A Life of Intimacy With God

Convicted By the Spirit

John 16:7 NASBS

But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not
come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.

John 16:8 NASBS

And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;

CONVICT

convict. This word has two meanings:

(1) the judicial act of conviction with a view toward sentencing (i.e., a courtroom term, conviction of sin)

(2) the act of convincing. Here, the second idea is best, since the purpose of the Holy Spirit is not
condemnation but conviction of the need for the Savior. The Son does the judgment, with the Father
(5:22, 27, 30).

In verse 14, it is said that He will reveal the glories of Christ to His people. He will also inspire the writing
of the NT, guiding the apostles to write it (v. 13), and He will reveal “things to come,” through the NT
prophecies (v. 13).

The Spirit will Convince You of 3 Things Concerning Christ:

1. Sin

What sin?

John 16:9 NASBS

concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me;

sin. The singular indicates that a specific sin is in view; i.e., that of not believing in Jesus as Messiah and
Son of God. This is the only sin, ultimately, that damns people to hell (see note on 8:24 ). Though all men
are depraved, cursed by their violation of God’s law and sinful by nature, what ultimately damns them
to hell is their unwillingness to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior.

Proposition: Believe in Jesus. Put your trust in Him.

Hebrews 11:6 NASBS

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and
that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

2. Righteousness

John 16:10 NASBS

and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me;

righteousness. The Holy Spirit’s purpose here is to shatter the pretensions of self-righteousness
(hypocrisy), exposing the darkness of the heart (3:19-21; 7:7; 15:22, 24). While Jesus was on the earth,
He performed this task especially toward the shallowness and emptiness of Judaism that had
degenerated into legalistic modes without life-giving reality (eg, , 2:13-22; 5:10-16; 7:24; Is. 64:5, 6).
With Jesus gone to the Father, the Holy Spirit continues His convicting role.

OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS VS. CHRIST IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS

The basis of righteousness is yourself vs. the basis of Righteousness is Christ

1. Repels Others

2. Parade their Good Works

3. Hate & Condemn Sinners

4. Love the approval and praise of men

5. Reject Correction

2 Corinthians 5:21 NASBS

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of
God in Him.

3. Judgment

John 16:11 NASBS

and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

The judgment here in context is that of the world under Satan’s control. Its judgments are blind, faulty,
and evil as evidenced in their verdict on Christ.

The world can’t make righteous judgments (7:24), but the Spirit of Christ does (8:16).

All Satan’s adjudications are lies (8:44-47), so the Spirit convicts men of their false judgment of Christ.

Satan, the ruler of the world (14:30; Eph. 2:1-3) who, as the god of this world, has perverted the world’s
judgment and turned people from believing in Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God (2 Cor. 4:4), was
defeated at the cross.

While Christ’s death looked like Satan’s greatest victory, it actually was Satan’s destruction (cf. Col.
2:15; Heb. 2:14, 15; Rev. 20:10).

The Spirit will lead sinners to true judgment.