The Convicting Ministry of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit Convicts the World--Part 2
by
John MacArthur
All Rights Reserved

(A copy of this message on cassette tape may be obtained by calling 1-800-55-GRACE)
 John 16:8-11       Tape GC 1559

Review

John wrote his gospel to present to the world the full deity and humanity of Jesus Christ. Chapter 16 was a special occasion, for it was the night before the crucifixion. Christ's farewell discourse with His disciples began in chapter 13. In that chapter He talked to them about His love. In chapter 14 and the first part of chapter 15 Jesus gave the disciples marvelous promises that would be fulfilled because He was going away. However in chapter 15 Christ warned them that the world would try to kill them because of its hatred for Christ. Persecution is inevitable because a true disciple opposes the system of the world, which is under Satan's control. Yet Jesus comforted His disciples saying "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

I. THE KILLING OF THE DISCIPLES BY THE WORLD (vv. 1-4)

In John 16 Jesus says, "These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues; yea, the time cometh, that whoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service" (vv. 1-2). The disciples were not to be surprised that people would try to kill them in the name of religion. History verifies that that is exactly what happened. All kinds of atrocities take place in the name of religion. False religion always persecutes those who speak God's truth. Jesus said, "These things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me" (v. 3). It's frightening to realize that people who claim to be serving God don't even know Him! Commitment to external religion is no guarantee that that person is a true believer. There are people who go to church, carry a Bible, and read their prayer book, yet they have no personal relationship with God. Religious people do not necessarily know God. Some are trapped and blinded by a system, having no idea who God or Christ is.

In verse 4 Christ says, "These things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you." When Christ was with the disciples, He was the object of the world's attacks. But after He returned to the Father, the disciples became the focus of its hatred.

II. THE COMFORTING OF THE DISCIPLES BY THE LORD (vv. 5-7)

After Christ warned the disciples, He comforted them. In verses 5-6 He says, "Now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Where goest thou? But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart." He pointed out that the disciples feared only for themselves instead of caring about their Lord's destiny.

"Nevertheless, I tell you the truth." Christ continued, "It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you" (v. 7). He knew it was best for them to return to the Father because the Holy Spirit would then come to indwell them.

Lesson

III. THE CONVICTING OF THE WORLD BY THE SPIRIT (vv. 8-11)

A. The Barrier to Conviction

The convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit deals with the problem of sin.

1. Man is defiled

The Bible says that every man is a sinner. Paul remarked, "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one" (Rom. 3:10; Ps. 14:3). There's no one in the world who hasn't rebelled against God. Christ alone is perfect. Man is not only sinful in behavior, but also sinful by birth. As the offspring of our rebellious first parents, Adam and Eve, we all are born sinners. Men don't understand God so they run from Him.

Although some people think they are good, Scripture says, "They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one" (Rom. 3:12). Evil men usually don't consider what they do to be evil. Rather, most think that they are doing good. Paul said that in reality, "Their throat is an open sepulcher; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace have they not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes" (vv. 13-18).

Men are in rebellion against God. When you are born into the world, you enter under the world's system, which is controlled by Satan--the original rebel against God.

2. Man is hostile

Because the world is under Satan's control, it hates Christ.
Furthermore, men and women who don't know Christ hate those who know Him because Christians act as a living condemnation of them. Sinfulness hates righteousness, and imperfection hates perfection. Yet, while God is opposed to unrighteousness, He loves the world.

The Holy Spirit's ministry is to break down people's the resistance to Christ to bring them into fellowship with God.
For that to occur, Christ first needed to break the power of sin, which holds men in rebellion against God. Sin separates men from God.

B. The Object of Conviction (v. 8)

"When he [the Holy Spirit] is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment."
John 15:26 says that the Holy Spirit would testify to the world about Christ. But now we see another aspect of the Spirit's ministry: bringing conviction of sin. He reveal man's sin and that compels man to seek God's mercy through the work of Christ on the cross. Therefore, we know that no man will come to Christ until he recognizes his sinfulness.

1. Man's heart condemned

The key to understanding verse 8 is the Greek word translated "reprove" (elegch[ma]o). It has two meanings--condemn and convince. In the first sense it speaks of convicting with a view toward judgment or sentencing. It's a courtroom term. The judge used it to declare guilt and pronounce judgment. The Holy Spirit reproves men by declaring them guilty. Men merit that condemnation because they have rejected Jesus Christ. Although it is the Holy Spirit who makes the declaration, His is not the One who carries out the condemnation. That responsibility belongs to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself (John 5:27-29).

