I wonder if you feel daunted when you hope to persuade a friend to trust in Jesus Christ? The task seems to be impossible. But Jesus said the Holy Spirit would do the work of convicting—that is, bringing the truth before someone so that they can’t avoid it.
This is what Jesus tells the apostles before he leaves them. They have watched Jesus work in Palestine for three years, demonstrating that God’s kingdom has arrived and that everyone should repent. There have been successes, but the opposition is murderous.
If Jesus is now leaving, what chance do the disciples have of making any impression on fellow-Jews, let alone the rest of the world?
Jesus speaks to their dismay by saying he will send the Spirit[1]. He explains that the Holy Spirit will show the world that their sin is wrong. And he will reveal where real righteousness can be found. And he will awaken consciences to the judgement they are under[2].
These are the things we find impossible to do. Everything in the enemy camp conspires to deny these propositions. Aren’t we basically good? And who’s to say what is right and wrong? And again, aren’t threats of a deity who judges merely ways to control us? Without the Holy Spirit to do the convincing, people will hide behind reasoning like this and see no reason to trust in Christ.
But there are reasons why the Spirit can do this, and they all have to do with Jesus Christ.
The Spirit convicts people of sin because they don’t believe in Jesus. If they hear the story of the life he has come to bring[3] and won’t trust him, they commit a concrete, visible sin. They are already condemned[4].
We need to trust the Holy Spirit to bring this home to people we speak to—even if we have to suffer, and wait.
And people are convicted of righteousness because Jesus has not only been raised from the dead but been taken to the Father. We can’t see him anymore. The matter of righteousness has been taken out of our hands.
The world argues endlessly about what is right and wrong but God says his Son is what righteousness is all about. He has done what is good. He has loved his Father. And God has vindicated him by raising him from the dead[5]. And it is righteousness for us too if we will believe it[6].
Again, we need to talk about Jesus and how God has declared him to be right. We must walk in the confidence of those whom God has justified and not be anxious about the taunts of unbelievers. The Spirit will bring conviction to all whom God chooses.
And people are convicted of judgement because the Prince of this world is judged. Satan loses his power—especially his power to accuse—when Jesus is lifted up on his cross to die for our sins and is raised again[7]. This judgement of Satan is not something we can see. It is something Jesus tells us.
We live among many false judgements[8]. Some say we are only answerable to ourselves. Others that we are answerable to them! It can be very confusing, and confronting! The reason we are so tender at this point is that Satan is always accusing us. And he knows enough to keep us on edge and running to someone for approval.
But what if Satan is judged? What if he is no longer able to accuse us? What if the sins he knows we have committed have all been washed away? One judgement—the judgement on Christ who bears our sins, silences all the other accusers.
This is what we need to live in and to explain to others. And our confidence that we have been saved is a sign to them that they remain condemned[9].
See how Peter preaches on the day the Holy Spirit is poured out.
He tells people what Israel has done with Jesus: ‘You killed him!’ He tells people where Jesus is: raised up from death and ascended[10]. He tells people that Jesus is installed as Lord, seated by God[11]. The ruler of this world‚ Satan— has been cast out[12].
He and the other apostles are bearing witness[13]. But then, so is the Holy Spirit[14]. He creates the situation in which the apostles can speak. He enables their speaking so that they are believably truthful[15]. And he makes it effective in all those God chooses to bless[16].
The Spirit deals with the heart, and conscience—closer to a person than we can come[17].
How we need the gift and the ministry of the Holy Spirit! Without him, we ourselves lack the joy and the certainty of belonging to God. And the world is not impressed with our lack of conviction.
This is a matter that should be close to our hearts.
In a final reference to the Spirit in John’s Gospel, Jesus breathes on his apostles and says, ‘Receive the Spirit’[18]! He anticipates the coming of the Spirit and wants them to be ready.
The church does not take over from Christ. The Holy Spirit does. In the same way that the disciples relied on the physical presence of Jesus, we rely on the Holy Spirit for every aspect of our life and ministry. He is the Leader.
Without him, we languish in our own spirits. We mistake our actions for God’s. And we limp in our approach to the world.
We need to be full of this life from God—full of his goodness to us and full of expectation of what he will do among those to whom we bear witness. We are following the Holy Spirit!
I’ve just talked to someone helping with translating the Bible for first nations people in Australia. She told me how warmly and widely their New Testament is being received as a phone download by local people. ‘It’s great to see the work of the Holy Spirit’ she said. Wherever people are taking the gospel seriously, the Holy Spirit is at work.
[1] John 15:26
[2] John 16:7-11
[3] Acts 5:20
[4] John 3:16-21; 15:22-24
[5] Acts 3:14; 7:52; 22:14; 1 Tim. 3:16
[6] Rom. 4:5, 25
[7] John 12:31-33; 14:30
[8] Cf. John 8:16; 12:48
[9] Phil. 1:28
[10] Acts 2:24-28
[11] Acts 2:33-35
[12] John 12:31
[13] Acts 2:40
[14] John 15:26-27
[15] Acts 2:4
[16] Acts 2:39
[17] Cf. Luke 12:10
[18] John 20:22
Simply True 