As we see, Thomas appeared confused by Jesus statement, because he says, "Lord, we know not whither Thou goest, and how can we know the way?" It is certainly an honest question, particularly since Jesus has just referred to many mansions "in My Father's house." (John 14:2) Adding to this, the idea of Jesus leaving would have garnered enough emotions -- particularly when Jesus had just told them that He would lay down His life for their sake. (John 13:36)
"Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek Me; and as I said unto the Jews, "Whither I go, ye cannot come ..." (John 13:33)
In response to Thomas, Jesus states, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; No man comes unto the Father but by Me. If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also, and from henceforth ye know Him and have seen Him." (John 14:6-7)
Philip now enters into the dialogue, requesting from Jesus -- "Lord, shew us the Father and it sufficeth us." Jesus responds by saying, "Have I been so long time with you and yet hast Thou not known Me, Philip? he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father, and how sayest thou then -- Shew us the Father?" (John 14:8-9)
Until now, the dialogue is straightforward but Jesus does not stop there. He wants His disciples to understand not only what He is saying, but also what is going to happen after Jesus goes to the cross. Remember, there is a scripture to the effect that the disciples only understood all of Jesus' teachings after the resurrection. And this is certainly the situation here.
Jesus continues: "Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself; but the Father that dwells in Me, He doeth the works. Believe Me that I [am] in the Father, and the Father in Me,or else believe for the very works' sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you -- he that believes on Me, the works that I do shall he shall do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do, because I go unto My Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in My Name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in My Name, I will do [it]. If ye love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever -- the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees Him not, neither knows Him; but ye know Him for He dwells with you and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you ..." (John 14:11-18)
I am sure by now the disciples are in a state of confusion, particularly, since these scriptures still confound many within the believing body of Christ -- particularly those who adhere to the false, man-made religious dogma of a tri-une/trinity God. But we have the benefit of all the scriptures, and the revelations and understandings of the disciples/apostles after the cross. For this reason, we do not need to be stumped, for the Lord Jesus clearly said, "I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you!" (John 14:18)
Still, Jesus says that in a little while, and the world sees Me no more; but ye see Me -- "because I live, ye shall live also. At that day, ye shall know that I [am] in the Father; and ye in Me, and I in you. He that hath My commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves Me, and he that loves Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love Him, and will manifest Myself to him." (John 14:21)
To this Judas (not Iscariot) asks the Lord how it is that He will manifest Himself "unto us" and not unto the world? Jesus answers and said unto Judas -- "If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love Him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loves Me not keeps not My sayings, and the Word which ye hear is not Mine, but the Father's which sent Me. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet with you. But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My Name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you -- not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ye have heard how I said unto you -- "I go away, and come [again] unto you." If ye loved Me, ye would rejoice because I said, "I go unto the Father: for My Father is greater than I." (John 14:22-28)
It is in John 14:23 that those who do not understand what Jesus is saying to them here often get stuck, so let's work our way through these scriptures to see if your understanding of who Jesus is -- so that when it comes to pass, in the same way that the disciples understood -- "ye might believe!" (John 14:29)
Jesus answered and said unto the Judas (who was NOT Iscariot -- and not the Judas who betrayed Him in the garden), "If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." (John 14:23)
It is the word "we" that becomes the stumbling block. But note that Jesus is speaking in the gospel of John about a future event, AFTER He has gone away. Jesus said, "I go away ..." Jesus also continues, saying, "and come again unto you" so that we would be comforted AND rejoice. But someone who has subscribed to the false "God in three persons" or religious trinity dogma stops here, stating that John 14:23 provides clear evidence for two persons in the Godhead -- (i.e. the Father and the Son -- the we).
But Jesus did not stop there in His communications, and neither should we either. As believers, we need to understand how Jesus words here align with the first and greatest commandment -- that was given in ancient of time and reconfirmed by Jesus, when speaking to the scribe. That is, “Hear O Israel, the LORD our God is one LORD.” (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29-31) Because God is not the Author of confusion. (I Corinthians 14:33)
In II John, the doctrine of Christ from Hebrews 6:1-2 further explained -- "Whosoever transgresses, and abides not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abides in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son." (II John 1:9) In other words, if someone transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ, that person does not have God at all. But for those who do abide in the doctrine of Christ, these will have both the Father and Son. By the time II John was written, we begin to understand what Jesus was saying in John 14.
But what does it mean to have the Son? John explains this in John 1:1-18, and most particularly John 1:10-13 which states: " He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on His Name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us ... " (John 1:10-14)
In order to have the Son, we must first believe on Him, receiving the Son. But His own rejected Jesus at the cross. It was only on the day of Pentecost that some understood what Peter (standing with the eleven) was saying. That is, "that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." (Acts 2:36)
Therein, these were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, "Men [and] brethren, what shall we do?" Then Peter said unto them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:37-38)
Therefore, to receive Jesus is to be born again. Remember the conversation Jesus had with Nicodemus -- when Jesus told him, "Ye must be born again!" and Nicodemus thought that meant returning to his mother's womb? (John 3:1-21) The only way to receive Jesus is to receive His Spirit, and that means receiving the Holy Ghost.
"To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory ..." (Colossians 1:27)
To have the Son is to have Christ dwelling within you. Thus, the question -- how can Christ be “in you” if He is seated at the right hand of God in the heavenlies? But as we see here, Jesus said, "I must go ... " In another place, Jesus said "ye will see Me no more." (This is confirmed by Paul in I Corinthians 15:1-8, when Paul states that he is the last to see Jesus)
But those who believe that God is three persons (or more, if you listen to the most recent dogma coming forth from the religious mindset) want Jesus to be physically seated at the right hand of the Father, while also stating He lives physically in our hearts at the same time. It is no wonder so many are being led astray. Nevertheless, the scriptures are clear on this point.
