RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2020-09-17	Why Is It Better That Christ Went Away (Jn.16:7)?
		Joh 16:7  Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. Joh 16:8  And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Joh 16:9  of sin, because they do not believe in Me; Joh 16:10  of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; Joh 16:11  of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.   Jesus said it would be better for us believers that He would go away. Why is Christ's physical absence from the disciples better for us than His physical presence with us? A related question is why did Jesus need to leave before the Holy Spirit could come? Why couldn't the Holy Spirit come in full power while Jesus was still here on the earth with us? The bigger question is what is God doing, and why does He do it this way? This sheds light on the history of redemption. Could the Spirit have come in full power while Christ was on earth? The Holy Spirit could not have come in full Christ-exalting, Gospel-applying, deep-sin-convicting, and Satan-defeating power while Jesus was on the earth. The reason He could not was because all the above expressions of power are based upon the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. Christ still had to accomplish redemption for us. He had not yet been to the cross. Christ had to accomplish His purpose in redemption before the Holy Spirit could glorify these expressions of power. The basic ministry of the Holy Spirit in us in this age is the glorification of Jesus Christ crucified. Christ must be crucified for sin, risen from the grave, triumphant over Satan, and forgiving sins on the basis of His blood. The Holy Spirit's ministry is not power in general. Rather, it is particularly Christ glorifying power through the Gospel. The resurrection and the ascension shows the world to be wrong and convicted about the justice of Jesus crucified (Jn.16:9-10). It names them as guilty. And it is the Holy Spirit's work to make that clear after the resurrection of Jesus. When did the ruler of this world, Satan, get judged (Jn.16:11)? This was accomplished in the death and resurrection of Jesus (Cl.2:15). Joh 16:12  "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. Joh 16:13  However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. The Holy Spirit will guide believers into all truth which has yet to be accomplished in Jesus' death and resurrection. Joh 16:14  He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. The Holy Spirit will glorify Christ. This is the most important sentence about the work of the Holy Spirit. Specifically, the Holy Spirit will glory in Christ's resurrection and achievement over sin and Satan on the cross. Joh 7:38  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." Joh 7:39  But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. The Holy Spirit has not been given because Christ has not yet been glorified by dying on the cross and rising. We know the Holy Spirit was present in the ministry of Jesus. He caused people to be born again (Jn.3). Jesus performed His ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit. We know the Holy Spirit was present in the OT (Ps.51; Is.53). We know the Spirit was there, but He could not do His most essential work which is to glorify the crucified and risen Christ. 2Co 3:18  But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. So the essential ministry of the Spirit is to lift the veil, cause us to see the glory of Christ, transform His church into the likeness of Jesus. The Spirit's rule is to reveal the glory of Christ in the Gospel. The New Covenant power only comes on the basis of the shed blood of Jesus (Lk.22:20). Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

An Evangelical Free Church of America

23304 E Wellesley Ave. Otis Orchards, WA 99027 Church Office: 509.926.9552 Church Cell: 509.342.9145 Pastor Cell: 509.828.8843 tomelseroad@gmail.com