In a powerful reflection on Christian faith, Emeritus Professor Mercy Olumide delves into the core of Jesus Christ's promises to His followers, focusing on the gift of the Holy Spirit. The message, dated 20 December 2025, draws directly from the Gospel of John to illuminate this central tenet of belief.
The Promise of a Divine Helper
Professor Olumide highlights a critical moment in scripture where Jesus, knowing His physical departure was imminent, made a profound commitment to His disciples. He assured them they would not be left alone. "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you," Jesus declared in John 14:18. This coming was fulfilled not in a physical return at that time, but through the sending of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is presented as "another Helper" (John 14:16), a permanent divine presence meant to abide with believers forever. This role combines comfort and wise counsel, offering guidance and support in the absence of Jesus' physical form. For believers today, this signifies that through the Spirit, Jesus Himself remains intimately present in their lives.
Love and Obedience: The Pathway to the Spirit
The reflection strongly links the reception and experience of the Holy Spirit with a believer's love for Christ, demonstrated through obedience. "If you love Me, keep My commandments," Jesus states in John 14:15. This obedience is not presented as a burdensome law but as the natural expression of genuine love and friendship with God.
Scripture makes it clear: "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me," (John 14:21). This reciprocal relationship is profound. Those who love and obey are loved by the Father, and both Jesus and the Father make their home with them through the Spirit. Conversely, a disregard for His words is framed as a lack of love.
The Work of the Spirit of Truth
Professor Olumide's analysis points to the multifaceted work of the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus also called the "Spirit of truth" (John 14:17). According to the Gospel of John, this Spirit has a specific mission. Jesus explained that His departure was advantageous because it would allow the Helper to come (John 16:7).
Upon arrival, the Spirit of Truth convicts the world regarding sin, righteousness, and judgment. Furthermore, He guides believers into all truth, speaking not on His own authority but revealing what He hears from the Father and the Son. The Spirit also has a prophetic function, telling of things to come, and His ultimate purpose is to glorify Jesus by taking what belongs to Him and declaring it to believers.
In essence, the Holy Spirit is the active, indwelling presence of God that continues Jesus' work on earth, providing comfort, guidance, conviction, and revelation to those who follow Him in love and obedience.
