Jesus start off by telling us to keep his commandments. Now if you stop at verse 16, you'll state boldly  "See.....there are 3 different persons". So, don't stop at verse 16! Read the "rest of the story".

Verse 16: "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;..." and Jesus continues in verse 17 concerning the Holy Ghost. Now, If you will notice the last part of verse 17, there is a statement made that continues into verse 18. Jesus says, "...for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." Verse 19: "Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also."   Now verse 20: At that day, ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. In verse 21 Jesus says "I...will manifest myself to him".

Jesus answered him concerning love and keeping his commandments, but look at the statement he made in verse 23 near the end: "...WE will come and make our abode with him." Now it gets really interesting. Read through to verse 26: "BUT THE COMFORTER, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send IN MY NAME..."

You mean to tell me that according to John chapter 17, Jesus said he came in his Father's name, and that the Holy Ghost is going to come in Jesus' name? What was the name that Jesus came in? (careful, it's a trick question). Well, it was JESUS, of course. There is none other name given to anyone anywhere in the Bible!  So, I wonder what Name the Comforter came in?

Let's look at it anyway: Luke 1:35. Now there is much debate (usually by those who have an unregenerate heart) over whether Mary was a "young maiden" or a virgin. The bible plainly states she was a  VIRGIN. She was in fact a virgin when she conceived. The NIV version of the bible, however, states that she was simply a "young maiden". You'll find that damnable lie propagated elsewhere in the world today. Now, I don't worship Mary, and a quick study will show you that no special "salvation" privileges were given to her. Read Acts chapters 1 and 2, you'll find that Mary had to obey the same plan of salvation as everyone else. To claim that Mary was only a "young maiden" detracts from the facts of the matter and leaves doubt as to whether Jesus was REALLY the Messiah. This statement and belief must be seen as a direct attack on the deity of Jesus Christ by those who hold the theory!

Back to the study. Luke 1:35 reads "...The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee... ......therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God". Really? The HOLY GHOST shall come upon thee, but we're going to call the child God's Son? Let's turn to Matthew 1:18-25. This will also clear up the "young maiden" theory.

Matthew 1:18 states "...before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost." Read through to verse 20 and you find again "...for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost." Verse 21: "thou shalt call his name JESUS: ..."

I ask you: Is Jesus the Son of God or the Son of the Holy Ghost? Maybe we can get the answer by looking at the NAME as described in verse 21. (By the way, verse 25 says Joseph "...knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: "

The Bible DOES say that God has a "person".   Remember Hebrews 1? JESUS is the "express" image of God's PERSON. I ask you again, is the Holy Ghost (or Holy SPIRIT...that title itself should give you a clue) a Person?

IF Jesus is literally on the Right hand of God (or right side if that is the way you prefer to see it), Where would the Holy Ghost be? Do you believe the Holy Ghost is a Spirit? If you believe the Holy Ghost is a Spirit and doesn't need a throne, then you have another issue to discuss. John 4:4 says GOD is a Spirit. If God is a Spirit that fills the universe, then where is his throne?

We know from the Word that a KING sits on the throne. Read with me now in 1 Timothy 6:13-16. Who is the KING? Verse 15 says Jesus is THE KING OF KINGS. You will also see that same thing in Revelation chapter 19.

In fact, the left hand of God is a place where the Goat nations, and those who will be turned into hell, are gathered. Read Matthew 25:31-46. Read especially verse 41 "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:..." and again in verse 46 "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."

If this passage looks familiar to you, it should.  We covered it on pages 3 and 4 of this study, but let's go through the same thing again, just to refresh your memory.

It reads: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

These scriptures will come together in a few more minutes.

 Hebrews 4:14-16

We find in this passage that Jesus is our high priest. What is the function of a high priest? Remember way back in the Old Testament? He was the one that entered into the holy of holies. He was the one to stand in the presence of God, he made an atonement for the people, he was a mediator for them. One man between God and man. We no longer need the high priest of the Old Testament, for Jesus is our high priest. This scripture will come back into play in a few more paragraphs.

Look at that opening verse of 1 John 2. John is admonishing people: DO NOT SIN. Period. No provision is made (not ever in the Word of God) to allow sin or to permit it in any form or fashion. He doesn't stop there. Thank God he didn't. "...And IF..." (there is that little tiny word again). Now the word IF is a qualifier. It signifies that one condition must be present in order to have another condition. For example: IF you'll come to my house, THEN we'll have ice cream. What happens in the event you decide NOT TO COME? Well, that's very simple you say....then I get no Ice Cream! Right. It's a very basic concept.

That is exactly what John is saying here. "...IF any man sin, we have an advocate..." (a mediator, a lawyer on our side) "...with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation..." (the fulfillment, the complete payment) "...for our sins:..."

Now we have Jesus actually fulfilling, not only the role of high priest, but also the role of the sacrifice. HE paid the price, and not only did he PAY the price, HE WAS the price.

We see these thoughts and facts further reflected in 1 Timothy 2:5: "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;..."

Here is where the other two scriptures play and important part. We just read that Jesus is our mediator, our "intercessor". Here, in Romans 8:26, we read something: "...the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us..." But, don't stop at 26, verse 27 reads: "And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."

Who searches the hearts? 1 Chronicles 28:9 says it is the Lord. Psalm 44:21 says it is God who knows the heart. Jeremiah 17:10 says "I the Lord search the heart...", and the verse above that (Jeremiah 17:9) states " The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"

Now who is it? Is it Jesus who is the intercessor, or the Holy Ghost, or God the Father?

We have several scriptures that seemingly contradict. Who is it that searches the hearts of men? Hebrews 7:24-25 tells us again that it is JESUS who makes intercession.