LESSON V.—SUNDAY, APRIL 30, 1899.
15 "If ye love Me, ye will keep My commandments. And I
16 will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter,
17 that He may be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth;
whom the world can not receive; for it beholdeth Him not,
neither knoweth Him; ye know Him; for He abideth with you,
18 and shall be in you. I will not leave you desolate: I come
19 unto you. Yet a little while, and the world beholdeth Me no
20 more; but ye behold Me; because I live, ye shall live also. In
that day ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in Me,
21 and I in you. He that hath My commandments, and keepeth
them, he it is that loveth Me; and he that loveth Me shall be
loved of My Father, and I will love Him, and will manifest
22 Myself unto him. Judas (not Iscariot) saith unto Him, Lord,
what is come to pass that Thou wilt manifest Thyself unto us,
23 and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him,
If a man love Me, he will keep My Word; and My Father will
love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode
24 with him. He that loveth Me not keepeth not My Words; and
the Word which ye hear is not Mine, but the Father's who
sent Me. 25 "These things have I spoken unto you, while yet abiding
26 with you. But the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the
Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and
27 bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you. Peace I
leave with you; My peace I give unto you; not as the world
giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled,
neither let it be fearful." Golden Text: "I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter." Verse 16. (1) What is the test of love to Christ set forth in this lesson? V. 15. Note 1. (2) What is promised to those who manifest such love? V. 16. Note 2. (3) What is this Comforter? Why cannot the world know Him? How does the disciple know Him? V. 17. Note 3. (4) What further gracious promise is given? V. 18. (5) What was to come to pass in a little while? But how could the disciples behold Him? V. 19. (6) In that day (or time) what would the disciples know? V. 20. Note 4. (7) In what language is the test of love repeated? V. 21. (8) What question was asked by Judas, or Jude? V. 22. Note 5. (9) How is the evidence of true love again expressed? And what promise is added? V. 23. (10) What is said of them who do not love Christ? Whose Word do the disciples hear? V. 24. (11) What is the Comforter said to be? Who sends it? What is its office? Vs. 25, 26. (12) What does Christ leave with His disciples? V. 27. Note 6. 1. The test of love.—This test is made prominent in other scriptures. It is repeated in verses 21 and 23; also in chap. 15:14 we read, "Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." Again, in 1 John 5:3, we have the statement that "this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments." Paul's definition of love is in exact harmony with that already quoted, namely, "Love is the fulfilling of the law." Rom. 13:10. 2. "Another Comforter."—"The operation of the Spirit is wholly in the line of Christ's work on earth; it belongs to the same sphere, and contemplates the same ends. It represents a stage of the redemptive process which lies beyond the historic work of Christ; it is the continued operation of God's saving, redeeming love, interpreting, applying, and perfecting the work of the Saviour."—Professor Stevens. 3. The Holy Spirit is "the Spirit of truth," whose office is to "guide you into all truth." Chap. 16:13. Therefore it is to guide to a reception and an understanding of the Word, through which we must be sanctified. Chap. 17:17. David says, "Thy Word is true from the beginning" (Ps. 119:160); "O Lord, give me understanding according to Thy Word!" (verse 169). The commandments of God are the way of truth, for David says again, "Thou art near, O Lord; and all Thy commandments are truth" (verse 151); and, "A good understanding have all they that do His commandments" (Ps. 111:10). So the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, is the Spirit of God and of Christ (John 16:13-15), leading us to peace with God through Him who is "the way, the truth, and the life." Himself having kept all the commandments of God, which are the truth, as above noted. "Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in." Isa. 26:2. 4. A complete union.—Verse 20 shows that the Comforter, or the Spirit of truth, or the Holy Spirit (which are one and the same Spirit), forms not only the union of the Father and the Son, but embraces also those who will receive the Spirit and be guided by it into all truth, even as Christ was filled with and led by the Spirit unto perfect obedience. "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous." Rom. 5:19. These are "elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 1:2. 5. "How is it?"—Judas (Jude, or Lebbaeus of Matt. 10:3) asks a question concerning that which is a mystery to many in this day, namely, How is it that Christ can manifest Himself to some and not to others? The answer is, that the manifestation is a spiritual one. Since His ascension, He visits His servants by His Holy Spirit, which is ministered to them by the angels. The Spirit is poured out upon all flesh (Joel 2:28), but only those who desire it, those who seek it earnestly, will receive it in a way to experience the presence of Christ, and become His temple, or dwelling-place. The Spirit of Christ is His representative in the earth. Remember, however, that it is "he that hath My commandments, and keepeth them" (John 14:21) that is thus assured of an abiding Saviour. 6. Peace.—It is peace with God that is thus assured, not with the world; for "all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." Yet those who have the Spirit of Christ will be at peace among themselves. 1 Thess. 5:13. "God hath called us to peace" (1 Cor. 7:15); therefore "let the peace of God rule in your hearts" (Col. 3:15). This is the purpose for which Christ left His peace with His disciples; that they should be examples of peace, that they should love one another, and thereby the world know that the Father had sent Him. John 17:23. The kingdom of God is peace (Rom. 14:17), and only by following peace toward all men (Heb. 12:14), whether they will reciprocate or not, can we rightly represent the kingdom, and "be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless," at His coming (2 Peter 3:14). "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. 5:1.