Nathan Brewer
After three years of constant teaching, the men who would become the Apostles of Christ still needed help.
Before He was betrayed and arrested, Jesus gave a farewell speech of sorts to His apostles, recorded in John chapters 13-17. In this setting, Jesus tells them about the coming of the “Comforter.” “If ye love me keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth… I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you” (John 14:15-18).
“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” (John 16:7).
Jesus said He was leaving, but He was sending another to take His place. This Comforter, the Holy Spirit, would perform some of the same things that Jesus had the previous three years. The primary function of the Comforter—the Spirit of truth—was to infallibly reveal the Gospel to Christ’s chosen ambassadors.
“I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:12-13a).
Just as Jesus had been revealing truth, the Comforter would continue this work in Jesus’ absence.
The apostles received the Comforter in Jerusalem a few days after Jesus ascended to heaven (Acts 2:1-4). This enabled them to perform miracles and preach the Gospel in words given to them from heaven. Did the Holy Spirit guide the Apostles into all truth as Jesus promised, or is truth being revealed today? For those who trust the Lord, and for those who understand the work of the Holy Spirit in revealing the Good News of salvation, to ask the question is to answer it.
The Holy Spirit is no longer revealing truth. He has already delivered all truth to Christ’s hand-picked spokesmen. There’s nothing left to reveal.
People today who claim that the Holy Spirit talks directly to them are mistaken. There are no Apostles, no prophets, no one receiving divine revelation today. The Holy Spirit completed that work in the first century when He revealed the Gospel.
The Apostles and prophets of the first century wrote down those words in the group of books we call the New Testament and miraculously confirmed those documents.
To respect Jesus Christ you must hear His written word. All truth was revealed long ago. Quit waiting for the Holy Spirit to nudge you or whisper in your ear. Read the Bible to know God’s plan, because that’s what will judge us on the last day (John 12:48).
