Preached by Rev. NEIL MACINTYRE, Edinburgh.
“And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness and of judgment.” (John, xvi. 8).
(1). In the preceding chapter Christ tells His disciples how they were to be treated in this world. They were to be hated but they need not wonder at that for it hated Him before it hated them. The reason for this was that “they were not of the world for had they been the world would love its own” (John, xv. 19). “The servant is not greater than his lord.”
(2). He then goes on to tell them how the world would treat them—”They would put them out of the synagogues; yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service” (John, xvi. 2). These men were left so much to themselves that they thought they were doing God’s service when they put His servants to death. This was clearly seen in the case of Saul of Tarsus. “I verily thought with myself” he said, “that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth” (Acts, xxvi. 9). The ignorance of persecutors did not lessen their guilt but it added to the sufferings of God’s peoples. He tells them these things that when the time should come they would remember He told them of them.
(3). He then goes on to comfort and encourage them when He told them He was to leave them—sorrow filled their hearts. It was difficult enough for them to make their way when He was with them but what was to become of them should He leave them. No wonder though “sorrow filled their hearts.” They could not see how it would be expedient (profitable) for them that He should leave them. “Nevertheless,” He said, “I tell you the truth: it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you” (John, xvi. 7). How was this to comfort them? “When He is come He will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment.” Let us now consider:—
I. The Person coming: “The Comforter.”
II. What was He to do when He came? “Reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment.”
I. The Person coming; “The Comforter.”
There are three Persons in the Godhead. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These three are one God the same in substance equal in power and glory. Though there is that order yet we are not to think that the First and Second Persons are superior to the Third. No, they are “equal in power and glory.” Many these days deny the distinct personality of the Spirit and regard Him only as an effect or influence. Such was the opinion of Mr. Moody of America, who was so much applauded in this country. Moody admitted this to Mr. Spurgeon that he did not believe in the Personality of the Spirit. But the Spirit is here described as a distinct Person, “He.” The Lord gave two great gifts to men, His Beloved Son and the Holy Spirit. The one is as indispensable as the other. He gave His Son: “God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son” (John, iii. 16). The Son willingly came to do the Father’s will. Had He not come and given obedience and satisfaction to the claims of law and justice there could be no hope for guilty sinners. But now the Father sends the Spirit in the name of Christ. As man could not be saved without Christ giving satisfaction to the claims of God’s law and justice neither can he be saved without the Spirit applying the merits of that work to him. We have God’s Word which we hear and read but is it not very obvious that unless the Holy Spirit will apply effectually the purchased blessings of Christ we shall remain dead and ignorant of Him?
The Spirit is here spoken of as the “Comforter.” Christ tells them that: “It is profitable for them that He should go away.” But this they could not understand. It was a great comfort and strength for them to have His bodily presence but what was to become of them should He leave them? But the Holy Spirit which the Father would send in His name is omnipresent and is able to comfort His people in all their varied circumstances and trials. The coming of the Spirit to take of the purchased blessings of Christ is as necessary for our salvation as the coming of Christ to purchase them. If we take the riches of redemption, what creature man or angel can search the height, depth, length and breath of the fulness that is in Christ. The greatest saint that ever was was only on the brink of this unfathomable ocean. But the Spirit knows the unsearchable fulness out of which He can draw to comfort and supply the needs of God’s poor people. “He searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (I. Cor. ii. 10). The Lord’s people are at times enabled to appropriate a little of these riches whereas at other times they are in darkness and empty. What makes the difference? It is as the Spirit leads them and opens up these riches to them. All our thoughts, words, and actions are all well known to Him. As the Psalmist said, “From thy Spirit whither shall I go or from Thy presence fly” (Ps. cxxxix. 7). Our state and desires are all known to Him. But without His gracious presence His people are in darkness and have many fears and doubts. “But when that thou O gracious God didst hide thy face from me, then quickly was my prosperous state turned into misery” (Ps. xxx. 7).
But He is spoken of as the Spirit of truth. “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth” (John, xv. 26). (1). He is the Spirit of truth inasmuch as all He says is truth. Men deceive their fellow sinners with flatteries telling them that God is love, and that all are going to heaven, but the Spirit is the Spirit of Truth in that He tells plainly to men what their end will be unless they repent. He is also the Spirit of truth in inviting sinners to Christ and if they come that they shall be received and welcomed. (2). He is also the Spirit of truth because it was He who inspired Prophets and Apostles to write the Bible—”Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (II. Peter, i. 21). Therefore, those who interfere and deny God’s Word are not interfering or denying the words of men but the Word of God, and so make Him a liar.
The Spirit is here spoken of coming. “When He is come.” This does not mean that the Spirit did not come until after Christ’s resurrection and exaltation but that He was to be given in a richer measure. All the saints under the old dispensation were enlightened by Him. But on the exaltation of Christ the Spirit was to descend in a richer measure than ever before. This promise was partly fulfilled on the day of Pentecost when three thousand were pricked in their hearts and cried; “Men and brethren what shall we do.” The Spirit will continue His work in the world until all for whom Christ died are brought into the kingdom of grace and home to glory. May we be among that blessed number.
