When the Holy Spirit Comes

“And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. John 16:8-11 NKJV

How does the Holy Spirit convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment? It is not true that the Holy Spirit would directly convict the world because He never comes into the heart of the worldly people, the Scripture says. “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17 NKJV) The Spirit comes into the believers only who have received Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior.

So, the Holy Spirit indirectly convicts the world through the saints who live in the midst of the worldly people as the salt and light of the world. The world is guilty of sin, because they do not believe in Jesus Christ the Lord. How may the world be convicted and understand that they are guilty because they do not believe in Jesus Christ? They think that believing in God is nonsense and noise in their career pursuits. They think it is senseless and thoughtless to believe in God in an effort to extol all the human achievements. So, the humanists conclude that it is ridiculous and ludicrous if they believe there is a God who sent His begotten son to save the world.

In these harsh circumstances, the saints in the midst of pressures who are called by grace live to demonstrate that it is absolutely possible to believe in Jesus Christ. The life of saints tells exactly the opposite of what the world insists on the existence of God. Here we see how the Holy Spirit indirectly works for the saints to convict the world of sin. While the saints are under tremendously pressured, the indwelling Spirit sustains and strengthens them to stand firm on the rock of truth in Jesus Christ.

Secondly, the Spirit convicts the world of righteousness, because Jesus Christ the Son went to the Father and the world would see Him no more. Righteousness means the sense of worth or wholeness. Every person wants to be whole from the down deep inside. Humans are puzzled by the fact that no matter how much they achieve and possess in the material level they still feel futile and fruitless and even empty. They are bewildered by the fact that they feel further and further away from satisfaction. What is wrong in humanity? All the efforts and endeavors put to earn the sense of worth fail to produce the fruits. Just look around the people who dedicate to work hard and yet invariably frustrate and defeated after all.

In the midst of futility and frustration, the world may see some peculiar people who are standing firm righteously and blamelessly in all the circumstances. These people may intrigue the world how could it be possible for them to stand in peace and serenity although they may be much less talented and possessing than they are. That is the exact picture of what the born-again Christians look like since they have been propitiated by the death of Jesus Christ with blood. Genuine Christians are justified through the faith in the Son Jesus Christ and have continual access to the throne of grace. The Spirit teaches and enlightens and reminds the children of God from within that they have been redeemed and liberated to make free indeed (John 8:31-32).

Finally, the Spirit convicts the world of judgment, because the prince of the dark world is already judged. Although the devil is seemingly winning and captivating in human affairs, it is not true at all. God pronounced the irrevocable verdict that the devil has been cursed and disgraced since he had rebelled and contended against God (Genesis 3:14). The devil has been fallen from the position as the highest angel (Isaiah 14:12-21). In due time, through the death of the Son Jesus Christ, God has judged the devil. He is the son of perdition, of total hopelessness, and of complete defeat.

Satan the devil is not in dual against God but under the full submission of God. He is nothing but one of creatures. The devil cannot work independently without the permission of God. No matter what the devil may try to achieve in human affairs he cannot do anything at all. He is always defeated and humiliated even at the moment he thought he won.

That is the reason why the worldly people are experiencing terrible frustrations and insignificance and futility after all they tried hard. Out of ignorance and witlessness, they follow the footsteps of the devil. The Holy Spirit convinces the saints in the world that there is no condemnation even in the midst of failures and errors in Jesus Christ. So, although the Christians are pressed and attacked hard by the fiery darts of evil one they are able to quench them through the Spirit within (Ephesians 6:12).

Here is the full assurance of victory uttered by Apostle Paul. “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” (2 Corinthians 4:7-10 NKJV)