Take them to the truth
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore, I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (Jn. 16:13-15 ESV)
Jesus desired to share with the disciples many more things but knew they could not bear to hear them at this point, but he promises that when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide them into all truth. Earlier in John 14:6 Jesus stated that he is the way, the truth, and the life. Now he states that the Spirit of truth will lead the disciples into all truth. So, the Spirit will lead the disciples into all the truth related to and all the implications coming out of who Jesus is. Jesus is the truth so all truth is bound up in him and the promise to the disciples is that the Spirit will lead them into all truth.
How will the Spirit accomplish this task?
He will not speak on his own authority, but he will only speak what he hears. The Spirit doesn’t just decide what to say or how to say it. He speaks only what he hears. He speaks only what is spoken to him. He is not on his own mission. He is not speaking his own words. He will take from what belongs to Christ and declare it to the disciples and what Christ has all belongs to the Father.
He will glorify the Son. He will declare things that are to come, that is the things that are in consequence of Christ’s revelation of who he is. He will never contradict anything Christ taught or said. All that he communicates will be in line with the Father and the Son. He will glorify the Son by taking all that Jesus is in person and deed and making it clear to the disciples.
The Spirit is the promised Helper. He will convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgement. He will lead the followers of Christ into all truth. He will make clear who Jesus is and what Jesus has done. In all that he communicates there will be perfect harmony with the Father and the Son.
Dear friends, nothing has changed.
The Spirit still guides followers of Christ into all truth – that is into an understanding of who Christ is and what he has done. Nothing the Spirit reveals will ever contradict what we have in Scripture. There is no new revelation that is needed but only a guiding into the truth already revealed. We have no need of a new word or a fresh word from God as if the “old” word has been exhausted or as if it has grown stale. We need the Spirit of truth to guide us into all truth and to teach us all of whom Christ is and what he has done.
As you counsel others take them to the truth, take them to Christ. In order to do so you will have to take them to the Scriptures and there the Spirit will work. He will take the word of God and apply it to the heart of the follower of God.
By His Grace Alone,
Josh