“And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.” John 16:8-11 (ESV)
The hearts of Jesus’ disciples were filled with sorrow when Jesus informed them of his departure. He sought to comfort them by explaining that it was to their advantage for him to return to his Father. Jesus conveyed to them that unless he returned to the Father that the Helper would not come to them. Jesus, being one man, was able to accomplish a mighty work for God and was adequate in all respects, however with the coming of the Helper, the Spirit of Christ would fill all who believed on Christ. Christ’s work could be advanced to greater lengths. Not only that, the work Jesus had called his disciples to undertake could only be accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit. The disciples did not have the power to “convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment”, but the Holy Spirit did and still does.
The second work of the Holy Spirit mentioned by Jesus in John 16 is that he will convict the world concerning righteousness. Paul wrote to the Roman church that there is none righteous (Romans 3:10). A person cannot perform enough good deeds to obtain righteousness. Righteousness is not obtained by being a good person or a good citizen or neighbor. Participating in religious activities such as church attendance, bible reading or singing hymns can produce righteousness. The Pharisees in Jesus’ time were considered the highest of religious people, yet Jesus warned his disciples that unless their righteousness exceeded that of the Pharisees they could not enter the kingdom of God (Matthew 5:20).
Man cannot produce his own righteousness so he must look outside of himself to obtain the required righteousness that is essential to enter the kingdom of God. God’s remedy for our unrighteousness was the sending of his son to fulfill all righteousness. Jesus accomplished this by living a sinless, obedient life (Matthew 3:15; Romans 5:19). His righteous life made him the perfect sacrifice for our unrighteousness. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV) On the cross Jesus accomplished the great exchange. He took our sin and imputed his righteousness to us. The prophet Isaiah spoke of God’s righteous servant and his work. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53:11 ESV)
Through faith in Jesus we receive forgiveness of sin and are clothed in the righteousness of Christ. God having received Christ’s sacrifice now counts us as righteous in him (Romans 3:21; Ephesians 4:24).
Jesus told his disciples the reason the Holy Spirit would convict the world of righteousness was because he was going to the Father and they would see him no longer (John 16:10). By resurrecting Jesus from the dead God vindicated Christ’s claims as being the Son of God. Surely God would not have raised Christ from the dead had he been an imposter. Christ’s ascension to the right hand of the Father was evidence that God fully accepted the righteous work of the Son. It is with these proofs that the Holy Spirit convicts the world concerning righteousness, Christ’s righteousness and our desperate need for it.
Have you put on the new self, clothed in the righteousness of Christ?
Scriptures for meditation:
Titus 3:5