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John 16v5-11 The convicting work of the Spirit
Read John 16v1-11
This morning I want to speak to you about the work of the Holy Spirit in the world. Jesus says concerning the Spirit:-
John 16:8 When he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.
Jesus then explains these three terms:-
John 16:9-11 Concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning
righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning
judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
We might this morning be rather astonished and perplexed by Jesus’ words in verse 7. The disciples were very sorrowful at the thought of Jesus’ departure (verse 6). Amazingly, Jesus says in verse 7 that it is better for them to go away so that the Holy Spirit will come. In fact, the Spirit will not come unless Jesus departs and returns to the Father in heaven.
How are we to understand Jesus’ words in verse 7? Is it really true that we are better off without his personal, physical presence? Is it really an advantage to have Christ with us by his Spirit rather than himself?
Imagine little children whose loving father is going abroad on business for a couple of months. How would they feel if he said, ‘It’s better for you if I go because I will be with you in spirit’? I think they would be greatly perplexed.
The advantage of having Christ with us by his Spirit is not so much personal blessing but blessing for the world in terms of our mission to the world. The great hope of every believer in every age is to be with Christ and to see him in all his glory:-
John 17:24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where
I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
The departure of Jesus and the coming of the Spirit is an advantage in connection with the mission of the Church to reach the world with the gospel. Our personal yearning should be to be with Christ and to see his glory. His absence is painful. But in terms of gospel outreach, it is better to have Jesus spiritually with us than physically with us.
When the Spirit comes, he will convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment through the witness of the Church. The disciples would be sent out to various locations with the gospel on their lips. In terms of physical presence, Jesus could only be in one place at one time. In terms of spiritual presence, Jesus can be in all places at all times to bless the proclamation of the gospel in all the world.

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The Spirit will not come unless Jesus goes (verse 7) because it is the Spirit’s ministry to apply redemption to the hearts and lives of sinners. But for redemption to be applied, it must first be accomplished. Christ’s return to the Father was via the cross. On the cross Jesus would accomplish redemption; from heaven at the Father’s right hand, he would apply redemption through the outpouring of his Spirit.
Acts 2:32-33 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the
Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.
On the Day of Pentecost, the Spirit began to convict the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment through the preaching of the disciples present with Jesus in the Upper Room.
The Spirit continues to convict the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment through the faithful witness of Christ’s people. The Spirit is working together with us to bring lost sinners to Jesus.
What precisely is this threefold convicting work of the Spirit? This is a huge question and
Bible scholars struggle to understand vv8-11. Even RC Sproul in his commentary on John confesses to not really knowing what these verses mean. It’s always best to be honest! This sermon is a tentative exposition but it has occurred to me that John’s first letter casts considerable light upon the verses before us.
1. The Spirit convicts the world concerning sin (verse 8).
This is repeated in verse 9 with the additional words, ‘because they do not believe in me.’
Through the preaching of the gospel, the Spirit will convince and convict sinners about their sin. This is the first step in coming to Christ. Without conviction of sin, no one will ever come to Jesus as a Saviour from sin. They might come to Jesus for physical health and worldly wealth. Many seek Jesus for these things but the Spirit has never convicted them of sin.
Acts 2:36-37 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified." 37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
This convicting ministry means that the Spirit brings us to genuine repentance. The Spirit shows us the abhorrence of sin in the sight of a holy God and now in our sight. What we once regarded as trivial we now turn away from in disgust. We no longer say things like ‘we all make mistakes’ and ‘nobody’s perfect’ and ‘I’m better than many.’ We begin to ‘loathe ourselves for our iniquities and abominations’ Ezekiel 36:31. Ezekiel’s words are in the context of the coming of the Spirit.
I do believe that Jesus confronts us here with the sin of sins; the most radical, serious, God dishonouring, soul damning sin of all- not believing in him.
John 16:9 Concerning sin, because they do not believe in me.

