Jesus Christ defeated the accuser of the world in a most unexpected way. The Lord died sinless on a Cross, descended into Hell, then rose again to the throne of Heaven to judge the living and the dead.
God had banished an angel from heaven just as the Lord had sent man from Eden. The place of Light now separated from darkness, as it was in the beginning.
Apostles (all beloved brothers of John) suffer cruel deaths. First century saints suffered cruel deaths as Christians for following The Way of the Messiah Jesus. Christ reveals the mysteries of heaven to John. Judgment is yet to come for those who oppose the Lord God! Satan and death are defeated and Christ will reign once more.
WE, as Christians, tend to compartmentalize the tenants of our faith. FATHER, that is GOD of the Old Testament. And then the SON, Jesus born, crucified buried, resurrected in body and Spirit — walking around the earth for fifty days in the flesh — then rising into the clouds on Pentecost. Then finallythe HOLY SPIRIT sent to the Apostles of Jesus Christ to help them take the GOSPEL into all the world.
Is that about it?
Does this come close to your concept of the doctrine of TRINITY and timeline of Scripture?
If so, today I want to challenge and expand your compartmentalized view of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. For this deeper dive into Scripture we turn to the original Greek of the New Testament and the role of the Paraclete.
.. but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you..
And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were watching, and a cloud took Him up, out of their sight.
Source: This post quotes the teaching of R. C. Sproul extensively. Not enough can be said to credit this mentor to many for R.C.'s concise scriptural approach to logical conclusions concerning Christ Jesus. I will provide additional information and a link to R.C.'s lifelong ministry near the conclusion of this post.
With Glory to God and gratitude to R.C. Sproul.
Roger Harned
So what is the Paraclete?
FIRST: What the Paraclete is NOT.
As R.C. Sproul states, he is not the Holy Spirit. Since I have just taught on the Holy Spirit and Pentecost we will not spend much time here.
“We sometimes miss Pentecost by idolatry of its imagery. (The Holy Spirit is NOT a dove — it descended on men and women receiving it ‘like a dove.’) – Roger@talkofJesus.com
παράκλητος – Paraclete:
The KJV translates Strong’s G3875 in the following manner:
comforter (4x), advocate (1x).
summoned, called to one’s side, esp. called to one’s aid
par-ak’-lay-tos; an intercessor, consoler:—advocate, comforter.
You’ve probably heard all of these used for the Holy Spirit.
Thayer’s Greek Lexicon adds some additional insight:
παράκλητος, παρακλητου, ὁ (παρακαλέω), properly, summoned, called to one’s side, especially called to one’s aid; hence,
“one who pleads another’s cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant; an advocate”
Consider all of these definitions of the Paraclete.
Perhaps the Holy Spirit is a Paraclete, but not our only comforter, counselor, helper or advocate.
And in the Doctrine of Trinity we must allow for some ambiguity due to the One God being Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Christ the Paraclete
Rather than looking to the Acts of the Apostles at Pentecost as we often do, R.C. Sproul suggests that we look to the Gospels.
Consider the context of the words of Jesus Himself before His crucifixion, resurrection, the glory of Jesus rising into the clouds AND the Power given to the Apostles on Pentecost.
Our soft views of contemporary ‘Christianity’ diminish the role of the Hole Spirit, which is NOT a dove nor is it TONGUES of fire or the speaker of tongues. In like manner we also misunderstand the Paraclete.
Click on the link above to John 14:16 and find the source of our misunderstanding. Translations of the Greek [ἄλλον παράκλητον] allos paraklētos vary widely. For example: another Comforter, another Helper, another Counselor or another Advocate.
We cling to very different imagery of each of these descriptions of the same Greek word spoken by Jesus Christ.
“What kind of Paraclete?” Sproul addresses this in his teaching.
