The Advantage of the Spirit
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 go, I will send him to you.
John 16:7
All that God does for us is for our benefit. As Paul wrote, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32) From the first moment of creation when the Spirit hovered over the waters it was in His heart to redeem and to complete human life.
How would it be to His disciple’s (or to our) advantage for Christ to have left this earth?
The first meaning of this is in the way that He left, as this refers to His crucifixion and resurrection and ascension. These are only three aspects of His incarnation and accomplishments for our salvation, which include also His virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, His teachings, and His rejection. His death paid the price of our own rebellion, as “he who knew no sin became sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21). His resurrection showed His power over death, and He offers us not only forgiveness but real spiritual life today and a future physical resurrection from the grave; “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life” (Rom. 5:10). His ascension brought Him before the throne of the Father where He continually intercedes for us; “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25).
The second meaning is that the Spirit would come and live and work among His disciples and bear witness in the world through His convicting power (John 16:8–11). Christ during His earthly ministry was limited to being in one place at one time, but the Spirit can cover the whole earth and dwell in every believer’s heart, as well as bear witness to the world wherever the gospel is preached. We now live in the day of the Spirit, in the time when God is pouring out on all flesh His Spirit. The Helper has come and He is with us today!
Each member of the Trinity has had a period in our world’s history where they played the major role and today is the day of the Spirit. This is not the heresy of modalism, that believes God has existed in different ways in history — that the Father became the Son who became the Spirit. We do not see that in the Bible, for in the Old Testament we still see the Spirit there and the mysterious “angel of the Lord,” whom I believe to have been the pre-incarnate Lord Jesus, is also present.
The work of God can be likened to a jazz band in some way, where each member plays along, and then they have a “solo part,” but even then they are backed up by the rest of the members. From creation until Bethlehem, the invisible Father played the main role, though the Spirit and the Son were also active in lesser roles. Then from Bethlehem until the Ascension of Christ, the Son played the main role, though the Father and the Spirit were also still active. Then from Pentecost until now, the Spirit is playing the main role, though the Son and the Father are also still active.
Today is the day of the Spirit, where He is working and moving in our lives and in our world. He is the Spirit of Christ and of the Father. He is not another “god” of some sort, but he is the third Person of the same God who planned our salvation, who died on the cross, who raised Jesus from the dead, and who ascended on high. Today we meet our Savior not face to face, but spirit to spirit — “the Spirit himself bears witness with our spirits that we are children of God” (Rom 8:16).
What a wonderful advantage we have in this age! We are without question the most blessed of all people who lived in different ages. Open up your heart to the Spirit today to listen to Him, to hear Him bear witness to the Savior and to your salvation.
