John 14:17, commentary and pictures

Christ promised in His farewell to His disciples another Comforter, the Spirit of truth, given by the Father in answer to His prayer to abide with believers forever. After His departure He would continue His ministry through this Representative, making Himself nearer to all believers than His bodily presence confined to one place could be. The world cannot receive Him because it does not see or know Him, feeling no need of a Redeemer and choosing its own way and earthly gain rather than truth. But obedient disciples know Him, for He is with them and shall be in them, which is Christ Himself coming to them and living in the cleansed heart so they are never left comfortless or alone. The gift is received only by loving Christ through keeping His commandments and by personal living faith, and where received He teaches all truth, renews the whole person in the divine image, and gives divine power for service.

Setting and Wording

The words were spoken to the disciples as farewell instruction in the upper chamber after Judas had left, when Christ was about to leave them and faced betrayal, suffering and death in Jerusalem, departure and ascension. They were given to comfort sorrowing disciples, to strengthen them for coming trials, hatred, affliction and temptation, to prepare them for greater work, and to bring courage, hope, strength and assurance to true believers in the most trying hour as long as time shall last. The promise was that at His prayer the Father would give another Comforter to abide forever, and that gift was His own choosing, greater than any lesser good men would have chosen for themselves. Believers therefore do not have to trust alone in human counsel but have divine sufficiency to which to go by faith, under a guidance all may implicitly trust.

The Comforter is called the Spirit of truth, meaning not deception, for there is no comfort in a lie. His work is to define and maintain the truth, to reprove concerning sin, righteousness and judgment, to guide into all truth, to reveal things to come, and to glorify Christ by receiving the things of Christ and showing them. He first dwells in the heart as the truth, and He does this through the truth, for truth planted in the heart takes hold by the Holy Spirit. He does not deceive, flatter, praise or exalt, but comforts in the heart through truth that makes free, so truth must be spoken plainly and lived even at risk of displeasing others, and comfort follows where that work is done. He is the truth itself, the faithful and true Witness and great Searcher of hearts who knows the character of all, come as Christ's representative to restore the image of God in the soul.

The verse names the Comforter without defining the nature of the Holy Spirit, which remains a mystery not clearly revealed and need not be defined. He is unseen yet omnipresent, representing Christ as present everywhere after the ascension and continuing His work among His followers. Cumbered with humanity Christ could not be in every place personally, so it was for the disciples' advantage that He should leave, go to the Father, and send the Holy Spirit to be His successor on earth, Christ Himself divested of the personality of humanity and independent thereof. He comes in the fullness of the Godhead and of divine power, fully divine as one of three living persons of the heavenly trio with Father and Son, in whose name believers are baptized and whose powers cooperate with the obedient living a new life in Christ, making divine grace known to those who receive Christ as personal Saviour and restraining accumulated evil.

Dwelleth with you is His presence with them, and shall be in you is Christ coming to them so they are not left comfortless, an inward spiritual life and Christ enthroned within a heart cleansed from vanity and pride, emptied of self, tender, subdued and humble. It is not an outward visible manifestation in human form, for the disciples looked for what was outward and visible and could not at first grasp a spiritual manifestation, but believers recognize Him by living faith which through God's Word lays hold on Jesus as Helper and God. That knowing comes by the Spirit impressing living realities on the mind, writing truth on the soul, opening the Scriptures and lifting into a heavenly atmosphere, giving clearer understanding than the original writers had so the Old Testament is read as new revelation from God and not as doctrines of scribes or words of dead wise men. At Pentecost He brought Christ's presence into their hearts so Christ could abide continually in them, a union closer than when He was bodily with them, with light, love and power revealed through them, fragrant with the obedience of love, supplying spiritual power and keeping faith from failing under the most trying circumstances.

