Thursday, March 8, 2007
John 16:7-11 "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 depart, I will send Him to you. 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."
HE WILL CONVICT THE WORLD
After stating that He would send the Holy Spirit to the disciples, Jesus goes on to explain that the Holy Spirit will convict the world. What can this possibly mean other than that it was through the disciples that the Holy Spirit will convict the world. For He says that He will come to the disciples and not to the world, yet He will convict the world. And if it is through the disciples, it is through us. It is through the word which the apostles spoke, and the word which the Holy Spirit inspired them to write, and through us sharing that word, the world is convicted. Stand here in total awe and fear before the Lord. In awe that He would ask you to be part of this work and in fear that He works His works through you.
But what is this which the Holy Spirit has to say to the world? It cannot be primarily the law which the Lord is speaking of here. For the law is known to the world. Even as Paul declares "who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them" (Romans 2:15). Yes indeed, the law of God is known to man. Even those who despise God and show that they care not at all for Christ still approve of the law and strive to live by it. But what the Spirit convicts the world of is something which they have not known, as it is written, "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit" (1 Corinthians 2:9-10). Therefore, it is the mystery of God, namely the gospel, which is the main focus of what the Spirit here testifies of through the disciples to the world.