John 16:8-15
March 15, 2024
John 16:8-15
8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
Jesus assures us that when the Holy Spirit comes, he will “convict the world.” Specifically, the Spirit will demonstrate that the world is wrong with respect to sin, righteousness and judgment. The Spirit will prove the world is guilty of sin because the fallen world in its rebellion against God refuses to believe in Jesus as the one sent by the Father. The Spirit will prove the world is wrong when it comes to righteousness because the Father will acquit Jesus despite the claims made against him by raising Jesus from the dead. And the Spirit will prove the world wrong with respect to judgment because the ruler of this world will be judged and condemned through Jesus’ victory on the cross.
This is why we need not be fearful or dismayed. The Spirit’s job is to assure us of the truths of the gospel. The Spirit has sometimes been referred to as the “shy” person of the Trinity because the Spirit does not focus on himself. Rather the Spirit takes what Jesus says and does and declares it to us. The Spirit applies the finished work of Jesus to our lives so that we can stand confidently rooted in all that Jesus has done for us.
How does the Spirit convict the world and what assurance does this provide?