The world means those judging by outward appearance, the honored, so-called great, wise and prudent, and worldlings absorbed in gain. It regards the truth as too simple and unworthy of attention, disregards it, fails to see Christ in it, and has the privilege of knowing Him, seeing Him and laying hold on His strength yet does not want to know Him. It cannot receive truth because it does not know the Father or the Son, Jesus Christ the author of truth. Those entrusted with sacred trust must therefore hold truth firmly, teach it distinctly and positively though the world will not look on them with favor, letting every ray shine amid moral darkness rather than hiding it by uniting with unbelievers, since no peace is gained by such union.

Promised Comforter Identified

The promised Comforter is the Spirit of truth, another Comforter given by the Father in answer to Christ's prayer to abide with believers forever, bringing comfort and assurance. He is Christ's representative to take His place, making the boundless resources of grace available to His followers, sought for the world even before Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice. The world cannot receive Him because it neither sees Him nor knows Him, but disciples know Him because He dwells with them and shall be in them.

He comes after Christ's departure and return to the Father and ascension as His representative, successor, advocate and teacher on earth to continue His ministry. He had already been moving on human hearts from the beginning of redemption, but in this coming He makes the Saviour accessible to all and brings Him nearer than bodily presence limited to one place and human location. Through Him God in Christ still ministers to men, lifting the veil that conceals the invisible world and revealing power constantly exercised for human good, so Christ remains with His people though no longer visibly present and they can continue His work. The promise is fulfilled when He enters consecrated hearts prepared by humble self-examination and supplication, filling them with abundant power, making real in heart and life what Christ made possible by His death, and giving gifts as He sees fit.

The gift is heaven's richest and crowning gift, given by Christ's own choosing, the largest promise and strongest consolation He could give to those who love Him and keep His commandments. It is worthy of His inauguration in the heavenly courts, marking the enthronement of the Son in His mediatorial kingdom and perfect reconciliation between God and humanity, and it enlightens, converts and sanctifies the soul, giving all God's gifts in one gift. When received it meets every need, gives fullness of joy, and brings all other blessings in its train with liberality and unlimited fullness to all willing to receive, so that Christ does not leave His own comfortless but comes to them. Lack comes not from restriction on God's part but from resting content with small blessings, expecting little and scanty showers, and acting as if salvation must come by human effort, which leaves spirituality feeble and experience dwarfed.

The promise was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost when the disciples were endued with power from on high with the promise of the Father, bringing them fullness of joy. It was not confined to that occasion but continues in the church in all coming time, as Christ's assurance to be with followers always even to the end of the world, the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following. From Pentecost onward He has come to those who accept Christ as personal Saviour and yield to God, to all who turn to the Lord, opening blinded eyes, counseling, sanctifying, guiding and bearing witness, enabling clear and powerful testimony to Christ's love and revealing transforming redeeming love, and what He has undertaken He will carry out.

The promise belongs to present believers as surely as to the first disciples, without restriction of age, race or time. From Pentecost onward the Spirit comes to all who accept Christ as personal Saviour, fully yield themselves to the Lord and His service, meet His conditions of loving Him and keeping His commandments, surrender to divine guidance and control, and wait humbly on God. It is to be claimed now by faith from Christ's abundant grace according to capacity to receive, not put off to some future time or to those now uncertain, giving efficiency to all spiritual labor, spiritual strength, light, conviction in preaching, conversion of souls, power for work, and living principles that keep in the truth and bring other blessings with it.

World Cannot Receive

The world cannot receive the Spirit of truth because it does not see Him and does not know Him, neither discerning Him nor recognizing Him. He is the Comforter promised to abide with believers and be in them, and those who know Christ know His presence, while unbelief shuts out comfort and hope. His coming enlightens minds to understand Christ's words, to speak of Him with assurance, to know forgiveness, and to confess Him before the world. Receiving Him belongs to the new birth and to becoming subjects of Christ's kingdom, and His abiding brings the illuminating and purifying presence of God to those who love Christ and keep His commandments. This promise comforted the disciples in their coming trial and continues to comfort and strengthen believers in hope and faith.