2. Man's heart convinced

Elegch[ma]o can also mean "convince." The Holy Spirit condemns men and He convinces them that they need Jesus Christ. The convincing ministry of the Holy Spirit precedes the condemning ministry--if we do not respond to convincing we will be condemned.

We are convinced by the Holy Spirit when we have a subjective realization of guilt. But why does the Holy Spirit want us to grasp the full realization of our sinfulness? Because an awareness of our sinfulness bring us to an understanding of our need for a Savior.

Painful Love

Pain is good. Without pain we wouldn't know when we are hurt and we would thus be unable to prevent our death. Similarly, the Holy Spirit reveals our sin that we see and act upon our need. Through an awareness of our need we are driven to Christ as the answer to that need. So the ministry of convincing is an act of love. Without it, man would continue on a course to hell.

So the Spirit's task is to bring men to Jesus Christ by exposing their sin to them. I've seen that ministry at work. Often I have talked to people who are burdened by an overwhelming sense of sin. That indicates to me that that person is ready to receive Christ. It's exciting to meet people who are painfully aware of their sinfulness because self-righteous people are beyond help because they don't see themselves as needy. 

3. The Instruments of Conviction (vv. 9-11)

"Of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged."

The Holy Spirit uses three things to convict men: sin, righteousness, and judgment.

a) "sin" (v. 9)

"Of sin, because they believe not on me."

In the final judgment a man person either into heaven or hell depending on whether he believed in Jesus Christ. The Spirit tries to convince people not to reject Christ because doing so leads to condemnation.

Note that "sin" is singular not plural in verse 9. Primarily the Holy Spirit doesn't convict unbelievers of all the sins they're ever committed. Rather He concentrates on convicting them of the sin of rejecting Jesus Christ, which is consistent with the Spirit's ministry of revealing Christ. John 3:18 says, "He that believeth on him [Christ] is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (v. 18). Condemnation is the result of unbelief. In John 5:40 Jesus says, "Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." Man's problem is the sin of not believing in Christ not the sins he has committed. In John 8:24 He says, "I said, therefore, unto you, that ye shall die in your sins; for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins."

If you stand before the Great White Throne on Judgment Day, it will not simply be because of the sins of your daily life. Rather it will be because you rejected Jesus Christ. The issue is whether you believe in Christ as He revealed Himself to be. Mark 16:16 says, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." God isn't necessarily concerning Himself with keeping a record of every sin that ever been committed because condemnation is a matter of sin not sins. The issue is your belief in Christ.

During Christ's day thousands died by crucifixion. What makes the death of one man, declared to be a criminal, so significant? Why does the death of Christ on the cross grip men's hearts so that they cannot ignore Jesus? The reason is the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit.

b) "righteousness" (v. 10)

"Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more."

The world has no adequate sense of righteousness. In 1 Corinthians 4:3-5 Paul says, "I don't even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.... He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts" (NIV). We will damn ourselves if we measure ourselves by ourselves. We must follow the one true standard of righteousness--Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit wants to show us the righteousness of Christ so we'll understand our sinfulness.

The righteousness of Christ is best demonstrated by the fact that God accepted Christ back into His presence. That's what "because I go to my Father and ye see me no more" speaks of. On the cross God laid sin upon Christ. However, through His obedience Christ was raised in righteousness. And His righteousness was proven because the Father accepted Him back.

1) Habakkuk 1:13--"Thou [God] art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity" (1:13). So when Jesus entered into the presence of the Father, that shows God considered Him to be righteousness.

2) Philippians 2:9-11--"God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God, the Father." The way God treated Christ showed that Christ is righteous.

3) 1 John 3:10--"Whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God." Entrance into the presence of God is dependent upon righteousness. We enter heaven because Christ's righteousness has been imputed to us. When you put your faith in Christ and receive Him as your Savior and Lord, His righteousness becomes yours and you can enter into the presence of God.

4) Acts 10:35--"In every nation he that feareth him [God], and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him." Acceptance with God is based on righteousness.

5) Romans 4:5--"To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." You are made righteous only when you've put your faith in Jesus Christ, accepting His death on your behalf and repenting of your sin.

6) Romans 3:26--"To declare, I say, at this time his [God's] righteousness, that he might be just, and the justifier of him who believeth in Jesus." Salvation isn't an issue of how good or how bad you are; it's a matter of believing in Jesus Christ.