“I don’t like the term counselor here.. because it smacks too much of a mentor who gives us guidance, such as the guidance counselor in school.”
more than a ‘comforter‘
We all need comfort, don’t we? Certainly Jesus’ Disciples and the five hundred first century witnesses of the risen Lord all needed the power of some comforter in view of their persecution to come. Again, to quote Sproul:
“It’s certainly true that one of the things the Holy Spirit does in the life of people of God is to bring comfort. Jesus, in fulfilling the role of the original Paraclete, was also given the title.”
“.. another Paraclete..”
R.C. points out that ‘if we’re paying attention to what Jesus says here, he promises.. “another Paraclete.” An he asks, “Who was the Paraclete?”
Christ is the Paraclete, states Dr. Sproul; and allowing for the complete unity of Trinity, so is the Holy Spirit (as ‘another’ Paraclete).
Again quoting Sproul:
“.. but when Jesus said, ‘I’m going to sent another Paraclete,’ he was not saying, ‘I’m going to send somebody whose primary purpose will be to comfort you.’”
Christians would sure like that, wouldn’t we?Yet Jesus does promise us a Paraclete even better than this.
Advocate – Someone called along side
When I hear the word ‘advocate,’ I picture the T.V. courtroom scenes of Perry Mason.
He is the advocate every innocent defendant will want to stand with them to defend against charges brought before the court. (Perry Mason always wins.)
So I like the idea that Jesus will send us a powerful advocate.
Sproul breaks down the literal Greek to Latin translation:
Para – Along side & kletos, from the verb, kaleo, which means “to call.”
Literally, a paraclete or a parakletos was somebody who was called alongside.
R.C. Sproul in Holy Spirit, Counselor
Sproul points out the Greek word was used for an attorney. Furthermore, a family attorney. He will always be there to defend you.
Again, my Perry Mason imagery, “Counsel, approach the bench.”
Jesus sends this one called alongside believers to defend us. Christ comes beside every saint to defend every time. Sproul then takes us to a scene of Stephen inActs 7, defending him before the court of Heaven.
JUDGMENT!
Do you understand that God has appointed Christ to judge the earth?
from the teaching of R.C. Sproul
Now allow me to ask you this:
Who may stand in the Presence of God?
Only Christ Jesus!
He IS holy in a way equal to God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son is perfectly holy as no other man has ever been.
A courtroom scene of Judgment now gets even better than Perry Mason.
Picture this:
Look up to heaven. The courtroom door is opened by an official who summons you to come in. At the bench as Judge sits Jesus.
You’re more than a little afraid! The Apostle John probably describes the heavenly court best in Revelation saying,
“When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last..”
‘the Judge is going to stand up from behind the bench, come around to the front, an be our defense attorney, our advocate. Isn’t it incredible that Christ will be our defender?
Christ who comes along side us
What every Christian knows is true differs from the T.V. courtroom scene. Yes, Perry Mason also wins the case; but his client is innocent. What we know for certain is that we are guilty!
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus..
Therefore, every creature in the image of God must have an Advocate to come alongside and Christ Jesus, who died for sinners, is the only One who can represent us, each mortal sinner made from dust into which God has breathed spirit.
‘and they worshipped Him.’
We’ve glanced at the scene of the Apostles looking up at Jesus as the Lord leaves them once more as Luke records in Acts 1. Yet as Sproul points out, back in Luke’s Gospel he adds an important detail.
50 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.
And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.
Previously, back in Jerusalem He had said:
“These things I have spoken to you so that you will not be led into sin.. “But because I have said these things to you, grief has filled your heart. But I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I am leaving; for if I do not leave, the [paraklētos] will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. – John 16:1,6-7
the Paraclete will convict the world
I would be remiss to close this case scheduled for the Highest Court with the Paraclete called to your side without presenting R.C.’s plea to the church concerning Judgment.
Sproul makes a case for the Holy Spirit you need to hear.
The Spirit will convince or convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of Judgment.
The Triune God, p.331
‘One of the things Jesus did was expose false theories of righteousness..’ ‘Perhaps what Jesus is saying is, “What I did in my earthly ministry, now the Spirit will do as my replacement –“
We have a choice, my fellow beloved sinner.Who will be your Paraclete at the last Judgment?Hear what the Spirit says to the churches. — Or not.
