I am not quick to preach things about scripture when I haven’t heard the type of revelation shared elsewhere, especially on popular scriptures that are often used (John versus Leviticus). We can help and encourage one another by giving constructive criticism or encouragement based upon our opinions about the interpretation of scripture. Therefore, I ask for your feedback on my interpretation of how the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin.I was regularly teaching/preaching and we were doing Bible study discussions from John chapters 14-17. One morning while studying my message I had this thought-revelation about John 16:7-9(NAS) But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the [p]Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me;The thought came to me as to how the Holy Spirit will and does convict the world of sin. I never heard an unsaved guy say, I was regularly flirting and messing around with this woman at the bar and then the Holy Ghost convicted me so strongly that I ran home and hugged my wife all night! Unsaved people I know bragg about how he or she can take things from the company of get paid while not putting out effort at work. However, I never heard an unsaved person say, I was cutting corners at work and the Holy Ghost came all over me so I cried out in repentance. When studying the context of this passage I believe Jesus shows us that the world is convicted through our lifestyle and word we share with them whether in personal evangelism or public preaching (the Word that is sharper than a 2 edged sword). The reason I say this is because the context John 154(NAS) Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have [j]sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have [k]sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. 25 But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’26 “When the [l]Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, 27 [m]and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.John 16 “These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling. 2 [n]They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. 3 These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me. 4 But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you [o]may remember that I told you of them. These things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.
Context is key. Who is the world? It’s definitely not everyone. Here’s what Jesus explained earlier in this John 14-16message:John 15:18“If
Brad, I really appreciate your input and the time you spent responding to my post. However, I disagree with your statement about Jesus responding to the religious leaders and not the sinners such as drunkards, whores and tax collectors. Jesus stated that the Holy Spirit would convict THE WORLD of sin. I believe the Bible teaches us that everybody is either a follower of Christ (believers) or of the world.Even if I were to agree with you that the Law is what convicts the drunkard, whore and tax collector of sin how would they know apart from the Holy Spirit working through a believer? Has anyone ever heard of an unsaved person stealing from his/her company or being in an adulterous affair saying, I was in this sin but the Law convicted me?
To Brad, all prostitutes, drunkards, etc… are not sinners…unless they join the Jewish church and follow the law. You kind of need to hang out here a while to understand________________
It’s a shame that threads regarding scripture get so few replies, but such is the culture here. I certainly agree that our lifestyle is either the fragrance of death or life to this world. However, I do not in any way believe that this passage is suggesting that the Church is somehow doing something that only the Holy Spirit can do.
Da Sheik wrote: As Brad mentioned, the specific sin is that of unbelief. The only way a person can believe is if the Spirit opens their eyes and draws them to God.
Jesus defines the world in his sermon from John 14-16. It’s those who hate him. He ate with, drank with and was a friend of sinners. He was hated by religion. So which is the world he is referring to? He clearly says His disciples were not of the world (Jn 15:18). Since the Spirit convicts the world, does this mean the Spirit is not convicting them of sin?I am curious to now your thoughts on John 16:22-24at to what Jesus meant when He said they would have no sin if He hadn’t come and spoken to them? He can’t be saying they’d have been better off if Jesus hadn’t come________________I’m not saved because I’m good. I’m saved because He’s good!My website: http://www.bradfreeman.comMy blog: bradcfreeman.tumblr.com/
John 6:44
Your interpretation is spot on, Preacher777. Jesus’ reference to the Spirit as the Helper, clearly points to the help He would give to believers when He (the Spirit) came in Acts 2, making them become living witnesses for Jesus’ name. We know of course that the Spirit has been in the world/creation ever since creation, and we know the Spirit mightily anointed and convicted people via the prophets of old and even the ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus prior to Acts 2. An entirely new order/covenant was coming though, in which the Spirit would be poured out on all flesh/mankind, and according to Jesus in Luke 24and in Acts 1, the outpouring would start with the disciples, as we see occurring in Acts 2and following. God may speak to mankind via creation and conscience, of course (see Romans 1and 2), but ultimately He prefers to use human vessels to bear witness of the truth to mankind. As Paul said in Romans 10, how shall they hear without a preacher?
As I read it YES! I am not smart enough to give a written answer, but that is what I see in the post.I also agree that questions on Scripture have very little input, for the sake of exposing oneself to castigation by someone else who ‘STRONGLY’ sees it different.Interesting post by 777, one of the good guys! ________________Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/
Brad Freeman wrote:John 15:18�If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. So who is the world that hated Jesus? It wasn’t the drunkards, whores and tax collectors. It was the religious system, the Pharisees. His disciples were not the world the Spirit would be convicting. John 16:22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. What sin is He convicting the world of? It’s definitely not every sin. Jesus said they wouldn’t have this sin if He hadn’t spoken to them the words and done the works of His Father. Surely, they had sin…all have sinned. This is a specific sin. A sin they would not have had if He hadn’t come…UNBELIEF. He came and spoke the words and did the works so they would believe. John 14:10Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. So the Spirit convicts the religious world of its unbelief. The Law convicts people of transgressions of the Law. Preacher 777 Response: I appreciate Brad and everybody else taking the time to discuss scripture in a loving, civil way. Sometimes I learn more by listening to opposing views and at times see that my original premise was wrong. At those times I am glad for those who steer me into the truth.However, in this situation, after examining the scriptures presented in opposing views and studying more scripture I hold onto my original thoughts concerning this passage. I believe the Bible clearly teaches 2 classes of people, children of God and those whose father is the devil. Children of light and children of darkness. Those who repent from sin, accept Christ nd those who reject His blood and choose to live in darkness. Jesus and Paul were pretty direct in their conversations and I don’t see hidden subsets of sinners with different techniques to reach them.EVEN IF Jesus was speaking to the religious leaders only here with no further application to other unsaved people (the world) and the Law was the mechanism for sinners Jesus words here still speak of the Holy Ghost in us convicting the world of sin through his/her being under the Law and not able to fulfill it. How does the Holy Spirit work in and through us to convict the world of sin? BY our righteous lives being the light that exposes darkness (if the light never comes their darkness would not be exposed). Another way the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin is by anointing the Word whether in preaching, teaching or personal one on one conversations. Therefore, I agree the Holy Spirit is the one who draws people to Himself. However, we as believers must be open to the fact that the Holy Spirit may want to use us to speak His words just as Jesus did when on the earth regardless of whether it is popular or causes us to be persecuted, disliked, have people offended and mad at us. I believe this scripture and John 14-16in context teach that sometimes people get offended because our light which affects who we are, what we do and don’t do and say will offend people.Many times Jesus stated that AS LONG AS HE IS IN THE WORLD He is the light of the world. Paul later shared with believers who were in the world after the Holy Ghost came: Philippians 2
I agree that there are no subsets of sinners. There are only 2 types of people in the world (with various labels)- believers and unbelievers, the righteous and the unrighteous, the children of light and the children of darkness, those whose Father is God and those whose Father is the devil
Consider following the flow of the third person plural pronouns, which I have highlighted, throughout the text below.John 15:18