John 16:8-11
Jonathan Edwards (preacher and theologian during the First Great Awakening) delivered his best known sermon (Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God) to a congregation in the frontier town of Enfield, Connecticut, on Wednesday, July 8, 1741.
He entered the pulpit and opened a manuscript—a sermon he had written, prayed over, and read without glancing up at the congregation. He did not shout or speak loudly, but only talked in a quiet, emotive tone.
As he took his audience slowly from point to point, towards the inexorable conclusion that people were lost apart from the grace of God, some people moaned, shrieked, and cried out for salvation...while he was still speaking. There were men and women that were holding onto the pews and crying out for mercy, pleading with the preacher, "Is there no way of escape?"
It is said that the reaction was so strong that Edwards was unable to finish his sermon, but there were many that were converted to Christ that day when the invitation was extended to come to Christ.
Is God still convicting men/women in that fashion today? The answer to that important question is “ABSOLUTELY HE IS.” God has made it clear that one of the works of the Holy Spirit is the work of “conviction” (John 16:8-11) and it’s the reason people are still coming to Christ to this day.
What is this conviction of the Holy Spirit of which the Scripture (John 16:8-11) speaks?
Webster’s Dictionary defines conviction as, “...the act of convincing a person of error or of compelling the admission of a truth.” This definition is only partially true in the spiritual realm because the Holy Spirit’s work is so much more than what is explained here.
The Greek verb translated “conviction” is found 18 times in the New Testament (Matthew 18:15; Luke 3:19; John 3:20; 8:46; 16:8; 1 Corinthians 14:24; Ephesians 5:11, 13; 1 Timothy 5:20; 2 Timothy 4:2; Titus 1:9, 13; 2:15; Hebrews 12:5; James 2:9; Jude 15, 22; Revelation 3:19) and always has to do with showing someone his sin, usually as a summons to repentance. Conviction is the convincing work the Holy Spirit does when He shows someone that he stands guilty before God.
Theologian B.F. Westcott writes about conviction, “The idea of ‘conviction’ is complex. It involves the conceptions of authoritative examination, of unquestionable proof, of decisive judgment, of punitive power. Whatever the final issue may be, he who ‘convicts’ another places the truth of the case...in a light before him, so that it must be seen and acknowledged as truth. He who then rejects the conclusion which the exposition involves, rejects it with his eyes open and at his peril. Truth seen as truth carries with it the condemnation to all who refuse to welcome it.” (B. F. Westcott, The Gospel According to St. John [London: Murray, 1908], 2:219)
Conviction may well affect the conscience, but it is much more than just the conscience at work.
In The Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, John Aloisi writes, “The conscience operates in a purely mechanical manner. It does not involve a distinct ministry of the Holy Spirit. A conscience may be educated by special revelation or weakened by faulty information. It may be pragmatically molded by social custom and civil law, or it may be seared as a result of habitual disregard (1 Timothy 4:2; Titus 1:15). People may feel guilty when they are rebuked by their conscience, but such guilt is a response somewhat like that of the tactile nerves when they cause a body to recoil from pain. The human conscience keeps people from progressing in sin as readily as they would if they never experienced guilt, but it should not be confused with the Holy Spirit’s work of conviction...
He goes on to say, “Conviction is a special work of the Holy Spirit which is always performed in connection with special revelation. Conviction involves convincing sinners of things which could not be known apart from special revelation. Therefore during the current age conviction may only be experienced by those who have some contact with the Word of God.” (JETS 47/1 [March 2004] 55-69) {my copy is saved in Google Docs}
The contrast between having a guilty conscience (emotional sorrow) and the conviction of the Holy Spirit (godly sorrow) is seen in this quote from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians.
For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. (2 Corinthians 7:10)
In other words, the conviction of the Holy Spirit in this era is to bring a person to Jesus Christ so that he/she may be saved eternally!
Some examples of how conviction works:
- Genesis 3:1-19
- 2 Samuel 12:1-13
- Acts 2:37
- Acts 7:51-59
- Acts 9:5-6
- Acts 16:29-31
- 1 Corinthians 14:23-25
- Revelation 20:11--15
John 16:8-11 says that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of at least three specific things:
1. The world is convicted of “sin” (9).
The word “sin” occurs without the article and therefore likely refers to sin as a principle, a quality, or a state...rather than to specific individual sins. WE ARE ALL SINNERS!!
And the reason people are still in their sin is explained: because they have not believed on Christ. If they had believed on Christ they would be forgiven and “in Christ” rather than in sin.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
The one sin the Holy Spirit always points out is the sin of unbelief. People won’t be separated from God in eternity because they lied, drank, smoked, gambled, etc., but because they have not believed on Jesus Christ.
2. The world is convicted of “righteousness” (10).
I believe that this “righteousness” of which the Holy Spirit convicts is best understood as “false righteousness” as compared to the true righteousness of Christ.
While Christ was here He exposed the “false righteousness” of people and His resurrection/ascension proved His own righteousness (his enemies constantly accused Him of unrighteousness). Today this work is done by the Holy Spirit. He shows people how short they come to God’s perfect, righteous standard and how Christ is the only source of true righteousness.
