There are many who may say, “it’s not fair that I live in these days instead of Bible days”. “If I could only see Jesus in the flesh I’d be a far better person.” “If only I could have been one of the Apostles, I’d be such a victorious Christian.” “Why am I born in this century with so much temptation and worldliness Around as it clouds my vision of God?”
When Jesus was about to leave His disciples, He said that it was going to be far better for them when He was gone, but they didn’t understand what He meant. How could it be better if He went?
“Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. “Its expedient (Better) that I go away. (To your advantage).” Unless I go away, the Counselor (The Holy Spirit) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” John 16:6-7
How could it be better without Jesus? We need to understand that It’s all to do with our faith. We need to believe what the word says. Jesus said to doubting Thomas Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.
The obvious reason why it would be better when He was gone, was the coming of the Holy Spirit and a having greater fellowship with God. When Jesus was on the earth there were 70 disciples. Of these, only 12 could be Apostles and only 3 of them were in the inner circle. Of these 3, only one leaned his head on the chest of Jesus, and that was the Beloved John. It would have been hard to get close to Jesus in those days with the 12 Apostles, let alone today. How could we have a relationship like that today, if Jesus was in His earthly body? With millions of disciples in the world, we’d have to make an appointment to see Him. We’d have to queue up just to touch Him, let alone have a chat with Him.
Jesus said that the coming of the Holy Spirit would solve this problem.
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." John 14:16-21
Paul was the greatest of all the Apostles, yet he never walked with Jesus like the other disciples. Jesus had died when Paul got converted on the road to Damascus. You would think that would be at a disadvantage in not seeing Jesus in the flesh, yet he achieved greater things than all of the others. We too can achieve great things for God without actually seeing Jesus. We have the Holy Spirit who can help us to believe even though we cant see just like Paul did.