"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." John 16:7-11
It was indeed necessary for Christ Jesus to return to the Father, for if He did not suffer and die for the sins of the world, rise again and ascend to the right hand of God the Father, the Holy Spirit could not be given and carry out His critical ministry and work in this world.
"And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." And, what does this mean? The Holy Spirit was given that He might convince the world (all the people in this world) of their sin and guilt before God because they have not fulfilled the demands of God's holy law and have not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God (John 3:18,36). He convinces them that the righteousness of Christ which is imputed and received by faith is the only righteousness which avails before God (cf. Romans 4:1-8; Philippians 3:8-9). He convinces them that, unless they repent and look to Christ Jesus and His atoning sacrifice upon the cross, they stand condemned, for the ruler of this world -- the devil -- is already overthrown, judged and condemned by Christ.
We see the Spirit's mighty working in the hearts of men when Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost, pointing out that the people had rejected the Lord's Christ and crucified Him, but that God had raised Him up and exulted Him to His right hand, from which He will come again to judge the living and the dead (cf. Acts 2:22ff.); for when they heard these things, "they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do?'" (v. 37).
It was then that Peter directed them to "repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call" (v. 38-39). Peter pointed them to Jesus and His shed blood for forgiveness, righteousness before God and eternal salvation. And, through the Spirit's working, about 3,000 believed and were baptized.
And the Spirit continues this work in the world even yet today. We are called to testify to the truth of God's Word and point people to Jesus; but without the Spirit's working, no one would believe. But through the Word of God, the Spirit of God continues to convince people of the truth that they are lost and condemned sinners apart from Jesus, that Jesus is righteous and accepted of God the Father and only His righteousness avails before God, that the devil and this world stand judged and condemned already and only in Jesus is there salvation!
O Spirit of God, convince us of our sin and condemnation but comfort us with the good news of forgiveness and life in Christ Jesus. Amen.
[Devotion by Randy Moll. Scripture is taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]
Editorial on 05/23/2018