John 16:8-11 – And He, when He comes, will convict the world regarding sin, and righteousness, and judgment: regarding sin, because they do not believe in Me; and regarding righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you no longer are going to see Me; and regarding judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
The Holy Spirit’s greatest work is revealing to a man’s heart his need for salvation. The unregenerate or lost person has no understanding of his perilous condition. His natural mind thinks he is pretty much okay and he is not that bad and if there is a heaven he surely will go there. The main problem is this, sin and the sinful nature has blinded the eyes of the unsaved so that they have no possible way to see their perilous condition. That’s where the Holy Spirit comes into play, He awakens us to our lost condition, the fact that Jesus is the only Savior, and without Christ judgement is certain. Here is how the Fire Bible explains this very important passage about the work of the Holy Spirit in conversion.
“The Spirit’s work of convicting operates in three areas. (a) Sin. The Holy Spirit will expose sin and unbelief in order to awaken in an individual a consciousness of guilt and a need for forgiveness…. (b) Righteousness. The Spirit convinces the spirit of a person that Jesus is the Son of God who came and showed the right way to God. He reveals that a right relationship with God does not depend on our own good works or efforts, but on Christ’s death on the cross for our sins…. (c) Judgment. The Spirit convinces people of Satan’s defeat, which Christ secured and guaranteed by his death on the cross for our sin. The Spirit also makes people aware of God’s present judgment of the world and the future judgment of the entire human race, including each individual’s personal accountability to God.”
Salvation is totally supernatural and beyond man’s ability to change his life or to become a better person. Salvation always begins with an awareness of our sin and our need for a Savior. It is the Holy Spirit that causes us to turn away from our sin and turn to Christ as our Savior. The Holy Spirit also makes us aware of the coming judgement, God’s judgement on this world is certain, the only escape is found at the cross. It is at Calvary that mercy triumphs over judgement.
