JUST THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB …
I never got to know my paternal grandmother very well, but I do remember that when something went wrong, she used to say ‘I’ll have to get the man up.’ So, when something went wrong with the water, she would call a plumber. When something went wrong with the electrics, she would call a qualified electrician I guess we can all relate to this. There is normally just the right person for a particular job that needs to be done. Few of us would undertake a bit of DIY when it comes to plumbing or electricity for fear of getting either flooded or electrocuted respectively.
Did you know that the Bible tells us that there are two distinct divine Persons available ‘on call’ for twenty four hours a day? And these Persons are just the Persons for our deepest need. These Persons are described in the original Greek of the New Testament as the ‘Parakletos.’ When translated literally, the word ‘Parakletos’ means ‘one called alongside to help.’ According to the New Testament, the Christian is blessed by having a Parakletos both in heaven and on earth.
- Our Helper in Heaven
Our Parakletos in heaven is the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 John 2:1 tells us that If any one does sin, we have an advocate (parakletos) with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous Jesus then is just the right Person for the job. He is our Parakletos in heaven – One called alongside the Father on our behalf, One Who speaks up in the sinner’s defence.
How though can Jesus speak up in the sinner’s defence? He certainly cannot plead our innocence, for we are all sinners by nature and practice, and as such we are guilty before God … Well Jesus, our advocate/parakletos, does not so much plead our case, but He pleads His Own case on our behalf. He intercedes for us at God’s right hand not on the basis of our works and righteousness, but His Own work and righteousness. He, as it were, reminds the Father that He has fully atoned for our sins. He paid the price for our sins at Calvary. He was punished in our stead. Because the sinless Christ was treated as ‘Guilty’, we, the guilty sinners may be declared ‘Not Guilty’ in God’s sight.
We have a Parakletos in heaven then. Jesus is our advocate with God. He ever lives to make intercession for them (Hebrews 7:25):-
Before the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea
A great High Priest, whose Name is love
Who ever lives and pleads for me
Because the sinless Saviour died
My sinful soul is counted free
For God the Just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.
- Our Helper on Earth
Our Parakletos on earth – that is, one called alongside us to help us – is the Holy Spirit of God, the third Person of the blessed Trinity. In John 14:15,16, Jesus promised: ‘If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Counsellor (that is, a Parakletos, one called alongside to help) to be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth.’
The Holy Spirit of God then – the Parakletos – is the true ‘Vicar of Christ on earth.’ He is described by Jesus as another Counsellor/Comforter Just as the Lord Jesus helped His disciples, so now, all of Jesus’ present day followers may know the personal presence of Christ with them, day by day, in the Person of His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the fulfilment of Jesus’ promise in John 14:18: ‘I will not leave you desolate, I will come to you.’
It is the Holy Spirit of God Who is the personal presence of God in the lives of His children, day by day here on earth – day and night, winter and summer, in sickness and in health, in days of ease and days of stress, on happy days and on sad days The Holy Spirit’s helping ministry is, of course, vast: It is He Who initially convicted us of our sin and converted us to Christ. It is He Who leads us and guides us. It is He Who helps us to pray aright. It is He Who enables us to understand the Scriptures. It is He Who strengthens us in Christian service, and it is He Who comforts us in sorrow. The Holy Spirit of God is our Parakletos on earth – One called alongside us to help.
Thank God then that just as there is normally expert help on hand to help us when things go wrong, God has not left us to flounder along in our own devices in this world An article of the Apostles’ Creed is: I believe in the Holy Spirit He is the Parakletos of God on earth, just as the Lord Jesus is our Parakletos in heaven. This divine resource is available to every Christian, without exception He is available to you! It’s a staggering fact that whilst Almighty God presenced Himself in a particular way in the ancient temple in Jerusalem, He now no longer does so. Instead, He now presences Himself in Christians like you and me. The Bible says that it is we who are now the temple of the living God. He dwells in us, by His Holy Spirit. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
Our blest Redeemer, ere He breathed
His tender last farewell
A Guide, a Comforter, bequeathed
With us to dwell
He came sweet influence to impart
A gracious willing Guest
While He can find one humble heart
Wherein to rest
Spirit of purity and grace
Our weakness pitying see
O make our hearts Thy dwelling place
And worthier Thee.
This post copyright Timothy Cross
