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The writings of John reveal that the Spirit is the Spirit of reality—John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13; 1 John 5:6, 20:
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In the whole universe only One is real—the Triune God; only the Triune God is the reality—John 14:6; 1 John 5:20.
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In God's New Testament economy the Spirit has the attribute of reality—John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13:
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Reality is the all-inclusive attribute of the Spirit of God, for it includes the Father, Christ the Son, and all the divine items and entities—1:17.
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The Spirit is the all-inclusive reality; reality, therefore, is one of the most marvelous attributes of the Spirit—1 John 5:6.
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According to the context, the reality in John 16:13 refers to all that the Triune God is and has.
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The Spirit of reality is the reality of the Triune God; that is, He is the reality of all that the Triune God is, all that He has accomplished, and all that He has attained and obtained—14:17; 15:26.
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Apart from the Spirit of reality, in our experience we cannot have the Triune God or any of the divine attributes; the reality of the Triune God and of all His attributes is the Spirit of reality—16:13.
Morning Nourishment
John 14:17 Even the Spirit of reality, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him; but you know Him, because He abides with you and shall be in you.15:26 But when the Comforter comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of reality, who proceeds from the Father, He will testify concerning Me.
The Spirit is called the Spirit of reality because whatever the Father in the Son is and whatever the Son is, is realized in the Spirit. The Spirit is the realization of what God the Father and God the Son are. God the Father is light, and God the Son is life. The reality of this light and life is the Spirit. If we do not have the Spirit, we cannot have the light of God the Father. If we do not have the Spirit, we cannot have God the Son as our life. The reality of all the divine attributes of both God the Father and God the Son is the Spirit. In John 14:17; 15:26; and 16:13 the Lord Jesus speaks of the Spirit of reality....First John 5:6 says that the Spirit is the reality. As the Spirit of reality, the Spirit is the reality of God and of the Son. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, p. 863)
Today's Reading
The Spirit is the reality of every divine thing, and, as such, He is the reality of eternal life. Eventually, because the Spirit is the reality, He is God, the Son, and eternal life. Apart from the Spirit of reality, eternal life would be empty, vain. Therefore, the Spirit is the reality of God, the Son, eternal life, grace, and every divine matter. Because the Spirit is the reality of all divine and spiritual entities and items, He is called the Spirit of reality. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, p. 863)In the whole universe, only One is real—the Triune God. Only the Triune God is the reality. Today the Spirit is the reality because the Spirit is the real essence of the Triune God.... Brother Watchman Nee... [said] that the Spirit is the reality of the resurrection. Resurrection needs some reality, and that reality is the Spirit. If you are not in the Spirit, you are not in resurrection. (CWWL, 1991-1992, vol. 2, "The Christian Life," p. 373)
In God's New Testament economy the Spirit has the attribute of reality (John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13). Reality is the all-inclusive attribute of the Spirit of God, for it includes the Father, Christ the Son, and all the divine items and entities. The Spirit is the reality of Christ and of the divine revelation. Hence, the Spirit is the reality (1 John 5:6). The Holy Spirit is the all-inclusive reality. Reality, therefore, is one of the most marvelous attributes of the Spirit.
Apart from the Spirit of reality, in our experience we cannot have the Trinity or any of the divine attributes. These would be nothing more than terms to us. The reality of the Triune God and of all His attributes is the Spirit of reality.
According to the context, the reality in John 16:13 refers to what the Father has, what the Son has, and what the Spirit receives of the Son and of what the Father has. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 897, 962)
In John 1 the dove descended upon the Lamb. The Lamb signifies redemption, and the dove signifies the life-giving Spirit. This indicates that the life-giving Spirit comes to us on the basis of the redemption of Christ. Since God is triune, when we consider who the Spirit is, we must trace Him back to Christ. Then when we ask who Christ is, we must trace Him back to God. God is the fullness, Christ is the embodiment and expression of the fullness of God (Col. 2:9), and the Spirit is the reality of all that Christ is (John 14:17). Stated another way, God the Father is the source, God the Son is the expression, and God the Spirit is the transmission (2 Cor. 13:14). Therefore, the Spirit is the reality of the Triune God; that is, He is the reality of all that the Triune God is, all that He has accomplished, and all that He has obtained and attained. The central item and blessing of the gospel preached to Abraham was that God would give this Spirit to all the chosen ones. (CWWL, 1966, vol. 2, "The Divine Spirit with the Human Spirit in the Epistles," p. 298)
Further Reading: Truth Lessons—Level Three, vol. 3, lsn. 49