Knowing Truth
During the last hours before Jesus’ crucifixion, He spoke to His disciples about a Helper He would send when He returned to the Father (John 16:7). The Helper “will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8).
We all understand that a conviction means to find someone guilty. It’s easy to understand how someone can be found guilty of sin.
But how is anyone guilty of righteousness –– or of judgment?
Looking up the word convict in a concordance or lexicon we find it has a secondary meaning: to bring to light; to expose; to make known.
Using the secondary definition, the Holy Spirit’s job is to bring to light sin, righteousness, and judgment.
The Holy Spirit brings to light sin –- not individual sins –- the sin of unbelief. The continual stubbornness which the world consciously chooses to reject God. This unbelief was currently true when Jesus spoke these words and it is continually true, even today.
The Holy Spirit brings to light righteousness –– the scribes and Pharisees had their own standard of righteousness. The Holy Spirit, showing God’s righteousness exposed their righteousness as unrighteousness. How often do we think we are doing good, being righteous, when if compared to God’s standard or righteousness, we find we have fallen far short.
The Holy Spirit makes known the judgments of man are not the judgments of God. The Jews judged Jesus a sinner (John 9:24). Through the Holy Spirit we see that man’s judgments are not God’s judgments. Throughout the Gospel of John, we have seen that, despite man finding Jesus guilty, God’s judgment was that He was innocent.
That same Spirit of Truth that Jesus sent to the disciples is available to us today. That same Spirit is exposing sin, man’s righteousness as unrighteousness, and the errors of man’s judgment.
The takeaway –- the world does not think like God –- we have a choice, align our thinking with the world’s or with God’s. The best way to know what God is thinking is to spend time in the Bible.
We all understand that a conviction means to find someone guilty. It’s easy to understand how someone can be found guilty of sin.
But how is anyone guilty of righteousness –– or of judgment?
Looking up the word convict in a concordance or lexicon we find it has a secondary meaning: to bring to light; to expose; to make known.
Using the secondary definition, the Holy Spirit’s job is to bring to light sin, righteousness, and judgment.
The Holy Spirit brings to light sin –- not individual sins –- the sin of unbelief. The continual stubbornness which the world consciously chooses to reject God. This unbelief was currently true when Jesus spoke these words and it is continually true, even today.
The Holy Spirit brings to light righteousness –– the scribes and Pharisees had their own standard of righteousness. The Holy Spirit, showing God’s righteousness exposed their righteousness as unrighteousness. How often do we think we are doing good, being righteous, when if compared to God’s standard or righteousness, we find we have fallen far short.
The Holy Spirit makes known the judgments of man are not the judgments of God. The Jews judged Jesus a sinner (John 9:24). Through the Holy Spirit we see that man’s judgments are not God’s judgments. Throughout the Gospel of John, we have seen that, despite man finding Jesus guilty, God’s judgment was that He was innocent.
That same Spirit of Truth that Jesus sent to the disciples is available to us today. That same Spirit is exposing sin, man’s righteousness as unrighteousness, and the errors of man’s judgment.
The takeaway –- the world does not think like God –- we have a choice, align our thinking with the world’s or with God’s. The best way to know what God is thinking is to spend time in the Bible.