The world does not receive Him because it feels no need of Christ and does not realize its great need of a Redeemer. It seeks only perishable earthly advantage, fills the mind with selfish gain and money-worship, does not pray, and puts Christ out of life as much as possible. It has chosen darkness rather than light because its deeds are evil, even while Satan claims this world as his kingdom and sets up his seat amid moral darkness. It resists truth because it does not want to obey it, being leagued against truth and choosing disobedience leading away from God. Therefore despite its cry of peace and safety it cannot give true peace, and those who perceive truth must not close eye and heart to its saving power or refuse to grow because neighbors, relations and friends refuse to open understanding and consent to remain dwarfs.

The world rejects Christ's invitation and truth, following its own way and will and seeing nothing desirable in Him. It is blinded to truth and cannot discern the Spirit, so it cannot provide religious sympathy and comfort to disciples. Those who follow Christ are born of the Spirit and know Him by His indwelling presence, and for that reason they are not to take the world's practice as their guide in proclaiming or publishing truth.

The world cannot receive Him because it does not see or know Jesus, the Author of truth. Christ Himself is the truth, and those who reject Him cannot discern spiritual things. For the same reason the world does not recognize truth and does not rightly appreciate those who love God and keep His commandments. This knowledge of Christ's divinity, hidden from the wise and prudent, is revealed to His disciples, whom Christ as their educator brings into covenant oneness with Him and the Father and into freedom from sin's guilt and the law's condemnation.

Those who keep God's commandments should not be surprised when the world opposes them. Those who hate the precepts of the Creator will oppose the obedient, for truth is worldwide and opposition is to be expected. The obedient must remain faithful to God rather than seek the world's friendship, live separate from the disobedient, remain loyal rather than trade loyalty for friendship with the world, and refuse to let people in darkness lead them away from the truth.

The One whom the world cannot receive and does not know is also Christ Himself. He desires to come to the sick, the unfortunate, and those possessed of evil spirits through His human servants, letting them hear His voice through human agencies. When missionaries relieve physical maladies, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, comfort the suffering and afflicted, and lead sinners to cleansing of the soul from the leprosy of sin, the love of Christ in unselfish ministry melts and reforms the evildoer where reproof and the sword and courts of justice only strike terror. He abides in believers' hearts making their joy full, feeding them so His words become as the bread of life, and in strength gained from Him they develop characters honoring God, producing perfect Christian fellowship and fruit following obedience to truth in oneness as close as the union between Father and Son. As the living Jesus present with the believer the yoke is not carried alone but with the Redeemer, renewing memory and keeping deepest thoughts on the Saviour, healing every wound, giving rest, turning eyes from discouragement and Satan's dark shadow to the preciousness of Jesus, revealing wondrous things out of God's law, and making it plain to all that the believer has been with Jesus.

Disciples Know Him

Christ's disciples and obedient believers know the Spirit of truth, for He dwells with them and shall be in them, abiding with them forever and never leaving them. He is the promised Comforter given by the Father in answer to Christ's prayer to those who love Christ by keeping His commandments, and those who are doers of the Word give evidence they are believers and lay hold on everlasting life in confidence that Christ will not leave them comfortless but will come to them. He remains with every believing, obedient child as counselor, guide, strength, support, and tender friend, enabling them to testify of Christ while truth working in the heart sanctifies and purifies the soul. His presence is part of the transforming grace needed in daily life and is to be sought continually, and the promise belongs to God's children now so that when discouraged they go directly to God in prayer for help in difficulty and strength to resist temptation rather than depending on human beings. The promise proves there is no joyless religion, but positive joy in obedience, with healing to those who cheerfully bear Christ's yoke and cross and escape worldly corruption.

This knowing comes through living faith that takes hold of Jesus as Helper and God, through experience of Christ, the new birth, and prayerful obedient study of the Word. Through God's Word faith lays hold on Christ, and the Spirit is with those who study with obedient hearts, helping them apply Scripture correctly. By this they receive the mind of Christ and personal knowledge of Christ, so they can be lights in the world, while the world neither sees nor knows Him. Christ Himself is the truth, and knowledge of His divinity, hidden from the wise and prudent, is revealed to His disciples through Christ their educator, bringing them into covenant oneness with Him and the Father and into freedom from sin's guilt and condemnation, enabling them to continue His work even without His visible presence.

