Jesus and the Holy Spirit

Jesus and the Holy Spirit

“Nevertheless, 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.  And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment…”  (John 16:7-8).   Jesus identifies the “Helper” as the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-17; 14:26).  He tells his apostles that God the Spirit is coming to assist them, to teach them all things; to remind them of that which Jesus had said to them (John 14:26); and to bear witness about Him (John 15:27).  Then the problem of sin and forgiveness, as seen in this passage. Yes, because, sin is of unbelief; when one sins, he looks at our relationship with our God, and defies it.                                                                                                                       

First, he will convict the world “concerning sin, because they do not believe in me” (John 16:9).   This is a simple proposition: sin, EVERY sin, is a sin of unbelief.  So, when we read that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), we understand that, regardless of their specific transgression (what they did or failed to do), their sin was unbelief – “they do not believe in me.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Do you find that hard to swallow?  Well, consider a case in point.  David and Bathsheba committed adultery, II Samuel 11.   She conceived; she told David.  To make a sordid story short, when it ended David, a lustful adulterer had added deceit and murder to his sinful record. Nathan was sent by God to David, to convict him of sin.    David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. This motivated his prayer to God, Psalm 51:4, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight …”  Now look at it: against Bathsheba, lust and adultery; against Uriah, in multiple transgressions – but his prayer is, “Against you, you only, have I sinned.” “You only”??  0NLY?  Perhaps the problem is our casual attitude toward sin, and temptation.  Yes, because, sin is of unbelief; and when one sins it looks at our relationship with our God and defies it.

Further, Jesus said, the Holy Spirit will convict the world “concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you will see me no longer.” (John 16:10).  How will the world be convinced that Jesus is righteous?  He asserted that he was righteous, while ignoring the Law of Moses concerning the Sabbath and more than that claiming to be God; “This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father¸ making  himself equal with God” (John 5:18, 19). The Jews thought he was a blasphemer, “a servant of Beelzebub”; but Peter said he was “a man approved of God”.  Tenney said “The return of Jesus to the Father was the ultimate proof that He was the perfect pattern for righteousness, accepted by the Father” (Merrill C. Tenney, The Gospel of Belief, p 236).

Then, Jesus said the Holy Spirit will convict the world “concerning judgment, because the ruler of the world is judged” (John 16:11).  There is not a lot said about “judgment”, in Scripture.  Probably the discussion in Acts 17 on judgment  is the fullest; here, in verses 30 and 31, Paul says “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in  righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”   The ruler of this world is judged.  The prophecy of Genesis 3 is remembered here; its fulfillment recorded in Hebrews 2:14-18.

We have an example of the information of this passage in the preaching of Paul to Felix and Drusilla, in Acts 24;25.  When he reasoned with them about righteousness and self -control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, Go away for the present.  When I get an opportunity, I will summon you. 

We sing, judgment is surely coming.  What we have read in Acts 17 tells us of our responsibility to repent because the judgment day draws steadily nearer (God has fixed a day in which he will judge,   but it is unknown to man);  the Judge is known; the standard of judgment (“in righteousness”) has been revealed.

 Are you ready?

Pat