The Holy Spirit Convicts The World
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1 “These things I have spoken to you, that you may be kept from stumbling.2 “They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God.3 “And these things they will do, because they have not known the Father, or Me.4 “But these things I have spoken to you, that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you. 5 “But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’6 “But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.7 “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.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.
Pick up in verse 5.... Jesus said....
John 16:5 (NASB)
5 “But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’
Back in chapter 7 of this book they Lord warned His disciples, saying, “for a little while longer I am with you, then I go to Him who sent Me”
But now He says I am going. Can you say with certainty, I am going? Do you know without hesitation, without doubting, without fear, where your going at the end of this life?
Jesus said with specificity, I am going to Him who sent Me.
John 16:5 (NASB)
5 “But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’
Peter and Thomas had inquired as to where He was going, and how to know the way. But Jesus point was this…when the disciples should have been comforting Him and showing concern for Him, as His sacrificial death was looming near, but instead, they were more concerned that He was abandoning them, they were more concerned for themselves.
Out of lack of concern for Him, NONE OF them asks Him, ‘Where are You going?’
Sorrow Filled Their Hearts
Sorrow Filled Their Hearts
6 “But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.
When Jesus had announced the coming persecution to them, they became sorrowful. Persecution comes as the result of following Jesus in this world. We must keep our eyes on our heavenly destination, this world is not our home.
Instead of rejoicing about the meaning of His departure, instead of gladness filling their hearts for where He was going, sorrow had filled their heart.
This clearly meant that they didn’t understand. They had not come to understand the glory and the grandeur of what was about to occur to Jesus and for His church. So their grief was completely unwarranted.
Jesus had even scolded them earlier on this way of thinking saying...
John 14:28 (NASB)
28 “...If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I.
7 “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
Like these disciples, we too are sorrowful when things don’t work out according to our plans. But God has the master plan. We can rest in knowing that He works all things together for the good of those who love Him.
The disciples may have been anxious by the realization that He was leaving them, but the real truth is, it was to their advantage that He go away.
For Jesus to depart this earth and take His rightful place of power and authority in Heaven, on our behalf, is a glorious thing. For Him to be positioned in Heaven meant that He would be doing things that would benefit us.
One of the first things that He would do, would be to ask the Father to send the Helper, the Holy Spirit to come to minister to His disciples.
It would not be until Jesus returned to His throne in Heaven, that God the Father would send the Holy Spirit.
Why would it not be until “after” Jesus’ ascension, that God the Holy Spirit would come?
I think we must look at the work of the Holy Spirit, what was He coming to accomplish?
First of all, He would reveal the person and work of Christ our Lord.
Who was this who really died on the cross of Calvary?
Was He really who He claimed to be?
What was really accomplished by His death, His resurrection, and His ascension?
Was this really the Son of God?
My friend, we believe today, because it is God the Holy Spirit who has come and indwelt those of us whom He has chosen. Thought we have not yet seen Him, we are fully persuaded because the Holy Spirit of God has taken up residence in His beloved.
Secondly, God the Father gave His Holy Spirit to the church to prove His Son’s faithfulness in completing the work of salvation in His death and resurrection.
The Holy Spirit would come to teach Jesus’ disciple all things, and bring to their remembrance all the things that Jesus had said to them while walking on this earth with them.
Jesus made the promise that the Holy Spirit would come. And when He comes, He would give eternal life, He would indwell them, He would instruct them, He would empower them in their witness, and initiate for them the promises of God.
Now then....... Jesus makes a statement that has baffled many bible scholars. Jesus speaks of a Divine Action that would impact the unsuspecting world. Not only would the disciples be enlightened but the Holy Spirit would Himself minister to the unbelieving world.
Look at this...
8 “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment;
Here we have the working of God the Holy Spirit. He would come and bring to light and convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment!
With the many signs performed by Jesus among them, it was undeniably clear that He must be the Son of God.
They hated the Son, therefore they hated the Father as well.
By rejecting and crucifying the very Son of God, the world would be held accountable.
Rejecting Christ by refusing to believe in Him is the sin that finally damns people to hell.
Those who believe in Jesus are not judged, but those who do not believe in Jesus has been judged already, according to scripture.
24 “I said therefore to you, that you shall die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you shall die in your sins.”
This is a very solemn statement by our Lord. Unless you believe that I am He, you shall die in your sins.
How one reacts to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit concerning sin, determines ones eternal destiny.
So the Holy Spirit would come and convict the world...
9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me;
My friend, it is a terrible sin to not believe in Christ! The world does not believe yet the world is without excuse.
Not only will the Holy Spirit convict the nonbelieving world concerning sin, but He will convict the nonbelieving world concerning righteousness.
10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you no longer behold Me;
The righteousness of Christ is in view here.
It is a terrible thing to never receive the righteousness of Christ.
The Holy Spirit reveals even to the nonbelieving world that they must have the righteousness of Christ which is perfect. Therefore, to not have faith in Christ is the missed opportunity to ever receive His righteousness.
19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.
All mankind are the descendants of Adam. Therefore, every person is a fallen person apart from Christ Jesus our Savior. The world knows that judgment is coming, yet multitudes of people have rejected the grace of God and the righteousness that comes from the Messiah.
Humanity can NOT claim ignorance of God, humanity cannot claim to worship an unknown God. Paul proclaimed to the “Men of Athens,” in his sermon on Mars Hill, “what therefore you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.” He then proceeded to tell them about the one true God who made the world and all things in it. Paul continues to tell these men that God has overlooked the ignorance of the past and tells them what men must do...
30 “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent,31 because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”
11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
John 12–21: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary The Convicting by the Spirit
the Holy Spirit convicts the world concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. The world’s judgments are erroneous and evil, as was supremely demonstrated by its rejection of the Son of God. But while the world is incapable of judging righteously (cf. 7:24), the Spirit always does so. He convicts people of their false assessment of Jesus Christ.
John 12–21: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary The Convicting by the Spirit
The ruler of this world is Satan (12:31; 14:30; 1 John 5:19). He has already been judged and cast from heaven along with the rest of the angels who rebelled with him (Rev. 12:7–9; cf. Luke 10:18). He was totally defeated at the cross (Col. 2:15; Heb. 2:14; 1 John 3:8), when what appeared to be his hour of triumph was in reality the hour of his undoing. Though Satan has been defeated and judged, the final sentence against him will not be carried out until the end of the millennium (Rev. 20:10). In the meantime he goes about as the god of this age, seeking to capture and devour souls. The sobering warning to those who embrace the world system is that since its ruler will not escape judgment, neither will they, unless they repent. The Devil’s fate guarantees the judgment of every unrepentant sinner.
John 12–21: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary The Convicting by the Spirit
There are only two possible responses to the convicting work of the Spirit: repentance or rejection. From those who reject the Spirit’s conviction will come hostility to the followers of Christ. Their end is “eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Thess. 1:9). Those who repent when the Spirit convicts them will spend eternity in the inexpressible glory and joy of heaven. Yet they will, in this life, face fiery trials of persecution without a fatal defection because “greater is He who is in [them] than he who is in the world”