His dwelling with them and in them is Christ's coming to them so they are not left comfortless, for Christ Himself comes and lives in the soul. The gift is given by the Father in answer to Christ's prayer to abide with believers forever as a great advantage to be taken hold of by faith, belonging with loving Christ, keeping His commandments, believing on Him, doing His works, and asking in His name. As the branch abides in the vine and draws sap from it, believers cling to Jesus and draw faith and strength and perfection of character from Him, becoming one with Him, keeping His commandments and abiding in His love as He kept His Father's commandments. By this they bring forth much fruit, work the works of God, reveal Christ in character and speech, grow to full spiritual understanding, overcome step by step amid closing temptations, and are entirely safe against Satan's assaults, for without Him they can do nothing and are nothing. Though the world will no longer see Him, they will see Him, and because He lives they shall live also and never feel lonely.

The Comforter remains at their side to support, sustain, uphold, and cheer them in sorrow, affliction, uncertainty, and loneliness, and no distance or circumstance can separate them from Him. He is sent in answer to the prayer of faith as a personal presence connected with heaven, given in Christ's place to act for Him, speaking comfort to the heart and abiding with consecrated workers wherever they are. He sustains those who struggle through emergencies, the world's hatred, and awareness of their own failures, and He sustains and comforts through persecution, imprisonment, exile, and death those who suffer for the truth. Through Him believers are not alone, for His presence brings peace and rest and makes the kingdom of heaven near.

The verse makes a plain distinction between believers who know the Spirit and the world which does not, dividing all into only two classes, those who violate God's law and those who obey it, both today and in the Judgment. Love for Christ is proved by having His commandments and keeping them, and where one loves Christ and keeps His words the Father loves him and Father and Son come and make their abode with him and manifest Christ to him, while one who loves Him not does not keep His sayings. Abiding forever is not a profession of truth or a form of godliness but the Spirit of truth Himself, given through Christ's prayer, who enlightens believers, leads them to call on Christ, and makes them aware of Christ's love and presence so they are not lonely or comfortless, in contrast to people absorbed in worldly gain.

Christ's Representative Work

The Spirit of truth enlightens minds to separate truth from false teaching and to give others the Word of life. Working through Scripture He impresses truth on the heart, exposes and drives out error, and draws Christ's people to Himself. He helps believers remember Christ's teachings rightly and represent them accurately to themselves and others. He teaches the things of God, opens the Scriptures, reveals truth and things to come, turns minds to Christ's sacrifice and God's love, brings conviction of sin and righteousness, and makes effective what Christ accomplished by His life and death.

He abides with followers and works within them, renewing and sanctifying the whole person and continually regenerating them so that Christ's saving work becomes effective in each one. He must be accepted and cherished, for otherwise entrusted truths lose their power to shape mind and character. He restores the divine image by shaping character, so that as people receive truth they receive Christ's grace and become workers together with God, using consecrated abilities in His work. He is the faithful and true witness to the Word of God and searcher of thoughts and purposes of the heart, the source of power to restore the moral image of God in man, bringing even the thoughts into harmony with God's will and establishing a living connection between earth and heaven. He endows the human agent with supernatural powers, instructs the ignorant in the mysteries of the kingdom, draws attention to the cross, unfolds God's love, presents the moral standard of righteousness, produces godly sorrow that works repentance, inspires faith in the One who alone can save from all sin, withdraws affections from temporal perishable things toward the immortal inheritance, and recreates, refines and sanctifies human agents as children of the heavenly King.