Jesus is God manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16) In the womb, Luke rightly describes Jesus as a "holy thing." (Luke 1:35) This is why we need to understand (as did Nicodemus) that "no man hath ascended up to heaven BUT He that came down form heaven; [even] the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness; even so must the Son of man be lifted up -- that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:13-15)
Not another but the One and SAME God -- the Spirit of God who moved upon the face of the waters in Genesis 1:2 -- after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared. (Titus 3:4-7) The Lord coming forth as a mighty man so that all the world could see His glorious plan of salvation. (Isaiah 42:13; Isaiah 9:6) He Himself became the perfect sacrifice, having prepared for Himself a body, so that we might experience His love and peace in our hearts "which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ!" (Titus 3:6)
"And I will sanctify My great Name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes." (Ezekiel 36:23)
This is why we are not in the flesh -- "but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." (Romans 8:9)
As we know, Jesus can’t live bodily inside a person. Further, Jesus told us that He must go in order for the Comforter -- the Holy Ghost to come. (John 14:26; John 15:26; Acts 1:2-3) Therefore, it must be His Spirit which dwells within the hearts of believers when we ask Jesus to come in to our lives -- as Lord and Saviour. In the scriptures, the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ used interchangeably. Paul reaffirms this point when he is speaking to the saints in Galatia.
"And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." (Galatians 4:6)
What is the Spirit of the Son? It is the Spirit of the crucified Christ. What is the Name of the Spirit of the Son? His name is Jesus.
"And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; [Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive,because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." (John 14:16-17)
Jesus said He would see that the disciples (and by extension us) had another Comforter, which would be “the Spirit of Truth" -- who at that point dwelt with them bodily, but after Jesus ascended (in Acts 1:2) He would be in them.
"But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you." (Romans 8:11)
”Is the Spirit of truth the Spirit of the Son? The same Comforter/Holy Ghost that could not be given until Jesus was taken up. 'Until the day in which He was taken up, after that He THROUGH the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen; to whom also He shewed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God." (Acts 1:2-3)
"For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence ..." (Acts 1:5, 7-8) This is why the disciples tarried at Jerusalem, in the upper room, continuing with one accord in prayer and in supplication -- the number of names together were about one hundred and twenty. (Acts 1:14)
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by Me." (John 14:6)
Why? Because Jesus is the truth, and thus, therefore, His Spirit would be the Spirit of truth. His Spirit is the Comforter. The Holy Ghost. What else can we say about this Spirit of the Son?
"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My Name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (John 14:26)
And again ...
Jesus said, "And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; [Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees Him not, neither knows Him: but ye know Him; for He dwells with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." (John 14:16-18)
Jesus was the Comforter with them when He walked on this earth but told them He would be the Comforter IN them after being taken up. That Comforter is clearly identified by Jesus (in scripture) as the Holy Ghost. It is no wonder that Paul (who received his understanding of the gospel by revelation) wrote almost the same thing in 1 Corinthians 15:45: “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening Spirit.”
Therefore, as these scriptures allude, when we “have the Son,” when the Son comes to us, we have the Spirit of the Son, which is the Holy Ghost. But wait a minute, if having the Son is having the Holy Ghost, then how can we have the Father too? Keep reading ....
"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as His mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost." (Matthew 1:18)
And the angel answered and said unto her, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:35)
As explained herein, the Son’s Father was also the Holy Ghost. The Spirit of the Son is the Holy Ghost, and the same Holy Ghost fathered the Son. When Jesus spoke of His Father, when we have both the Father and the Son, we have the Spirit of the Son and the Father of the Son. We don’t have two Spirits, but ONE Spirit occupying two positions of relationship. The Spirit fathered the Son, and the Spirit dwelt in the Son.
The fullness of the Godhead dwelling bodily in Him. (Colossians 2:9) God manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16)
"There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling. One Lord. One faith. One baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." (Ephesians 4:4-6)
Returning to John 14….
Jesus answered and said unto him, "If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." (John 14:23)
“We,” the Father who conceived the Son in the womb of Mary and the Spirit of the crucified Christ, will come unto him and dwell with him. It is the same Spirit, the same God who willingly became our Saviour on the cross. His free gift of salvation -- the greatest love story ever told -- should never be tarnished by those who proclaim to know the good news gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ but within their congregations present a false trinity message that is void of all scripture.
But there is hope in these last days. That is Revelation 3:8-9 wherein, as Jesus so clearly stated, "I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it; for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept My Word, and hast not denied My Name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of satan, which say they are Jews and are not, and lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee."
Jesus is the ONLY NAME whereby we MUST be saved in this current dispensation of grace. (Philippians 2:9; Acts 4:12) And it is He -- JESUS -- who is standing at the door of your heart and knocking -- "If any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to Him, and will sup with Him, and He with Me. To him that overcometh, will I grant to sit with Me in the throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." (Revelation 3:20-22)
Time is too short for the false teachings and religious traditions of men to prevail. Study the scriptures for yourself, and discover as Jesus said, "Lo, behold, the volume of the book is written of Me!"
The SAME God who willingly became our Saviour. (Titus 3:4-7; I Timothy 3:16)
Stand in the offering plate.
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