Are you completely convinced? OR
Will you be convicted along with the world (without Christ Jesus to represent you)?
Why are you a Christian?
In the year of our Lord 2021, the world continues to grow population currently about seven billion, nine hundred million people and increasingly continues in its sin. Yet in these last days Jesus Christ is mocked as He was on the Cross by a world embroiled in sin. Did you sign up for that?
Sproul asks: What brought you to repentance? He continues:
“In addition to the objective evidence of your sin, the Holy Spirit cut through all your deceitful barriers that kept you from coming to the cross of Christ..
And here R.C. adds a judicial foreshadowing of the heavenly court.
“.. throwing yourself at his mercy, and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner.’ God had to melt your heart.. and it was God the Holy Spirit who brought that inner conviction.”
the Courtroom of Heaven!
And He, when He comes, will convict the world regarding sin, and righteousness, and judgment: regarding sin, because they do not believe in Me..
Jesus Christ IS in heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father. A call will go out from the courtroom of heaven to all mortal flesh.
We cannot see this Highest Court.. And we will not get in until, like any other defendant, we are called.
the Paraclete of Pentecost
Christ Jesus is our Advocate! (Or He may be IF you will make Him your Lord.) Sproul concludes:
The Holy Spirit will not allow the world’s view of sin, righteousness, and judgment to prevail, because he’s the Spirit of truth, sent to the world by the Father and by the Son.
R.C. Sproul – Holy Spirit, Counselor
Heaven’s courtroom door is not the gate of Eden. And we are NOT called up to see heaven until our case comes up on the JUDGE’s docket.
But our time is near — Death! OR even The End of all earthly things…
What will you see when death’s door opens?
Who will you see when your NAME is called?
Will the Judge, seated behind the bench, STAND in your defense?
Roger, [or your Name] – ‘APPROACH THE BENCH’
R.C. Sproul(1939-2017)
With gratitude for his teaching of Scripture, I thank God for the source of most of the previous material, one of the Lord’s most faithful teaching mentors of many scriptural pastors, R. C. Sproul.
For more information and many doctrinally sound sermons and teaching please visit Dr. Sproul’s lifelong library at LIGONIER MINISTRIES.
We needn’t attempt to measure the devastation of nuclear holocausts beyond that of just two cities in 1945 Japan to realize that when a time of the wrath of God is to come upon the world at the end of these last days its terrorized creatures, men of dust and ashes, will hope to hide from Almighty God.
12 I watched as the Lamb broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood.
Would a nuclear blast above your city or an even more powerful manifestation of the Lord God not do the same in an instant? It would blacken the sun, cloud the moon and choke God’s breath of life from the atmosphere!
13 Then the stars of the sky fell to the earth like green figs falling from a tree shaken by a strong wind.
The Apostle John sees them as stars, but the science of these last days tell us that even an asteroid (let alone many meteors striking the earth) would destroy life as we know it. And ‘mother nature’ never caused it, nor could sinful scientists prevent it.Just imagine the force of a hurricane throwing the hard surfaces of space onto the homes and workplaces of your existence.
14 The sky was rolled up like a scroll, and all of the mountains and islands were moved from their places.
It is a hail storm, a tornado; the eruption of a volcano swallowing up the earth and pouring fire into the cities; a hurricane and tsunami billowing waves of destruction into the unsuspecting great cities by the sea.
Terror at the Wrath of the Lord!
Then everyone—the kings of the earth, the rulers, the generals, the wealthy, the powerful, and every slave and free person—all hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains.
NO, it will not be only on earth — but from beneath it and into the depths of the seas the vengeance of Almighty God will finally punish the wicked and sinners..
Deaths of 25% of Mankind; >1 BILLION, 961 MILLION
> the TOTAL POPULATIONS of Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Northern America, (including the U.S.) and Oceania.
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