Friday, October 28

For an audio version of this, click here.

Friday

Not long ago I came across an advertisement that caught my attention, this is how it read…“Start the major love affair of your life by spending a weekend with yourself. Take two days out of your life to spend just with you. To explore and discover yourself in ways you cannot do by yourself. Discover the most fascinating, wondrous, magnificent person you will ever know - yourself - in an experience you'll never forget.”

The ad was for something called “The Advocate Experience”.  The reason that it caught my attention was that I had been studying and thinking about our series on the Holy Spirit, and the word Advocate is one of the words used to describe who the Spirit is. 

If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth.   – John 14:15-16

The word Counselor is the Greek word ‘paraclete’, and it literally means “one who is called to be with”  (para = to stand with, cletos = called or sent)  Some English Bible translations use other words to try capture the meaning of this Greek word.  The King James Bible uses the term “Comforter” for the Holy Spirit.  Certainly the Holy Spirit does comfort us, but calling Him a comforter makes Him sound kind of like a quilt.  Other translations use the term “Helper” or “Advocate”.  The reality is that no one English word can convey the depth and richness of who the Holy Spirit is and what He does. 

Even the word “counselor” is inadequate or incomplete.  What kind of counselor are we talking about?  Is the Holy Spirit like a camp counselor?  Is he an older buddy to sing songs and roast marshmallows with?  Or is He more like a therapist or marriage counselor, someone you go see when you are having a crisis?  What kind of counselor are we talking about?  The New Testament makes it quite clear that the Holy Spirit is much more than a camp counselor, a paid consultant, or a therapist.

Recently I went to observe the closing arguments of court case in which a friend of mine was representing two other good friends.  It was fascinating to see my friend in action; to hear him cross-examine witnesses, present evidence, reason with the jury, and argue for what he believed was the truth.  I know that lawyers are not often used as good examples in our society.  However, as I sat there listening to my friend make his case before the judge and jury it occurred to me that this is a pretty good image of who the Holy Spirit is and what He does in the hearts of all believers.  The Holy Spirit reasons with us.  The Holy Spirit argues with us and contends with us for the truth.  He advises us on how to proceed, or move forward in our lives. Sometimes He even puts us on the stand and cross-examines us!  But the primary way that the Holy Spirit is a counselor to us is that He defends us before the accusations of our own hearts.  Listen to the following passages that describe how the Holy Spirit works in us to help us see the amazing reality of our identity in Christ.

This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence, whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.  – 1 John 3:19-20

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense — Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.  – 1 John 2:1

Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out,  “Abba, Father.”  - Galatians 4:6

We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.  – 1 Corinthians 2:12

It is one thing to know intellectually that you are forgiven and loved by God, it is quite another thing to experience the love of the Father.  The Holy Spirit is working in you to help you experience the love of God in your life.

Jeff Frazier