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Unbelief is a monstrous act of wickedness for which we need to repent. Unbelief is disobedience to God.
1 John 3:23 This is his (God’s) commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus
Christ.
Jesus Christ is the Son whom God eternally loves and delights in. God the Father gave his
Son for the salvation of the world. Jesus Christ shed his own precious blood to reconcile us to God. It is a heinous thing beyond words to reject Jesus, to throw the Saviour back in
God’s face, to trample all over the precious blood of the Lamb, to despise that great sacrifice of love. Those who go to hell, walk over a crucified Saviour to get there.
I think you would agree with me that to call the God of truth a liar is pretty serious:-
1 John 5:10 Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son.
The Spirit convicts the world concerning sin. It is the Spirit’s work to bring us to repentance.
2. The Spirit convicts the world concerning righteousness (verse 8).
This is repeated in verse 10 with the additional words, ‘because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer.’
Once the Spirit begins to convict concerning our sin, a crushing reality takes hold of us. This is the crushing reality that ‘all our righteosnesses are as filthy rags’ Isaiah 64:6 KJV. The original Hebrew for ‘filthy rags’ is especially disgusting. Filthy rags is a mild translation.
When conviction of sin comes, our first response is to try and be better. A person under conviction will often embrace religious observances and good works as a way of justifying themselves before God. ‘If I try my best God may accept me.’ We naturally believe that the answer to our sin problem lies in ourselves. We put ourselves on the treadmill of personal performance. The Spirit shatters this illusion and shows us that righteousness can only be found in Christ himself.
This was Paul’s experience. What he formerly trusted in as his righteousness he regarded as trash compared to the righteousness of Christ received by faith only (Philippians 3:8-9).
I believe John’s first letter helps us understand the expression, ‘because I go the Father, and you will see me no longer.’
1 John 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Where is our advocate? Where is the One who speaks on our behalf? He is with the Father.
He is in the presence of God representing us in the court of heaven. John deliberately designates Jesus Christ as ‘the righteous.’ God’s children should not sin but we do sin. We

4 continually fall short of the perfection demanded by God’s law. Our righteousness is in heaven. His name is Jesus Christ. We are accepted in the Beloved.
The Spirit helps the convicted sinner to abandon all hope in self and to look to Jesus alone for acceptance with God. This reminds me of John Bunyan’s experience after a long period of conviction and longing for peace:-
‘One day as I was passing into the field, this sentence fell upon my soul: “Thy righteousness is in heaven.” And with the eyes of my soul I saw Jesus at the Father’s right hand. “There,” I said, “is my righteousness!” So that wherever I was or whatever I was doing, God could not say to me, “Where is your righteousness?” For it is always right before him.
I saw that it is not my good frame of heart that made my righteousness better, nor yet my bad frame that made my righteousness worse, for my righteousness IS Christ. Now my chains fell off indeed. My temptations fled away, and I lived sweetly at peace with God.’
The Spirit convicts the world concerning sin and righteousness.
3. The Spirit convicts the world concerning judgment (verse 8).
This is repeated in verse 11 with the additional words, ‘because the ruler of this world is judged.’
I don’t think this refers to the final day of judgment although it is certainly true that the
Spirit will impress this on the minds of men. ‘Judgment’ is used in a number of different ways in the Bible. Our understanding of judgment is determined by the additional phrase-
‘because the ruler of this world is judged.’ Jesus is referring to Satan and the judgment of
Satan took place at the cross.
Referring to his imminent death, Jesus said…
John 12:31-32 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth (on the cross), will draw all people to myself.
Jesus sees his death as the judgment of the world in the sense that its ruler is cast out from his position of supremacy. In other words, Satan can no longer hold sinners in his grip. The redeeming blood of Jesus demands our release from the thraldom of the devil.
Once again I believe 1 John helps us:-
1 John 3:8-9 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.

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In other words, we are now free to pursue personal holiness. We are no longer bound to follow Satan’s every whim. In Christ we can ‘overcome the evil one’ 1 John 2:13-14.
The Spirit convicts us concerning judgment in the sense of releasing us from the corrupt values of a world under Satan’s power. We see the world for what it really is- fallen and rebellious, a dark and dangerous place. Our great desire is to follow Christ and to be like him; to go against the cherished but corrupt customs of the age.
Conviction concerning sin is about repentance. Conviction concerning righteousness is about faith- looking to Christ alone for acceptance with God. Conviction concerning judgment is about the godless standards of this evil world and the freedom to live God’s way.
This is the Spirit’s ministry to the world. The implications are immense. For one thing, our preaching and witness should be in co-operation with the Spirit. We are certainly out of step with the Spirit if our preaching and witness is about felt needs- ‘come to Jesus and he will make you happy and sort out your problems.’
I would also suggest that the Spirit’s ministry is ongoing in the lives of God’s redeemed children. I need the Spirit to go on convicting me concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. Each day I need renewed repentance, renewed faith and a renewed desire for personal holiness in opposition to the world and its evil ruler.
If this morning you are not Christian then I pray you will know the convicting work of the
Holy Spirit in your heart and life as you listen to the word of God.