Disciples after Christ's departure needed divine power for their appointed work, and their ministry must depend on God's power working through human agents, for without seeking that power they cannot do what Christ appointed or uplift fallen humanity. The promised Spirit is the power believers may claim for their work, an abiding living principle within them that keeps them in the truth. Results of speaking and serving come from the Spirit rather than human ability, giving no cause for self-exaltation but reason to praise God. Followers are instruments while the Spirit supplies their sufficiency and cooperates with them as they pray, believe and labor, so that God works through them to save people. He is given as helper to every earnest worker willing to be guided and used, so that through human workers others receive encouragement and strength in cooperation with divine power, and His presence renews strength for service in working for those in spiritual darkness.

The Comforter is with followers and enables them to bring Christ's consolation to others, for those who look to Jesus receive knowledge, strength and grace from Him with which to comfort the suffering. In caring for the sick they may rely on His presence to fulfill the Saviour's promise to be with them. When suffering bodies have been relieved and lively interest has opened the heart to receive heavenly balm, He enables them to impart Christ's consolation to fallen and suffering humanity.

The Spirit of truth is another Comforter given by the Father in answer to Christ's prayer to abide forever with those under Christ's banner, and because He lives His people shall live also, knowing that He is in the Father and they in Him and He in them. Through Him the union of Christ and the Father embraces followers during Christ's personal absence, as He remains with them forever, cheering and strengthening them to do His work faithfully. Believers bound together in holy union by the golden chain of love show the love principle that led Christ to die to save the world becoming a working power; Christ abiding in the heart by faith reconciles the human will to God's will and produces love for brethren and faith which works by love and purifies the soul, extending from home life into church, neighborhood, community and nations as evidence that God sent His Son.

The Holy Spirit softens hearts and brings a subduing influence, and Jesus advances toward anyone who takes a step toward Him, accepting without reserve children and parents who give themselves fully to Him rather than serving halfway. He applies the Word to the heart so that it gives spiritual understanding and transforms character, whereas merely reading or keeping truth outwardly does not produce that change. As remedy for sin-sick souls He works on the mind, awakens desire for truth free from error, brings the converting power of grace, softens hard hearts, fills believers with joy, transforms them into channels of blessing, and is to be received through earnest prayer. He brings light to the understanding, convicts sinners, works with human agents to lead them to Christ, and exposes cherished sin so it can be expelled and the heart filled with the Holy Spirit.

Life Transformed Within

The gift is conditional on loving Christ by keeping His commandments, for love is evidenced by obedience and keeping is possible for all who know and do them. This keeping is the Bible test for those who have received light and the special emphasis of John 14 and John 15, with the Father giving another Comforter to abide forever only with those who so love Him. Having His commandments means having light on what constitutes them and refusing to disobey for apparent temporal advantage, walking the narrow road and entering the strait gate. The promise belongs personally to each loving, commandment-keeping disciple and proves there is no joyless religion but positive joy in obedience, with the Sun of Righteousness arising with healing on those who cheerfully bear Christ's yoke and cross and escape worldly corruption.

The promise is to be taken personally, believed and acted on with full assurance of faith and childlike simplicity, telling the Lord all perplexities and wants and trusting His riches, goodness and love to supply what is needed so His name is glorified. It calls for living faith that works by love and purifies the soul, cooperating with God by coming in repentance and faith to the personal Saviour whose grace is fully provided and who alone can make pure and keep holy and obedient. The right kind of faith holds God's promises as yea and Amen in Christ Jesus, to be cultivated under every circumstance and brought into practical life with belief that Christ is the only Saviour. Those who take Christ at His word and refuse doubt and unbelief have the Spirit who was with Christ abiding with them, while unbelief grieves Him and deprives of comfort. The Spirit cooperates with humble students of the Bible who ask His help, impressing truth on their minds so their great Teacher does not leave them in darkness.

Receiving calls for daily emptying the heart of self so the soul is prepared for the Spirit, understood, believed and lived out. With Christ thus abiding in the heart believers are enabled to do His will, to watch, to pray and to act in harmony with the Lord, cooperating with divine agencies through continued dependence and continued pressing of petitions to the throne of grace, for when that dependence is lost satanic agencies stand ready to separate the soul from the Lord. Fulfillment requires placing oneself wholly under His leadership as constant divine guidance, devoting more time to prayer and humbling the heart before God, especially by those bearing large responsibility in councils, and where this is done His indwelling produces abundant evidence of divine leadership, mighty working and greater advancement. Opening the door means ceasing to depend on man and crying out to the living God, so that those who have the truth unmutilated and know it can arise and shine and proclaim it aloud.

