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15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. ~ John 14:15-17
In v.15, we discover the logic of love, and, it is irresistible. If I love God, I will obey Him. Obeying God is smart. The alternative is not too smart. As the Apostle Paul tells us in Galatians 6, the alternative, feeding the flesh, brings with it corruption and death.
In addition, obeying God without loving God results in joyless legalism. Work minus the engagement of our hearts magnifies our will power not God's worth. If we try to do things for God without delighting in Him, we bring dishonor upon God.
The Lord Jesus is not saying that love and keeping God's commands are the same thing. Some say that keeping the commandments of the Lord Jesus is the definition of loving Him. But consider a similar sentence: "If you take this medicine, you will get well." Is taking the medicine the same as getting well? No. Getting well is one thing and taking the medicine is another thing. The one leads to the other, and in fact brings about the other. Loving Him brings about obeying His commandments.
In our text, the Lord Jesus introduces "another advocate" who will "help you and be with you forever." According to v.16, the Holy Spirit is "another" separate Person to the Lord Jesus. Here is a clear reference to the mystery of the Trinity; three persons in one, Father, Son and Spirit, all distinct, separate one from another, yet forming One.
The Greek work translated "advocate" is parakletos, which literally means, "One called alongside." The reason for one being called alongside is to give aid and help. So its literal meaning is, "one called alongside you to give aid to help."
The word in Greek contains a heavy emphasis on judicial advocacy, as in a court. You have someone who is there to argue on your behalf. This is why, in many places, and many Bibles, the term parakletos is translated as "Advocate." If you have an advocate in court, it is someone who speaks for you in the trial. We know them just as lawyers these days. But, that is what an advocate is—one who speaks in your place for you, on your behalf, for your defense.
Whereas the Lord Jesus had been with the disciples physically for three plus years, the Holy Spirit, now, will abide in the believer, forever. In Hebrews 13:5, we read, "'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." The strongest negative in the Greek language is used meaning here, "I will never, under any circumstances, ever leave you nor forsake you." The believer who has been "born again" can never lose his right standing before God because God has made him holy through His abiding presence in his life.
The Lord Jesus, in v.17, refers to the Holy Spirit as "the Spirit of Truth." This means we can trust Him, and He will not contradict God's word. He will never tell us to do something which is not consistent with His written word.
In addition, according to v.17, the Lord informs us, "The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him." The Holy Spirit is only accessible to those who have entered into a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus. This explains why there are times when we find ourselves wondering to ourselves why people do not recognize God's involvement in this world. "Many will say to Him in that day, 'Lord.' And He will say to them, 'I never knew you.'" Notice He doesn't;t say, "you never knew me."
In addition, according to v.17, the Lord Jesus discloses the Holy Spirit will be a resource that is available within the believer. "You know him," He says, "for he lives with you and will be in you." Old Testament believers had the Spirit dwell "with" them but not "in" them. When the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost He came to dwell in the believer and we do not find that relationship in the Old Testament. And, "He will never leave us nor forsake us."
