GUIDED BY THE SPIRIT OF
TRUTH
"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth." JOHN 16:13. We are not to follow every spirit, "but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world," 1JO 4:1. These false prophets or preachers who preach a gospel devoid of repentance have not received the Spirit of truth. Pilot asked Jesus "What is truth?" JOH 18:38. Our Lord Jesus said in JOH 17:17, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." All true God sent Ministers learn to discern the truth by searching the Scriptures. This is the same principle taught by our Lord’s example with His bride; "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word," EPH 5:26. Our Saviour cautions us that we are to search the Scriptures to discern the truth. False prophets or false spirits are revealed by their attitudes toward God’s will--and their actions. "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves," MAT 7:15. In the context of our text our Saviour very clearly describes the work of the Spirit of Truth. JOH 16:8 says, "And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." This word "reprove" comes from the Greek word "elegcho." which means to admonish or convince, to tell a fault, to rebuke, convict, or reprove." This teaches how the Spirit of Truth works repentance by convincing the "the world of sin." It is by this conviction of the Spirit of Truth that the world is brought to the light of the Gospel of Christ. Our Saviour tells us why the unrepentant sinner who loves sin hates that light. "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved," JOH 3:19-20. Our text says, " when the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth." He not only convinces the world of sin, but also of "righteousness," JOH 16:8. This word "righteousness" comes from the Greek word "dikaiosune" which means, "a condition or character acceptable unto God, integrity, virtue, purity of life, correctness of thinking, feeling and acting." So how does the Holy Spirit reprove us of righteousness? By showing us our vile nature and wrong attitudes and actions in the light of the perfect righteousness of Christ! 1JO 2:4-6 says, "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." As these graces of the Spirit are bestowed upon us we will begin to understand in what way the Spirit reproves us "Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged," JOH 16:11. When the prince of this world is judged, he is dethroned from our hearts and the power of Satan and sin are broken. ROM 6:16 says, "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" As the prince of this world is judged, Christ is exalted. Our Saviour said, "Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die," JOH 12:31-33. So what death did our Saviour die? "For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord," ROM 6:10. When the Spirit of Truth comes to dwell in your heart He will guide you into the Truth as it is in the Lord Jesus Christ, set forth in the Word of Truth. Amen.
"Take up thy cross and follow Me," |