Bible Reading: Isaiah 9:6 & 1 John 2:18-27

To further identify the child “called wonderful,” Isaiah informs us that He will also be called “Counsellor.” All the counsel that humanity needs is provided by Him. This explains why the Apostle John identifies Christ as the “true light” who “gives light to everyone” in the world (John 1:9). His counsel is not only verbally expressed, but also exemplarily modeled; as the Apostle Peter puts it, Christ provided us with a perfect “example” so that we should “follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21).

In 1 John 2:27, the Apostle John writes, “But you have received the Holy Spirit, and He lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what He teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as He has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ” (New Living Translation). Christ lives within the Christian in the person of the Holy Spirit. “Everything [we] need to know” the indwelling Christ will tell us. 

With Christ living within us, what other counselor do we need? We have no need of fallible human counselors who are often mistaken and misleading. We have living within us an infallible Counselor whose counsel is always right and “true.” Why follow the advice of questionable human counselors when we can get the sure and certain counsel of Him who always speaks the truth and cannot lie (Romans 3:4; Titus 1:2)? 

If Christ is the only Counselor we need, then why does the Bible teach that “in the multitude of counsellors there is safety” (Proverbs 24:6). Christ’s counsel can come to us through human instrumentality. He not only speaks to us through the still, small voice of the Spirit, but also through the voices of others. Now, when Christ speaks to us through others, it will never be contradictory to the Scripture or to the still, small voice of the Spirit within, nor will it ever lack a confirming chorus of other voices as well. Thus, in the final analysis it is Christ counsel alone that we are to follow, regardless of whether it comes directly from within or indirectly from without.

Do you remember the advice of Mary to the servants at the wedding in Cana of Galilee: “Whatever He says to you, do it” (John 2:5)? This is all of the advise any of us will ever need to live the rest of our lives. All we need to do is whatever Jesus counsels us to do!

Christians have no more decisions to fret over, just Christ’s counsel to follow!