Ministers daily need this Comforter for converting grace and for strength in God rather than self, taking their stand for the Lord as the Spirit brings conversion and strengthens those responsible for serving others. The Spirit is promised to Christ's servants as Counselor and source of power to carry out their work and seal them for preaching the gospel, qualifying them to rescue souls from Satan's grasp. Receiving Him allows no halfway work or divided heart but requires full surrender, death to spiritual pride, humility as a little child and singleness of purpose for eternity, bringing daily communion with Christ, transfer of His spiritual likeness and mind, and sending forth as His spiritual representatives so likeness to Christ reveals Christ to the world, while opening the heart to the world loses distinctive Christian character. Teachers must receive and welcome Him as Heavenly Guest, living under His control and cooperating with Him for students, for He is the great Teacher Himself, a heavenly Messenger and Guest present though unseen. When He reveals His presence in the schoolroom ordinary lessons must be set aside to listen and bow before God and seek Him with the whole heart, because His lesson of heavenly import is of more value than ordinary lines, and those who have closed and padlocked the heart against Him, counting time for common study too precious for His working, must quickly repent, unlock the door and pray earnestly for Him to abide rather than repelling and restricting Him as a stranger.

The promises of John 14 are to be opened in trouble and difficulty when hardly knowing what to do, read at family worship and presented so young minds can comprehend, believed as the Word of God and laid hold of and presented to family members, giving peace and hope and rejoicing in discouragement with assurance of not being left comfortless, a promise proved true by experience. The repentant soul who trusts in the Lord can realize the presence of the Comforter as divine love encircles, and faithful followers living in close communion with God know His abiding presence filling the heart, with Christ's presence bringing purity, freedom from sin, peace, love, assurance and the graces of the Spirit in a transformed life reflecting His character and preparing for heaven. While the church is still militant and not yet triumphant there can be no peace without the abiding Spirit of Christ dwelling within, and that peace comes to no one except through the cross, with Christ as the truth enthroned in mind and heart before He takes His place as Prince of Peace, so duty must be done faithfully but no move made where this peace is lacking until it is sought and received. His Spirit goes with those who yield to His work and remain loyal in opposing unrighteousness, strengthening right principles and helping them work for righteousness and truth.

The Comforter is the Spirit of truth, Christ formed within and the hope of glory, dwelling with followers and in them, healing complaints and accusations and melting prejudice to join people of every class and race in one brotherhood. His unseen, supernatural influence enables spiritual growth and fruitfulness, so those who humbly rest on Christ receive it and their fruit leads to eternal life. Dwelling and operating in the renewed heart He is the basis and cause of every right action, giving stability of character and spiritual strength and thoroughness, and with a good conscience He is sufficient to inspire and regulate motives and conduct, securing obedience from love to every requirement of God as found in His Word and dictated by an enlightened conscience, without external or selfish motives and without being swayed by others' example, present appearances or worldly principles. Abiding in believers' hearts He strengthens them to live in obedience to the truth and develop characters honoring God, and only as believers exemplify Him in life will Christ's Spirit work with them to convict hearts and convert souls.

Receiving Promise Today

The whole chapter belongs in times of trouble, to be opened, read at family worship, and studied through the week by fathers, mothers and children. Lived out by glorifying God in every possible way, it brings great peace into the mind so that even children speak of the kindness and love of Jesus. Taken in this way it brings great liberty in speaking, with blessing resting upon hearers and the presence of Jesus in the very midst. Each ray of light received is to be followed with decision, trusting that further light will be given.

