1 “These things I have spoken to you that you not be caused to stumble.” John 16:1 (translated from the NA28 Greek text)
In John 15 our Lord spoke of certain “things” in great detail in order that believers “not be caused to stumble.” He was referring to John 15:18-25, which is the fact that those who are truly in Christ will be hated by the world just as our Lord was. Our Lord made it an imperative that we understand that this is true, but also that we do not have to contend with this alone. In John 15:26-27, the promise of the Helper, the Holy Spirit, is given again. Those who have the Holy Spirit are genuine believers and they bear witness about Christ because that is what the Holy Spirit does.