The Advocate

Over the last three weeks we have been asking the question , “Who is the Holy Spirit?” We’ve seen him as the third member of the trinity. Last week we saw him as the Life giver or the one who brings regeneration to the repentant. Today we are going to look at another aspect of the Holy Spirit. The Advocate .

Comfort. When we think of this word what images come to mind? Maybe its you in your favorite pair of Pajamas curled up on the couch watching a movie on a Friday night. Maybe it’s the feeling you get when you visit the home you grew up in or hang out with that one friend that you’ve known your entire life.

When we think of comfort our minds often run to those places that are free from conflict, pressure, and fear. While this is a form of comfort this isn’t what Jesus was promising when He spoke to his disciples in the Gospel of John.

Depending on what translation you use the Holy Spirit is called the counselor, the helper, comforter and the advocate. None of these interpretations are wrong. It alls comes from the same Greek word “Paraclete”. This word is one of those Greek words that has no single word translation into English.

This why there are so many different translations of this same word. I think the closest we come to correctly understanding this word, is when you take all of the translations as whole and examine the context in which it is found. It is then you get a more complete picture of the English meaning of the word. If I had to pick one word to use, I think I would use the title “The Advocate. In the following verses the CSB translators used the word “counselor”

John 14:16 (CSB)

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.

John 14:26 CSB

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.

John 15:26 CSB

“When the Counselor comes, the one I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father—he will testify about me.

and its not wrong but in our current culture I think this English rendering easily is misunderstood much like the use of “helper”. We think of a helper or counselor as one that is their to solve our problems or to ease them. We tend to think of the Holy Spirit like a divine psychologist.

While this is certainly an aspect of God, that he shares our grief and cares about our problems, This term Paraclete had deeper meaning than this.

To understand this fully. I think we must investigate together how the Holy Spirit after salvation functions as the counselor, helper, and advocate. In scripture context is always a great definer of words.

So lets look at chapter 15 more closely.

John 15:18–26 CSB

“If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you. Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they don’t know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now they have no excuse for their sin. The one who hates me also hates my Father. If I had not done the works among them that no one else has done, they would not be guilty of sin. Now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But this happened so that the statement written in their law might be fulfilled: They hated me for no reason. “When the Counselor comes, the one I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father—he will testify about me.

In this passage Jesus begins to paint a different picture for us in the way we usually interpret the need for a counselor or advocate.

He tells his disciples what they can expect from the world, and lets be honest its not exactly what we would call desirable. We see that we can expect the world to hate us and to persecute us.

Notice Jesus says they hated Him for no reason. I think that is something we have missed over the years. There will be those that hate you simply because you walk with Jesus.

We need an advocate/counselor because the world will hate us.

John 15:19 CSB

If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you.

“If you were of the World, the world would love you as you as its own.”

Now that being said, if you find a “christian teacher, pastor, or leader, that even the lost world loves this should probably be a big red flag. Jesus was very clear about this.

I see so many Christians striving to be accepted by the world.

Spoiler alert…

no amount of cultural capitulation will earn you the acceptance of the world if you walk with Jesus.

The only thing it accomplishes is making you seem insincere or embarrassed by the clear teachings of scripture and of your faith.

Follow Jesus and the majority will not accept you. They didn’t accept Jesus and they will not accept you. Church family accept this hard truth. The world system is against you. It has been this way from the beginning and will continue until the return of Christ.

So Jesus paints this picture but then says, “The counselor, the helper, the advocate is coming.

Do you now see how the context shapes and deepens our understanding of the ministry and work of the Holy Spirit that is in you.

One view is the Holy spirit is there to make me feel better but the context suggest that the Holy Spirit isn’t there to make you feel better but rather to strengthen you to fight the good fight of faith.

The Bible paints a picture of two kingdoms at war. The kingdom of Christ and the Kingdom of the adversary, satan. Notice the war language used in the following passages.

2 Corinthians 10:3–5 CSB

For although we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh, since the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments and every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.

2 Timothy 2:3 CSB

Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 6:10–18 CSB

Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God. Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.

We are at war.

How many of you have ever heard this statement:

“The Church is a hospital for the sick.”

I would tell you this idea is not entirely correct. I understand

The Scriptures do not paint a picture of the church in this way. Rather it paints a picture of the church being a barracks that happens to have a sick ward.

What is the purpose of a sick ward in wartime? To nurse people back to health so they can once again be deployed into the battle. When we view the church as a hospital instead of a sick ward in a barracks people will often view themselves as not healthy enough to serve. They always need more time to heal and spend more time reviewing the information they have learned. The result is that many people are never deployed.

What does this have to do with the Holy Spirit being our advocate? Watch this

John 14:26 CSB

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.

Do you see it....He will teach you and remind you of what? He will remind you of everything.....

You see there are some that have spent to much time in the sick ward.

God has made you well. He has trained some of you for years possibly decades. Yet some are waiting for just one more bible study to push them out into the frey. The problem is you will convince yourself that you need just one more.

The Holy Spirit promises he will remind you of everything. He is your advocate. He is with you, so get on out of your hospital beds and join the fight.

While serving on a Sunday morning is a small part of the fight it is an important one. Even the barracks needs volunteers. If we are deficient in the barracks. we are going to be deficient in the field. Why, because this is the training grounds. In fact Church family there is not a single area of ministry right now in this church that doesn’t need more volunteers.

It is time for some of you to enlist and others to join the front lines. And remember you are not Alone. The Holy Spirit is your advocate.

Acts 1:8 CSB

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”