When the Holy Spirit instructs us to open-mindedly read John 15 and16, to fully understand what Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are to, in, and through us; not only for our personal spiritual growth, but also as the world’s example of how God expects Christians, members of Christ’s body, the worldwide church, to exemplify Christ, our Head, Lord, Master, Creator-Owner.
He begins in John 15:1-8, by comparing the life of the vine to Christ Jesus, the Head of the church, and the branches, to Christians, members of Christ’s body, the worldwide church; showing we must, at all cost, remain alive, active, and in a close, intimate relationship with Christ, to produce fruit—become conformed to Christ’s image (Romans 8:26-30), even during Holy Spirit pruning—otherwise, we will be cut off from Christ, the vine, and thrown into the eternal lake of fire—there is not a “live by past experience of salvation”, but now live for self.
In 15:9-17, love and joy are united perfectly in Christians, as long as we choose to obey Christ, do whatever He commands of us, as we continue to be painfully pruned, by what we daily see by being above the world (Ephesians 2:1-10), but not in and of the world; but claiming, accepting, and receiving whatever we ask Father God in the name of our Lord Jesus, the resurrected Christ; for, as Christians, we love Christ and people, in the same way Christ loves us—He proved by His stripes and death on the cross.
From 15:18-25, we fully understand everything about this present world, despises everything we Christians, members of Christ’s body, the worldwide church, represent; therefore, whatever we think, say, and do is openly despised, and mercilessly persecuted, simply because Jesus, the resurrected Christ, our Head, came to earth and publically exposed the world’s sin, unrighteousness, and satanic association.
Therefore in 15:26-16:4, we know we must, at all cost, remain in Christ Jesus, although the world system, satanically backed, despises, rejects, and openly persecutes Israel and the church, even continuously arranging ways to kill, steal, and destroy us from the earth, but God’s word says it is not possible (Genesis 12:1-3; Matthew 16:18).
John 16:5-15, describes the work of the Holy Spirit, as He convicts (expose, refute, convince), the world first of sin, which is not believing in and receiving Jesus, the Christ-Messiah, but He does convince the world they are separated from God, and need Jesus Christ, the Mediator between God and sinners; second the Holy Spirit convinces lost people of righteousness, meaning He convinces them Christ Jesus is their only righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30-31), their only way to be right with God, or have right standing with God, and third, the Holy Spirit convinces both sinners and Christians Satan and his wicked forces are already judged, and condemned to eternity in the lake of fire, along with everyone that allows him to deceive them, so they obey and serve him.
John 16:16-24, is Jesus preparing His disciples and us, when He is resurrected, He will return to heaven and sit on His throne, with members of His body, the church, also there within Him (Ephesians 2:1-10); thus, the worldwide church, is ALREADY spiritually seated safely far above worldly physical problems, so we must never let them bother us, by us always knowing we are already spiritually in heavenly places in Christ Jesus—this is the spiritual realm of blessings.
In John 16:25-33 Jesus, the resurrected Christ, openly, but not in figurative language of parables and spiritual mysteries, assures us He has already overcome the world for us, so all we do is believe it, and allow Him to always be our Peace (Ephesians 2:13-14), and our total Completeness (Colossians 1:8-10), even while the world persecutes us because we joyfully, openly, steadfast, and unmovable, confess and enjoy our close, intimate, personal, sweet, peaceful relationship with Jesus Christ, our Lord, Master, Creator, and Owner, while we sit together within Him on His throne in heavenly places—safe within our Lord Jesus Christ.
Worldly problems (1 John 2:15-17; Galatians 6:14), in the name of the Lord Jesus (Colossians 3:17): disease, discouragement, defeat, sickness, and whatever you think will control us, is below us (Romans 16:20), under our feet, under the control of Christ and His body, the church (Matthew 16:18; Luke 10:17-24), and therefore totally defeated, for God’s glory and honor.
Yes! This is who God and His forever-settled-in-heaven word (Psalm 119:89), says we are; therefore, this is who we are and where we are spiritually in Christ Jesus—end of discussion!
(Faith in who Jesus is and what He has done and become for us is awesome!)
Jim Nabors
