“It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor [the Holy Spirit] will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.”
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-John 16:7-11 NIV.
-John 16:7-11 NIV.
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One raw evangelistic truth is this: We can preach the Word of God all we like and it will have little or no effect unless it’s both anointed by the Presence of the Holy Spirit in the transmission -- and it meets with the Presence ‘on the other side,’ i.e. it’s received spiritually by the other person. Only the Holy Spirit can ‘convict the world’ as Jesus puts it. It convicts or convinces “either to repentance and salvation or hardening of heart and condemnation.”[1]
One raw evangelistic truth is this: We can preach the Word of God all we like and it will have little or no effect unless it’s both anointed by the Presence of the Holy Spirit in the transmission -- and it meets with the Presence ‘on the other side,’ i.e. it’s received spiritually by the other person. Only the Holy Spirit can ‘convict the world’ as Jesus puts it. It convicts or convinces “either to repentance and salvation or hardening of heart and condemnation.”[1]
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John is outstandingly regal Scripture of the utmost veneration proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God. So fitting it is that raw teaching on the Holy Spirit should be set here. John quotes Jesus plainly instructing his disciples regarding how the Spirit is to charge the world with guilt to repent -- essentially, now is ‘decision time.’ Its role is to convince the world:
John is outstandingly regal Scripture of the utmost veneration proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God. So fitting it is that raw teaching on the Holy Spirit should be set here. John quotes Jesus plainly instructing his disciples regarding how the Spirit is to charge the world with guilt to repent -- essentially, now is ‘decision time.’ Its role is to convince the world:
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1. Concerning Sin
1. Concerning Sin
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Jesus says earlier in John 3:19 that, “this is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” Only the work of the Holy Spirit will convict a person of the abject horror of their own sin. Once converted, there is no going back (if the conversion is true and clean); the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit will continually reconcile that believing sinner to God, making him or her intrinsically accountable to God.
Jesus says earlier in John 3:19 that, “this is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” Only the work of the Holy Spirit will convict a person of the abject horror of their own sin. Once converted, there is no going back (if the conversion is true and clean); the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit will continually reconcile that believing sinner to God, making him or her intrinsically accountable to God.
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For every true Christian, having been awakened, continually repents of sin. A Christian is a ‘saved sinner.’ I’m no less a sinner now than before -- but having been saved I’ve been made right through him who loves me and stooped to help me. Praise God I’m more aware of my sin now, and can do something about it. Glory is accorded God for convicting hearts to return to him.
For every true Christian, having been awakened, continually repents of sin. A Christian is a ‘saved sinner.’ I’m no less a sinner now than before -- but having been saved I’ve been made right through him who loves me and stooped to help me. Praise God I’m more aware of my sin now, and can do something about it. Glory is accorded God for convicting hearts to return to him.
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2. Concerning Righteousness
2. Concerning Righteousness
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Jesus, as opposed to the ruling-class Jews of the first Century, was proved right when he ascended to be with the Father; he was right, they were wrong. They convicted him wrongly, treating him like an evil-doer and hung him on a tree; yet “the exact opposite was the truth.”[2] Jesus is “‘vindicated’ by his resurrection and return to the Father.” Jesus’ followers are also vindicated through him.[3] God the Father saw to it that the ultimate irony -- his perfect plan of redemption -- would prove Jesus perfectly right in every way, situation, and event, past, present, and future. This righteousness points to the venerable holiness of the Godhead.
Jesus, as opposed to the ruling-class Jews of the first Century, was proved right when he ascended to be with the Father; he was right, they were wrong. They convicted him wrongly, treating him like an evil-doer and hung him on a tree; yet “the exact opposite was the truth.”[2] Jesus is “‘vindicated’ by his resurrection and return to the Father.” Jesus’ followers are also vindicated through him.[3] God the Father saw to it that the ultimate irony -- his perfect plan of redemption -- would prove Jesus perfectly right in every way, situation, and event, past, present, and future. This righteousness points to the venerable holiness of the Godhead.
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3. Concerning Judgment
3. Concerning Judgment
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Without taking the offer of Jesus’ salvation with both hands, returning us to the Father, we implicitly accept the Devil’s -- we would stand condemned with Satan. The Holy Spirit attests to the truth: “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.” (John 3:18)
Without taking the offer of Jesus’ salvation with both hands, returning us to the Father, we implicitly accept the Devil’s -- we would stand condemned with Satan. The Holy Spirit attests to the truth: “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.” (John 3:18)
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ENDNOTES:
[1] Colin G. Kruse, The Gospel According to John – Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Leicester, England: InterVarsity Press, 2003), p. 331.
[2] William Hendriksen, The Gospel of John – New Testament Commentary (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1959), p. 326.
[3] Eugene H. Merrill (ed.), The Gospels – The Bible Knowledge Word Study (Colorado Springs, Colorado: Victor / Cook Communications Ministries, 2002), p. 359.
[1] Colin G. Kruse, The Gospel According to John – Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Leicester, England: InterVarsity Press, 2003), p. 331.
[2] William Hendriksen, The Gospel of John – New Testament Commentary (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1959), p. 326.
[3] Eugene H. Merrill (ed.), The Gospels – The Bible Knowledge Word Study (Colorado Springs, Colorado: Victor / Cook Communications Ministries, 2002), p. 359.
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