Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

Jesus Himself indicated why the Holy Spirit (or "the Comforter", as Jesus referred to Him) would be manifested after Jesus had completed His work of salvation and returned to the Father (John 16:7-15):

1) He would console, strengthen, and empower the apostles (which extends to all of Christ's followers, down to the present day), since Jesus would no longer be physically present among them.

2) He would enable the apostles to remember all that Jesus had done and said, so that they could make an accurate record of it, and so that they would be able to pass Jesus' teachings to others, just as Jesus had taught them (including giving the apostles the ability to evangelize in languages that they had not previously known or studied (Acts 2:4)).

3) He would pass on to the apostles all the things that Jesus had not had the time or the opportunity to tell them during His time on earth.

4) He would be God's presence with them forever. (That is, He would not go away, as Jesus did when He physically ascended back to the Father, but would always abide not just with them, but within them.) 

5) He would show the people of the unsaved world that their views regarding sin, righteousness, and judgment were wrong, and needed to be changed through faith in Christ (as He still continues to do today).

In addition to the above functions, He would also:

1) bear witness to the reality and power of Jesus' finished work of salvation by the miraculous acts and signs that He would enable the apostles to perform (Mark 16:20), so that Jesus might be glorified;

2) reveal future events to the apostles (as He did with John in Revelation);

3) give spiritual gifts to Christ's followers, according to God's will (as noted by Paul in 1 Corinthians 12); and

4) enable Christ's followers to bear spiritual fruit (through the attributes also noted by Paul in Galatians 5:22-23).

September 16 2016 • 3 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

James R

The Holy Ghost/Spirit is none other than the unique impartation of God (the Father and Jesus) within a believer in Jesus Christ. The believer is now a new creation 2 Cor 5:17, equipped by God to have his mind renewed Rom 12:2 and sealed for everlasting life Eph 1:13.

September 17 2016 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report