One ministry of the Holy Spirit is to convince people that Jesus is righteous. To do that the Spirit will use the Bible and the godly lives of Christians. In Philippians 3:7-9 Paul expresses the heart of a redeemed man, "What things were gain to me, those I counted lost for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith."

c) "judgment" (v. 11)
"Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged."

The prince of this world, Satan, was judged on the cross. While the death of Jesus Christ at first looked like Satan's greatest victory, it proved to be Satan's death blow because Jesus rose from the grave. Hebrews 2:14-15 says that Christ became man "that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver them who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage."

Colossians 2:15 says that Christ triumphed over Satan and his hosts. Revelation 20:1-3 says that in the end, Christ will cast Satan in a pit and bind him for a thousand years. Then He will cast him into the lake of fire where he will remain forever. Satan is a defeated foe. God has judged Satan and will judge the world as well. If Jesus Christ can judge the greatest sinner in the universe He can and will judge unbelievers. God crushed Satan at Calvary, and that judgment is the guarantee that others will be judged.

The Holy Spirit reveals the folly of rejecting Christ. He shows you that Christ is the true standard of righteousness. He does that because He loves you and wants you to wake up to your sin and come to Jesus. Acts 24:24-25 tells us that "when [Roman governor] Felix came with his wife, Drusilla, who was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. And as he reasoned of righteousness, self-control, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee." The Bible doesn't record that Felix ever had a convenient season. Paul was used by the Holy Spirit to show him sin, righteousness, and judgment but Felix asked him to go away. It is a serious error to ignore the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Focusing of the Facts

1. False religion always persecutes those who speak ______ ______ (John 16:3; see p. 2).

2. How did Christ's return to the Father alter the focus of the world's persecution (see p. 2)?

3. How does Romans 3:10 affect our understanding of the need for the Holy Spirit's convicting ministry (see p. 3)?

4. What will be the issue of the final judgment (see p. 5)?

5. Why is it significant that John 16:9 uses the singular, not the plural of the world sin (see p. 5)?

6. What one sin can lead to eternal condemnation (John 3:18; see p. 5)?

7. How does Christ return to His Father demonstrate our Lord's righteousness (John 16:10; see p. 6)?

8. On what basis are Christians allowed entrance into heaven (see p. 7)?

9. When will God bring final judgment upon Satan? What will be his ultimate end (see p. 7)?

10. What was Felix's response to the righteousness of Christ (Acts 24:24- 25; see p. 8)?

Pondering the Principles

1. Most of us have had the experience of getting lost. At first you may have refused to acknowledge that you were really lost, thus postponing our search for help. After all, why ask for directions when you know where you are, where you're going, and how to get there? Similarly in the spiritual realm, individual men and women must be confronted with their sin before they will seek redemption through faith in the work of Christ on the cross. The subject of sin is not popular because it makes all of us uncomfortable. But that is exactly what the Holy Spirit wants to do disrupt a deceptive comfort. The smugness of the Pharisees is particularly instructive in that regard. Their perceived righteousness was a barrier to their salvation. Review the Scriptures, noting how Christ confronted religious people who were lost (e.g. Matt. 23). Then ask God for the wisdom to confront family members or friends who have been blinded by their religion.

2. A person is condemned because he has rejected Jesus Christ. Therefore, we must focus our presentation of the gospel on the Person and work of Christ. It is easy to be sidetracked by discussing specific sins an unbeliever has or has not committed and failing to emphasize that it's the sin of unbelief that condemns a man to hell. There are three elements to a biblical presentation of the gospel who Christ is, what Christ did, and how that applies to all mankind (cf. 1 Cor. 15:1-4): . It is essential that we identify and articulate the essential elements of the gospel. For help in this matter read The Gospel According to Jesus by John MacArthur (Zondervan).

3. Proverbs 29:1 warns, "A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed--without remedy" (NIV). There's a very real danger of ending up like those "whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron" (1 Tim. 4:2, NIV). As we have seen, one of the Holy Spirit's functions is to convict men and women of their sin. His main way of doing that is through the conscience. If the Holy Spirit is trying to tell you something, don't risk putting Him off. Examine what is troubling your conscience in the light of Scripture, and immediately make any necessary changes so that your conscience might remain usable.

Added to the John MacArthur Study Guide Collection by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
Box 314
Columbus, New Jersey, USA, 08022
Websites: www.biblebb.com and www.gospelgems.com
Email: tony@biblebb.com
Online since 1986