“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 16:8-11)
This passage is speaking of three things the Holy Spirit does in the earth.
1. He convicts of sin, notice this doesn’t say sins, but is singular, the sin of wrong identity, eating of the wrong fruit. People’s behaviors and habits that we classify as sin is simply evidence of not knowing who they are. A person will only come to know who they are if they choose to follow and come to know who Jesus is!
“And as Christ himself is seen for who he really is, who you really are will also be revealed, for you are now one with him in his glory!” (Colossians 3:4)
2. Convict of righteousness, this is not self righteousness, but the righteousness of Christ. The word convict, also means convince. When a person is born again, all righteousness is imparted to them, and becomes a “working out”, so the Holy Spirit is the one who helps us understand what we’ve been given through Jesus’ work on the Cross, and we agree and walk in it!
“For God made the only one who did not know sin to become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God through our union with Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
3. Convict of judgement, now this has been presented to many with a motive driven by unhealthy fear. The scripture clearly tells who this judgement refers to, “the ruler of this world”, that being Satan. Jesus bore it all on the Cross and through the bruising of His heel He crushed the serpent (Gen. 3:15)
We must understand there are two forms of judgement, those whose faith is in Jesus (discipline/training), and those who reject Him (condemnation/separation). Sadly, many do not understand this and present the wrong view to those in Christ.
Scripture is clear, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:17)
Every person who has ever lived, is living, or will live is given the choice, “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 3:18)
Notice what it says for those who do not believe, it says “condemned already”. So what does this mean in connection with the verses in John 16? If we do not cling to Christ’s righteousness, we share in Satans Judgment.
Looking back at the three works of the Holy Spirit, we can see what bridges sin and judgment, is righteousness.
The only answer to the judgement of sin is the finished work of Jesus Christ, and the washing of His Blood!!!