Advocate
Can the whole world be wrong?
”I have said these things to you to keep you from stumbling. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God. And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me. But I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them. “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned. “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. - John 16:1-15
When Jesus let his disciples know that he had to leave them again, after being resurrected, they must have thought this is even worse than before. Now what?
People who claim to be worshipping God will want to kill them, and they will be alone.
But wait! There is still time to save them. They will have help.
The advocate is coming.
Jesus is telling them that this world is condemned, only it doesn't know it. Everything that is being done in God's name is false, and yet, they shouldn't be afraid, because they have the Holy Spirit with them forever.
When we feel we are the only voice speaking the truth and that the whole world has gone crazy, we need to turn to the advocate who dwells within us. The spirit bears the truth and will declare it to us.
We must not listen to the voices of the corrupt, but be open to the wisdom of God.
Even though I walk through the valley of death, I fear no evil.
Thank God for the advocate.
More to come...