The Holy Spirit Convicts the World: Sin, Righteousness, and Judgment

Jesus Christ says: "And regarding righteousness, because I am going to the Father."

When the Holy Spirit comes, He will bring conviction to the people of this world regarding sin. And when a person becomes convinced regarding sin, when he comes to understand that because of sin he cannot meet God, that because of sin there is an emptiness in his soul—in that condition, the Holy Spirit will not simply leave him there.

But Jesus Christ says that He will reveal this: now see, righteousness is available for you because I am going to God. I have completed the work of your salvation, and if you believe in Me, the Holy Spirit will give you My life.

What Does It Mean to Receive the Life of Christ?

What is the meaning of receiving the life of Jesus Christ? The meaning of receiving the life of Jesus Christ is that the life of Jesus Christ is a divine life—He is God Himself. Christ means the Anointed One. God became man, and that man's name is Jesus. And Jesus completed all the works of salvation in order to restore the relationship of humanity once again with God the Father.

It is written that all those who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ—Jesus Christ has an authority. That is, when God the Father sent Jesus Christ on this mission to earth, He authorized Him, saying that whoever believes in this work of your salvation, you give him this life of yours. That life is the life of eternal life, and this life itself is called righteousness.

So the right life of God—receive the life of God, Jesus Christ in person. Believe in Jesus, Holy Spirit gives new birth to a person, and the new birth gives new life—the righteous life of God.

Righteousness: A Free Gift

The Lord Jesus Christ is saying this very thing: yes, the world is in sin, in the bondage of sin. But I have completed the means of escape from sin. Now the righteousness that exists is available. God's gift for all of us is eternal life—eternal life. This eternal life is righteousness.

And when the Holy Spirit came, His work is this: through believing in the word of salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ, He reveals to a person that now righteousness is available for you, this free gift, which you can receive through faith. We cannot obtain it by our own strength, but we can receive it as a gift.

And the Lord Jesus Christ is saying that the Holy Spirit brings conviction regarding sin—because they have not believed in Me; and regarding righteousness—because I am going to God and now this righteousness is available for everyone as a gift.

In verse eleven, Jesus Christ says, "And you will see Me no more." That is, the Lord Jesus Christ in flesh and blood, in this body, is today in heaven. But He dwells through the Holy Spirit in the soul of every believer on this earth—Christ, the hope of glory.

The Judgment of the Ruler of This World

"And regarding judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned." Who is this ruler of this world? This ruler of this world is the one who, having caused Adam to sin, seized all authority of this earth and began to rule over this earth and became the ruler of this world—He is called Satan. And this Satan wants every person to remain an unbeliever, to remain unbelieving toward God. That is, he wants them to be unable to believe in the faith that God has given through His Son Jesus Christ. This is the work of the god of this world.

2 Corinthians 4:4 says: "And for those unbelievers whose minds the god of this world has blinded." Who is this god of this world? This is the same god of this world who is the ruler of this world, about whom Jesus Christ is speaking. This is the same Satan about whom the Lord Jesus Christ is saying that His judgment has come.

And what does He do? He blinds the minds of unbelievers. The god of this world has blinded the minds. Why? To keep them away from truth. Jesus Christ is saying this very thing: know the truth and the truth will set you free.

The Veil and Its Removal

This god of this world keeps the minds of people blinded so that Christ, who is the image of God, the radiant light of His gospel may not shine upon them. This ruler of this world, this god of this world, continues to prevent the glory of God from shining in a person's life. A veil has been placed over them. This veil can be of many kinds, but the Holy Spirit removes this veil through the word of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And the Lord Jesus Christ is saying this very thing: judgment has already come upon this god of this world, the one who deceived Adam and took the authority of the earth. I will apply judgment upon this ruler of this world through the death and resurrection on the cross. That is, He has already been declared guilty.

Spiritual Reflection

We have seen that the Holy Spirit brings conviction in this world regarding three things: first regarding sin, second regarding righteousness, and third regarding judgment.

Regarding sin—because they have not believed in Jesus Christ. Regarding righteousness—because righteousness today is available freely for everyone in Jesus Christ. And regarding judgment—because the ruler of this world has been declared guilty.

The Holy Spirit does not bring conviction merely to condemn. He brings conviction regarding sin so that we may see our need. He then reveals that righteousness—God's own life—is freely available through Christ. And He assures us that the power of the enemy has already been broken by Christ's death and resurrection.

Practical Application

And now this humanity, the first humanity, can become a new creation in the second Adam only by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit touches the life of an unbeliever and makes him a believer, and he can become a child of God.

The Lord Jesus Christ is giving His disciples an even more important message and assuring them: I will not leave you as orphans. I will come and dwell with you through the Holy Spirit, and I will fellowship with you. We read in John 16:13: "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come."

The Amplified Bible says: But when He, the Spirit of truth, the truth-giving Spirit comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak His own message on His own authority, but He will tell whatever He hears from the Father. He will give the message that has been given to Him, and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come, that will happen in the future.