John 16:13, 14

Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.

Joh 16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.

Clearly this passage Jesus is speaking of someone else other than himself when he says “he shall glorify me”. This verse is also referring to “the spirit of truth”. So who is that “spirit of truth” that will not testify of himself but shall speak of Christ.

1Jn 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the Spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Looking carefully at this verse it tells us that the “spirit of truth” is known by those who are of God. And it is contrasted with the “spirit of error”. In John 16:13, 14 “the Spirit of truth” is called “he” 7 times. Therefore John is saying that this “Spirit of truth” is a he. Who is the “he” John is talking about? Let’s look at verse 2 of the same passage and who “the spirit of truth” is.

1Jn 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

So it is a “he”. The “Spirit of truth” which is interchanged with “the Spirit of God” is “Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh”. So we can see that people are referred to as “spirits” by John. Now let’s read John 16 again understanding this concept.

Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he[Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh], the Spirit of truth, is come, he[Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh] will guide you into all truth: for he[Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh] shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he[Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh] shall hear, that shall he[Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh] speak: and he[Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh] will show you things to come.

Joh 16:14 He[Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh] shall glorify me: for he[Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh] shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.

Now, perhaps a little repetitive. But Christ is speaking of someone else in this verse. Unlike in John 14:17,18 when he says:

Joh 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Joh 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

You know it is Christ our comforter and the father who make their abode in us. We do not speak of ourselves, but we glorify him, we declare that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.

There is no comforter like Christ, so tender and so true. He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. His Spirit speaks to the heart.… The influence of the Holy Spirit is the life of Christ in the soul. (Ellen White, Review & Herald, October 26, 1897)

Now lets’ look at who else can be referred to by John as “he, the spirit of truth”.

Heb 1:7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
Heb 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

Now angels are ministering spirits, holy spirits, spirits of truth who are sent in Jesus name to show things to come. In fact let’s look at who John receives testimony from in the book of Revelation.

Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

Notice the order of this message how is it passed on here.

1.From God2.To Jesus3.By his Angel4.To his servant John and his other servants

So, here we have a ministering spirit[angel] giving the message to John. The spirit of truth is come to “show you things to come”[John 16:13, Rev 1:1] and “he does not speak of himself”[John 16:13, Rev 1:1] but he is giving the “Revelation of Jesus Christ”. “Showing his servants things which must shortly come to pass”.

This is reiterated in the book. Notice the message to the churches. Christ is speaking to them through the angel.

Rev 3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

Seven spirits of God. Possibly seven angels standing before the throne. [Rev 1:4] Seven Spirits can refer to Seven beings. God the father is a spirit[John 4:23, 24]. Our Lord Jesus Christ is a spirit[2 Cor 3:17]. And John refers to us as spirits[1 John 4:1-6] and also angels as spirits[Heb 1:7,14].

Now who is it that is giving the message? Who is speaking to the church?

Rev 3:6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

The spirit of truth has given this message. It is God to Christ to the angel to John. Now if there is another distinct and separate being in this matter called the “Holy Spirit” John wasn’t told about him in Revelation 1:1. The angel is made up of spirit and body. Just as Christ has a body, the father has a body, and we have a body. However at times in scripture we are referred to as spirits. The body without the spirit is dead as James says.

Truth about God

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