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What is a "Spirit of Truth"?

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Slumberfreeze said:
John 16:12 Says that Jesus had more to say to the disciples, but they could not bear it, but that the Spirit of truth would come and lead them into all truth.

From this I can say with certainty that Jesus had declared all the scripture written previously, and even his entire testimony and ministry on this earth, to be insufficient to complete his disciples' education.

That would be the work of the Spirit of Truth.

1 Cor 2:14-15 says only the man with the spirit of God can comprehend spiritual things (which the Word of God clearly is)

The Spirit of Truth must continue his work for each person who reads the bible.
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So who/what is the spirit of Truth? The Holy Spirit? Some other thing?

What is its work?

Is there more to the scriptures than what is written? How are we to know when this work is being performed?

I am using your words @Slumberfreeze without your permission, please correct me if I am wrong in including it here.
 
Cap said:
So who/what is the spirit of Truth? The Holy Spirit? Some other thing?
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In these 3 verses it seems to indicate the Holy Spirit... notice the word Spirit is capitalized.

John 14:17
[17] Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

John 15:26
[26] But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

John 16:13
[13] Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
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This verse seems to be referring to what we call discernment notice spirit is not capitalized in this verse...

1 John 4:6
[6] We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
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So it can mean the Holy Spirit or it can be referring to discernment that a Christian should have. (Which largely comes from the Holy Spirit working in us)
 
Pacman said:
In these 3 verses it seems to indicate the Holy Spirit... notice the word Spirit is capitalized.

This verse seems to be referring to what we call discernment notice spirit is not capitalized in this verse...

So it can mean the Holy Spirit or it can be referring to discernment that a Christian should have. (Which largely comes from the Holy Spirit working in us)
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So I assume what you are saying is that 'discernment' is a spiritual thing. And to to have spiritual discernment is to recognize spiritual things both good and bad. So there could be spiritual bad things? Yes?
 
Cap said:
So I assume what you are saying is that 'discernment' is a spiritual thing. And to to have spiritual discernment is to recognize spiritual things both good and bad. So there could be spiritual bad things? Yes?
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I think that might be starting to stretch it too far. He didn’t say, “spiritual bad things”, he said the spirit of error. 1 John was written to expose false teachers and their false dictrine, specifically, the gnostic heresy. In the context of this passage and in light of the heresy he is combating, John is telling them that we are able to discern true teaching from false.
 
Asforme&myhouse said:
I think that might be starting to stretch it too far. He didn’t say, “spiritual bad things”, he said the spirit of error. 1 John was written to expose false teachers and their false dictrine, specifically, the gnostic heresy. In the context of this passage and in light of the heresy he is combating, John is telling them that we are able to discern true teaching from false.
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I assume your reference is to scriptural teaching, whether true or false? But what about spiritual discernment of things outside scripture, like discerning and evil person?
 
Pacman said:
Not sure what you’re driving at? Of course demonic spirits exist and those would be bad things...
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It is my understanding that the question here is how does the spiritual world operate outside of scripture. And sense the spirit world is made up of both good and bad it seems that discerning things good is scriptural but discerning things bad is not.
 
Cap said:
I assume your reference is to scriptural teaching, whether true or false? But what about spiritual discernment of things outside scripture, like discerning and evil person?
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I’m sorry, I’m not sure I understand your questions.
 
Cap said:
It is my understanding that the question here is how does the spiritual world operate outside of scripture.
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I believe that God gave us all the information we need about the spiritual world within scripture so I for one am not questioning that...
 
Pacman said:
I believe that God gave us all the information we need about the spiritual world within scripture so I for one am not questioning that...
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So we can only discern things like a boy being thrown in a fire as the only manifestation of the evil spiritual world?

And a woman who neglects her family so she can protest topless to help the cause of feminism as she is just having a bad day, because it's not in scripture?
 
Cap said:
So we can only discern things like a boy being thrown in a fire as the only manifestation of the evil spiritual world?

And a woman who neglects her family so she can protest topless to help the cause of feminism as she is just having a bad day, because it's not in scripture?
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Lol

That would fall under discernment...
 
Cap said:
So you are saying that one can discern spiritual things that are not in scripture?
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Discerning that someone was demon possessed seemed to be fairly easy for folks in scripture, even the Jews during Jesus’ ministry, who appear to have zero spiritual discernment. They where like whoa! That dude is cutting himself, he breaks chains, and he runs around in the cemetery, buck naked... i think he might have a demon. It’s kind of just basic observational skills.
 
Asforme&myhouse said:
Discerning that someone was demon possessed seemed to be fairly easy for folks in scripture, even the Jews during Jesus’ ministry, who appear to have zero spiritual discernment. They where like whoa! That dude is cutting himself, he breaks chains, and he runs around in the cemetery, buck naked... i think he might have a demon. It’s kind of just basic observational skills.
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Thank you ... Not sure why that needed to be said. Thought it was self evident
 
Asforme&myhouse said:
Discerning that someone was demon possessed seemed to be fairly easy for folks in scripture, even the Jews during Jesus’ ministry, who appear to have zero spiritual discernment. They where like whoa! That dude is cutting himself, he breaks chains, and he runs around in the cemetery, buck naked... i think he might have a demon. It’s kind of just basic observational skills.
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And if someone saw the same thing today could they say the same thing?

Today it's called mental illness.
 
Cap said:
And if someone saw the same thing today could they say the same thing?

I know my answer.
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Sure why not?
 
Cap said:
OK I'm losing track. So discerning an evil spirit, say a spirit characteristic of the story of Jezebel, is possible today if one has the Spirit of Truth?
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Your supposed "spirit of Jezebel" being an actual demon is questionable at best... The examples @Asforme&myhouse gave are actual scriptural examples of demonic influences... Big difference...
 
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