them carry out their mission. The Spirit of Truth would be their divine plumbline in the days ahead. “… and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning. These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling.” While Jesus was with the disciples on earth, He was their guiding Light. When He left Earth, He told them He would send them the Spirit of Truth who would be the same as He. The Spirit of God and Jesus are in Oneness. The Spirit would deliver the same leadership, diving authority, and position to the disciples. He would keep the disciples from “stumbling.” Interestingly, stumbling is the Greek word, skandalizō; meaning to put a snare (in the way), hence to cause to stumble, to give offense.[1] Our modern English term scandal comes from this word. A scandal is defined as a circumstance or action that offends propriety or established moral conceptions or disgraces those associated with it. A person whose conduct offends propriety or morality. A scandal to the profession. Loss of or damage to reputation caused by actual or apparent violation of morality or propriety: disgrace. A malicious or defamatory gossip. Indignation, chagrin, or bewilderment brought about by a flagrant violation of morality, propriety, or religious opinion. Discredit is brought upon religion by unseemly conduct in a religious person. Conduct that causes or encourages a lapse of faith or of religious obedience in another.[2]
Jesus knew the disciples would face some hard times ahead. Their course could be altered if the enemy had his way. They needed something more; the Holy Spirit; the Spirit of Truth. Today, each of us is faced with a society that tells us it is okay to push back against the norms. They encourage it. The truth is; that it pushes back against the holiness of God. It is satanic in its origin, so don’t fall for it. Jesus gave believers His Spirit to lead them into Truth!
[1] Thomas, R. L. (1998). In New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek dictionaries : updated edition. Foundation Publications, Inc.