John 16:8-11

8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment; 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you no longer behold Me; 11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

 

As Jesus continues to teach His disciples why they should be glad that the Holy Spirit is coming, He explains that the Holy Spirit will convict the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. Jesus also explains why this is true.

 

The Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin because the world does not believe in Jesus. The Holy Spirit has been sent, though, to carry on the words of Jesus (John 14:25; 15:26). And Jesus’ words were constantly pointing out the sins of those who falsely believed they were innocent. The Holy Spirit Jesus would send to the disciples was coming to keep convicting the world of sins, because the world did not believe in Jesus and was still lost in sin as a result. Conviction of sin is an important aspect of the Holy Spirit’s ministry.

 

The Holy Spirit will also convict the world of righteousness, but not in the same way as He convicts the world of sin. The sin is their own; the righteousness is from Jesus. Because Jesus is going to the Father so that the world (and even the disciples) can no longer see Him, the Holy Spirit has been sent into the world to convict people that righteousness exists – that true righteousness can be found in Jesus Christ. Because of the Holy Spirit, true righteousness can still be seen in the world, even though Jesus is with the Father.

 

Lastly, the Holy Spirit will convict the world of judgment. We seem to live in an age, at least in America, when many people agree about sin. Many people are willing to say that everyone sins. But sin is minimized. It is considered to be no big deal. Why? Because it is “human” and “common,” and therefore many people refuse to believe that there is any judgment for sin. Everyone sins, and “it’s crazy to think that everyone would be judged for being human” – that’s the attitude. But the Holy Spirit will come into the world, says Jesus, to convict the world of judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. If Satan has been judged – and by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, he has been judged – then all who continue to align themselves with Satan rather than with Jesus Christ should expect judgment for their sins.

 

The Holy Spirit has come. He has come to continue to teach the message Jesus taught. Men are sinners. Jesus is righteous. And Jesus is our only hope, because sinners will be judged. The Holy Spirit has come to warn people. He lived in the disciples. And He still lives in Jesus’ disciples. So we are to participate in this ministry. Part of our work in this world, by the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit, is a ministry of warning this sinful world of people about the judgment that is coming on them because they sin against our perfectly righteous Savior, Jesus Christ. We are to point to His righteousness as proof, by contrast, of the world’s sinfulness.

 

Father, it is a scary thing to push against the world, to know that the message I should proclaim is offensive to them. But You are God, while the world is full of mere men, and its ruler has already been judged. Help me to be faithful to proclaim Jesus’ righteousness and live within the hope that Jesus’ righteousness has brought to me while also being very honest about the sins within this world. May the Holy Spirit be the One convicting people, and may I speak only what He says, which is what Jesus says, which is what You say. May I faithfully carry Your words to people as the Holy Spirit guides me to understand what You have taught by Your words in the Bible.