The Spirit of truth is given to dwell in those who welcome Jesus and receive the riches of His grace, for believers are the temple of the living God, watched over and kept by divine power through faith. He must not be grieved by resisting His gift of grace or by choosing one's own way, and not even the first presumptuous step in resistance is to be taken lightly. He waits for admission, and the will must be placed on the Lord's side, the mind and heart opened, and the door unlocked by repentance and earnest prayer in order to receive His help. Where desire for prayer and communion is absent He does not abide, while unbelief and worldliness keep out His gifts, though through His grace those who seek Him become wise unto salvation, patient, discerning of heavenly help and of Satan's devices, and strong to resist sin. His people are to strive to understand Christ's words about Him, strive to appreciate the value of the gift bestowed, enlarge their expectations to grasp the highest conception of excellence, and seek His fullness.

The promise made before the crucifixion that the Father would give another Comforter to abide forever means believers do not have to trust alone in human counsel but have divine sufficiency to which to go by faith. When discouraged they are not to depend on human beings for aid but to go right to God in prayer, asking in His name for help in difficulty and strength to resist the temptations of the enemy. The Spirit works directly on each person's own mind and conscience, speaking in the faintest whispers as the voice of the Advocate in the heavenly courts. Conscience is to be controlled by no power on earth, with moral independence preserved and God-given ability freely exercised, and no one is to exchange judgment for another's judgment or be bound about by any man or council of men except with decided evidence that those men are worked by the Holy Spirit. He will not work on another man's mind and conscience to reach yours, so each must place will and mind where He can reach them and hearken to Him.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth and comfort, whose comfort was with the disciples in a measure even while they still longed for closer and more constant communion with their Redeemer. As Jesus' representative He is to be sought wherever believers gather to worship, for knowing Jesus personally includes seeking the Spirit's presence. Through Him Christ comes in and continually reinforces strength, renews memory upon the Saviour, heals wounds, gives rest, and makes plain they have been with Jesus.

God places no restriction on the gift, for all who are willing may be filled and the promise remains unchanged over time. When the promise is little dwelt upon and less fulfilled than it should be, when the church rests content with meager spiritual experience and scanty showers, spiritual life dries up. Where His presence is little valued or sought, or neglected, or human effort is trusted apart from Him, the sure result is spiritual drought, darkness, decline and death. The Comforter was promised to combine with human effort and would bring all blessings in its train, yet it is the promise least experienced; the church must arise, no longer be content with meager dew, come alive to its privilege and to the necessity of His influence, and receiving Him brings the divine power needed for growth and prosperity.

The verse stands among God's rich promises given in connection with keeping the truth. When the words of the chapter are spoken to the people as words given by the Lord, the heavenly Guest is present with believers. His comfort is connected with self-discipline and practical godliness, and His cleansing is needed for harmful, judgmental speech and the defilement it causes. As aid for the special work God has appointed, His power flows from heaven to accomplish that work, but diversions from Christ's path and disregard of instruction turn aside this help and rob people of the strength God longs to give. Christ did not leave His followers without help after ascending to the Father, for He overcame on their behalf during His earthly life and they can overcome in His strength as they bring natural temperaments into subjection to Him.

The Comforter stays by believers after Christ's departure, witnesses what they do and say, stands ready to protect them from the enemy when they place themselves under His protection, and in trials suffered for Christ brings Christ's words and teaching to remembrance. He remains to establish God's kingdom in the soul, direct those who search the Word, reshape the mind with new enlightenment to understand Christ's instruction, give power to prayer, counsel in perplexity, and make believers complete in Christ. He is needed continually, works beside workers to impress hearts, transforms so remarkably that angels marvel, and His indwelling, opposed to mere human theories, is essential against idolatry and for exalting the Lord. The world cannot receive or know Him because it does not see Him, rejects Christ's invitation and truth, follows its own way and will and sees nothing desirable in Him, while the believing soul born of the Spirit knows Him through His indwelling presence as the promise of Christ's presence and blessing. This leaves no excuse for continuing in sin or opposing God, since each must answer to God for deeds done.