The Spirit, The World, And You

When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. John 16:8-11

Most of us read this as though the Holy Spirit is going to come into the world and work directly upon the hearts of unbelievers and convict them of sin, righteousness, and judgment. But if you read it in that way, you have not read this verse correctly….

Read it again, together with the preceding verse, and emphasize a keyword. And I want to take that same word and insert it in a place in verse 8 where it does not occur but where the context makes clear it belongs. Jesus says, It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes [to you], he will convict the world… of sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16:7-8).

The Holy Spirit is coming to you, to the church, to the Christian. And when He comes to the Christian, this will convince the world of sin and righteousness and judgment. Therefore He does not come to the world; He comes to us. But when He comes to us and operates in us as He intends, He will have this effect upon the world.  View article →