It is really not that unusual to use the Greek word for “righteousness” in the sense of “false righteousness.” In the LXX, Isaiah uses δικαιοσύνη (the Greek word translated “righteousness” in 16:8,10) to signify the false righteousness of the people which in God’s eyes is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). In the NT, Paul uses δικαιοσύνη in a negative sense on at least three occasions. In Romans 10:3, Paul states that by seeking to establish their own righteousness, the Jews have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God. They have a righteousness which is not true righteousness. Elsewhere, Paul describes his behavior prior to conversion as involving a kind of man-made righteousness that was built around keeping the law and the regulations of the Pharisees (Philippians 3:6–9). And in Titus 3:5, the apostle speaks again of a righteousness that is completely unable to save. Perhaps the most revealing use of δικαιοσύνη is found in Matthew 5:20 where Jesus warns His followers that unless their righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law, they will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus admits that the religious leaders may have a certain kind of righteousness, but it is not a righteousness which enables one to be accepted by God.
Similar criticism of the religious activities of the Pharisees can also be seen in John’s Gospel. Without using the word δικαιοσύνη, John often berates the self-righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. They are careful to keep the Sabbath, but they show no concern for those who are physically disabled (5:16). They study the Scriptures diligently, but they reject the Messiah foretold in those same Scriptures (5:39). They have the law of Moses, but they want to murder Jesus (7:19). Even those who turn to Christ are afraid to confess their faith because of the Pharisees (12:42–43). So, it’s accurate to say that John’s Gospel is very quick to point out the “false righteousness” which the Jews possessed.
3. The world is convicted of “judgment” (11).
Because in His death/resurrection/ascension Christ judged Satan, all who reject Christ will be judged with Satan.
All people who are not Christians are already under “condemnation” and are by “nature (the) children of wrath.” (Scriptures below)
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. (Ephesians 2:1-3)
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God... (John 3:16-18)
It’s important to notice that in this passage (16:8-11) that the work of the Holy Spirit is directed specifically toward the “world” or those who don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit convinces them of their sin, their false sense of righteous/Christ’s vindicated righteousness, and their impending judgment because He wants them to enter into a relationship with Christ that will give them forgiveness of their sins and make them the possessors of eternal life.
Illustration:
Think of HD TV like the work of the Holy Spirit. In the early days of TV all that was available was low-resolution equipment and because the picture was such poor quality the visual details of a studio didn’t really show up well on the screen. Jim Fenhagan, who is a well known TV set designer who has worked for some of the most viewed network TV programs says, "With the old TV, you [could] get away with murder." Actors and newscasters wore thick pancake makeup to hide wrinkles, moles, and blemishes, but the makeup was invisible to the relatively crude camera. Fake books rested on shelves, and cardboard backdrops with painted wood grain stood as walls. Still, with low-tech television, the viewer was none the wiser. But high-definition television, using high-resolution digital technology, has changed all that. The studio camera picks up everything from scratches on the desk to blemishes on the skin. And, it has forced TV programs to change how things are done.
The Holy Spirit’s work is like an HD TV showing all the intricate details of your life. As He brings your life into detailed view (conviction), you can no longer hide the blemishes or the artificial backdrops you’ve configured to make you feel better about yourself. God broadcasts the details of your life in intricate detail so you will see your flaws and you will come to Him for a life (set) redesign. Actually, Christ won’t just redesign your existing life, He’ll give you a brand new life that He has designed for you.
Illustration:
Dr. R.A. Torrey tells the story of a meeting where he was preaching on a Sunday night and there was a man seated in the audience wearing a diamond on his shirt front that would occasionally sparkle in the evening light. Dr. Torrey would later find out that this man was just travelling through when had decided to attend the service where he was speaking that evening.
Dr. Torrey said, “As I preached, this man leaned further and further forward in his seat. In the midst of my sermon, without any intention of giving the invitation, simply wishing to drive a point home, I said, ‘Who will accept Jesus Christ tonight? Quick as a flash the man sprang to his feet and shouted, ‘I will.’”
Dr. Torrey continued, “It rang through the building like the crack of a revolver. I dropped my sermon and instantly gave the invitation; men and women and young people rose all over the building to yield themselves to Christ. God was answering prayer and the Holy Spirit was convincing men of sin.”
He concluded, ‘The Holy Spirit can convince men of sin. We need not despair of any one, no matter how indifferent they may appear, no matter how worldly, no matter how self-satisfied, no matter how irreligious, the Holy Spirit can convince men of sin.”
God is working on your hearts today...will you accept Christ, too?
There are only two responses you can give to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. You can resist Him, but each time you do your heart becomes more calloused to His future work in you. It’s the reason you find phrases like, “He that has an ear to hear, let him hear...” so often in Scripture. The more times you resist the Holy Spirit the more deafened you become to His calling.
Or, you can respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and become a child of God today. What will you do with Christ today?
