WHO IS THE COMFORTER?>>>>>>. I want to discuss something technical and should be read over and over again with diligence before asking any question. It is a message meant to be preach by ONE AUTHORITY and that is why you will find it strange.>>> When Jesus was on earth, the major things He did was explaining the Scriptures to the people and preaching the message of the Kingdom. Luke 8 vs 1. 1 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him. Luke 24 vs 44-45. 44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures. Acts 1 vs 1-3. 1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Before the departure of Jesus, He said that the things He explained was in part(not complete). Jesus said that there somethings He is supposed to say which He did not say. Jesus said that it was the COMFORTERS duty to explain the things He did not say. John 16 vs 7-13. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 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 shew you things to come. Today, in Christendom, there is a MISCONCEPTION about the Comforter because of the way Jesus spoke about the Comforter. Jesus called the Comforter Spirit and Holy Ghost. John 14 vs 26. 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. For this reason, it is believed that the COMFORTER is the HOLY SPIRIT that came on the day of Pentecost. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost is NOT the fulfilment of the promised Comforter. Let us see what Peter has to say. Acts 2 vs 14-18. 14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. Peter did not say what happened was the fulfilment of the promised Comforter rather, he said that what happened was the fulfilment of what prophet Joel spoke about. Joel 2 vs 28-29. 28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. Jesus also gave promise about what happened on the day of Pentecost. He called it promise of my father because prophet Joel has spoken about it already. Luke 24 vs 49. 49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. Acts 1 vs 8. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Note the major difference between these promises. Jesus said that the Comforter was to teach all things including the things Jesus did not teach while, the Holy Spirit was to give the apostles the boldness to preach what Jesus has taught them>>>>> I will explain why the the Comforter was called the Holy Ghost at the end of this article. Jesus said in John 14 vs 15 that He will pray the Father to send ANOTHER Comforter suggesting that there was a Comforter at the scene where the promise was made or a Comforter has like the one to come has existed before. John 14 vs 16. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever. The Holy Spirit is one. The Holy Spirit has never been pluralised in the bible trying to show that there are more than one Holy Spirit. When the promise was made in John 14 vs 16, the Comforter present at the scene was Jesus and that was why He said ANOTHER>>>> what are the Characteristics of the Comforter? (1) Jesus said that the Comforter teaches all things. John 14 vs 26. 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Who teaches all things? John 4 vs 25. We can see clearly that both the Christ and the Comforter teach all things. They are one. (2) Jesus said that the Comforter ABIDES forever. John 14 vs 16. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever. Who abides forever? John 12 vs 34. 34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man? We can also see clearly here that both the Christ and the Comforter abide forever. They are one. Who is the HOLY SPIRIT? God is a Spirit. John 4 vs 24. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. God(Spirit) is Holy and that is why He is called Holy Spirit. The Holy is just an adjective qualifying God as a Spirit. Psalms 95 vs 8-11. 8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. 10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: 11 Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest. God spoke all these words. Let us see what Paul said also. Hebrews 3 vs 7-11. 7 Wherefore the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, 8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. 10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. 11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest. ). Paul used Holy Ghost instead of God. It is just too clear that the Holy Spirit is God. 2Peter 1 vs 20-21. 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost..... As they were moved by the Holy Ghost..... Acts 3 vs 21. 21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.... As God has spoken by the mouth..... God is the Holy Spirit. They are one. Jesus said that whatever the Comforter hears, that is what he will speak, showing that the Comforter was dependent. If I want to assume that the Comforter is the Holy Spirit, who can teach teach the Holy Spirit? Who does the Holy Spirit(God) listen to before He does anything? Let us see from the bible, if the bible provided an answer. Isaiah 40 vs 13-14. 13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? 14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding? No answer was given. The Comforter is a Human teacher just like Jesus on earth and that was why Jesus said ANOTHER COMFORTER. If the Comforter is the Holy Spirit that came on the day of Pentecost, definitely, the Holy Spirit would have taught everything so that the words of Jesus will be fulfilled. But, Apostle Paul said that what he and other Apostles knew were in part. 1Corinth 13 vs 9-10. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. The Comforter(a teacher like Jesus) is the one that comes with the perfection Paul spoke about. The Comforter is the Seventh Angel that finishes the mystery which Jesus did not finish. Rev 10. vs 7. 7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. An Angel in the bible can be used to refer to a Servant of God(pastor). Rev. Vs 1,8 and 12. 1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; 12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges. Galatians 4 vs 14. 14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Why then did Jesus call the Comforter the Holy Ghost when Jesus knew that the Comforter is a human teacher? The reason is that the Comforter is the SOLE MEDIUM through which the Holy Spirit speaks to the world. The only source of the accurate knowledge of God. Let us see what Jesus said about Himself when He was on earth. John 14 vs 8-10. 8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Jesus made us to understand that His literal body is not the one doing the works rather the father(Holy spirit) that dwells in Him is the one doing the work. Jesus said He is the Father because, Jesus on earth was the visible vessel through which the Father spoke. It was in this sense Jesus referred to the Comforter as the Holy Ghost. He is the Holy Ghost means that the Comforter(Human teacher) is the Sole Medium through which the Holy Ghost does His works in the last days. Compare these statements of Jesus and see if you can clearly get the truth there. John 16 vs 13 and John 14 vs 10. 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 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 shew you things to come. Wait for the article about HOW CHRIST RETURNS to complement this write-up. God bless you!!!
Posted on: Thu, 21 Nov 2013 17:40:18 +0000