Nowadays, that seems to advocacy organizations are the “in-thing”, across the political spectrum, there seems to be an advocate or advocacy group for everything.
As a follower of Christ, you also have an advocate.
To help you as a follower of Christ navigate a world full of difficulties, the Holy Spirit works to transform (Sanctify) each genuine believer to a fuller identity and understanding of God.
The night before He was crucified, Jesus, knowing his physical departure was imminent, made several promises to his disciples. Their spirits were troubled and He wanted to comfort them and assure them. All Christ believers can also take heart in what Jesus described as the coming of a “helper” or “advocate.”
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16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, that He may be with you forever; 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him. You know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. – John 14:16-17
25 “These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. – John 14:25-26
The Advocate is one of the titles of The Holy Spirit, also known as the third person of what the Bible teaches as an integral part of one God. Many refer to the three parts of God as described in the Bible as the “triune” God.
In verse 16 Jesus makes a powerful statement of truth in that the Holy Spirit will be with the disciples “forever.” This reinforces that truth that a true believer in Christ is saved only by Grace and will never be snatched out of the Father’s hand:
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish—ever; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. – John 10:27-29
Here’s some truth to face: If you were responsible to secure your own salvation you would fail.
When Jesus does something for you, giving you the gift of eternal life, it is a done deal. The question that every believer asks is how are they certain that they have received the gift of eternal life, that is of Christ’s righteousness having been imputed upon him or her.
Are you walking in the Spirit?
Walking by the Holy Spirit
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you do not do the things that you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become those with vain glory, challenging one another, envying one another. – Galatians 5:16-26
If your life in Christ leads to the above mentioned “fruits.” This is the work of the Holy Spirit.
The only way you can steadfastly follow in spiritual beliefs is to either have a pure conscience, or work towards a pure conscience by faithfully studying and acting upon the moral standards and commands from God’s word. It’s a process, one that produces if not demands results.
The Advocate helps with discerning Truth
14 Remind them of these things, solemnly charging them in the presence of God not to dispute about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. 16 But avoid godless and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, 17 and their word will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to depart from wickedness.” 2 Timothy 2:14-19.
If you are seeking the truth, it is indispensable to seek God’s will by studying the word of God. Commentary, preaching and lecturers are very helpful, but everything must be supported by Scripture. Without the anchor of God’s Word, you can easily be sent adrift. In this effort, the Holy Spirit will help guide believers seeking the truth.
The Bible must be treated as truthful, inerrant, authoritative. For new believers, it is crucial to read Jesus’s teachings and warnings to help right your life full of worldly misunderstandings. I often refer to Matthew 7 for the most salient wake up calls for any lazy or ignorant people who call themselves Christians but are only Christian In Name Only.
If you are working hard to prove the Bible through the lens of worldly teachings, that is a secular practice. The Bible supports itself as the inspired Word and revelation of God. The Bible, for followers of Christ, judge worldly works, not the other way around. If you don’t believe that, I recommend you take as sober look at Matthew 7, Jesus’s own words of exhortation.
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, as Christ promised to believers would come in Christ’s absence, will help reveal and guide you to the truth. For the same reasons that people who are not transformed by the Holy Spirit cannot accept the truths in the Bible, those who do become believers in Christ, will begin to have the truth of Scripture revealed to them through God’s advocate for believers, the Holy Spirit.
The spiritually dead need an Advocate
Regarding being dead in our sins, in Ephesians 2, the Apostle Paul writes:
2 And you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom we all also formerly conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. – Ephesians 2:1-3
It is a pretty stark analogy: Dead people are not capable to saving themselves. That should be humbling. Sort of like needing help while you are in the middle of a serious kidney stone spasm and the narcotics are not working. You need help bad. The Holy Spirit works as an advocate, and we ought to be open to the assistance. We are spiritually dead without it.
Helping you live for God is the mission of the Holy Spirit. Self-directed, it is not our natural inclination to give our lives in service to God. It is our unredeemed nature to turn away from God, to flee from God, to glorify self and the things of this world rather than God.
When we are transformed by the Holy Spirit we begin to have hearts that desire to please God, that means to repent of our sins and to live to love God and to love others for the sake of Christ our Lord and Savior. We begin to live in the light of promised eternal kingdom and not only this earthly existence.
“God so loved the world…” and one important manifestations of the Body of Christ, that others who are lost in their sin, the unrighteous, the despised, unwanted, and the unloved may recognize God reaching out for them.
When we received the Holy Spirit, we have the most powerful advocate we can ever have.
For a one minute explanation of the Gospel, watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCP9UcC7BzE
For a review of the Ten Commandments: https://www.challenyee.com/the-ten-commandments/
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Bible passages from the Legacy Standard Version
2-10-24