Knowing God
In John 14, Jesus spoke to his disciples about being the way, the truth and the light. He had finished the final support with His disciples where He washed their feet and told them about His betrayal by Judas and his denial by Peter. Understandably, the disciples were anxious and worried, but Jesus encouraged them to believe in Him and to believe in God. He promised to go away to prepare a place for them and to return to receive them to live with Him.
Thomas was puzzled about where Jesus was going and asked about the way to be with Him. “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). He also said to His disciples that if they know Him, they will also know the Father. He was saying that the way to know God is to know Him.
Philip, who was still unclear, asked Jesus to show him the father. Jesus reiterated His original point, that anyone who had seen Him, had seen the Father. He was also surprised that Philip had been with Him for such a long time and yet did not understand who He was. He said that He is in the Father and the Father is in Him. Jesus spoke not with his own authority, but God was at work through Him. The signs, wonders and miracles that Jesus did on earth, was the Father at work through Him. Furthermore, when we pray to God, through Jesus Christ and as we ask for anything in His name, God hears and answers us. Later in the chapter, Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit who is our helper. The requirement for the Holy Spirit is obeying the commandments of God, so that the Holy Spirit will live in us. He does not live in the world, because the world does not know or receive God.
In essence, even after Jesus’s death and ascension, the disciples and believers were not left alone. The Holy Spirit has made His home in us and is God living in us. “But the Helper, 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 have said to you” (John 14:26). The Holy Spirit lives in us as the third person of the trinity and God’s spirit who raised Christ from the dead. He is our hope, comfort, teacher and the inner witness of God’s promise, to return to take us back to live with Him. Reading the Bible helps us to truly know God, as we increase in knowledge and understanding. We have to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and savior, as He is the only way to God. Once we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and savior, the Holy Spirit will live in us and teach us all things.
The Holy Spirit also makes intercession for us, with words that are too deep for us to understand (Romans 8:26). Jesus also sits in heaven and continues to make intercession for us (Romans 8:34). He is our high Priest who understands our infirmities and frailties, because He was tempted in every way that we are. As we pray through the Holy Spirit, in the name of Jesus, and study the Word, we continue to grow in Christlike maturity. Fellowshipping with other believers also helps us to grow spiritually, as we sharpen each other with the Word. The Church together with the five fold ministries and spiritual gifts continue to sharpen and edify the church, as we are prepared for Christ’s return. Our salvation is a gift, by faith through grace and as we submit to the Holy Spirit’s leading, He will teach us all things that we need to know about God.
Question for Reflection:
1. Have you ever felt the presence of the Holy Spirit? If so, what did it feel like? Did you tell others about your experience?