II. The work which He was to do—”He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness and of judgment.”
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We have here the sphere of His labours—”The world.” It is in time and not in eternity this work is to be done. The term “world” is used in several ways in Scripture. Some take the world in a general sense—”All men.” Others again take it to mean “the elect.” Now, it does not say that He will convert the world but convince it. So we may take it in a general sense. There is the greatest difference between conviction and conversion. There may be conviction without conversion but there is no conversion without conviction. We must be convicted that we are lost before we cry to be saved. We have several instances in Scripture where men were convicted who were not converted. Simon, the Sorcerer, was convicted but we are not told that he was converted. Agrippa was so convicted by Paul that he cried out: “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian” but he was not converted. God’s Word may have such a wonderful effect on men that they may be convinced of its truth though not converted.
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What is He to reprove them of. There are three things mentioned (1). Sin—”He will reprove the world of sin.” (a). He will reprove the world of actual sin. Neither judgments nor afflictions nor the literal knowledge of God’s Word will ever convince the sinner of his guilt. Men try to father their sins on others as Adam and Eve and Aaron did but when the Spirit convinces all excuses will vanish—”Thou art the man.” The sinner now finds that he is responsible and has to do with an infinite holy law which demands perfect obedience which he cannot give. “The commandment came, sin revived, and I died” (Romans, vii. 9). But now being convinced that he cannot obey the law, he is as convinced that he cannot obey the gospel which tells him to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” But he is as helpless regarding the gospel as he is regarding the law. Man is ready to excuse himself because of his inability but when the Spirit convinces him of his responsibility all his excuses will that day vanish—”Thou art the man.”
(b). He will convince of original sin. Man may admit that he is guilty of some actual sins but will not believe that he was born in sin. That “by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation.” But when the Spirit convinces him of sin he finds that the root of all sin is within. That he has no pleasure in obeying the law. That the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be” (Romans, vii. 7). Job realised how impossible it was for him to be justified by works—”if I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean, yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me” (Job, ix. 30). This is the work of the Spirit in reproving the sinner of sin—Should God cast the convinced sinner to hell the moment he came into the world, he feels that that was his desert.
(c). He will convince the sinner of the sin of unbelief. We may admit that we are guilty of some other sins but we will not confess that unbelief is a sin. This sin is particularly mentioned here by Christ—”Of sin because they believe not in me.” This is the sin that will bind all other sins upon us. If we believe and accept of Christ then all other sins whatever they may be shall be freely forgiven. The law of God will never condemn the believer—”There is, therefore, now, no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus.” Unbelief was the first sin committed by man and makes God a liar. Now, if the King offered pardon to rebels who were under sentence of death and they would spurn it, would he not be justified in punishing them according to their crimes? Now, God sent His own Son into the world to save sinners and the condemnation of the rejection of that Saviour will be greater than the condemnation of devils. “This is the condemnation that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.”
(2). He will convince the world of righteousness. What righteousness? (a). He will convince them of God’s righteousness in condemning them. They once thought it would be unjust of God to condemn them, but now they see how just it would be for Him to cast them to hell. Their mouth would be closed. They see that “it is of the Lord’s mercy that they are not consumed” (Lam. iii. 22). (b). He convinces them of their own righteousness. They know no other way by which they can be justified but by works. So they will begin to perform many pious duties. But the Spirit will convince them of the holiness of His laws and that “by the works of the law no flesh can be justified.” So they give up hope of being justified by works.
(c). He convinces them of Christ’s righteousness. They are at first concerned about escaping from the wrath which they see they deserved in transgressing God’s law. But now they are led to realise that they cannot be saved but by a righteousness in which all the claims of God’s law are met and satisfied. These claims they see are met in the righteousness which Christ wrought out in His obedience and sufferings and which is offered freely to them in the gospel. But they are as helpless to obey the gospel as they were to obey the law. Faith is the gift of God. So it was, that, when they had no strength, that the Spirit enabled them to accept of Christ as “the end of the law for righteousness.” In that moment they passed from a state of condemnation to a state of justification, never to be condemned—”There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” (Roms. viii. 1).
(d). They are convinced of God’s righteousness as Judge in justifying them. Before now they could not see nor understand how God could justify them, but now they see the claims of the law fully satisfied in Christ—that “He magnified the law and made it honourable” (Isai. xlii. 21). On the ground of that righteousness the Lord is more glorified in their salvation than He would be in their destruction. They often have much reason to condemn themselves but God will never condemn them. They are as justified in the moment they believe in Christ as they shall be when they are made perfect in holiness singing His praises in glory. Justification is an act not to be repeated.
(3). The sinner is brought to the bar of God and two parties claim him. (a) Satan, the accuser of the brethren, maintains that he is a transgressor. That he found him on forbidden ground, and that he agreed to serve him. So holds that he belongs to him. (b) But Christ, the sinner’s Advocate comes forward and says; “I know he is guilty but I took his place and paid his debt—Exalted the law and made it honourable.” Satan is cast out. He had no claim upon God’s people but as they were guilty but when these claims were met by their Surety, Satan lost his claim forever—”If the Son, therefore, shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John, viii. 36). Our eternal salvation depends on what reception we give to Christ. If we accept Him as He is freely offered to us in the gospel then we shall be free indeed. On the other hand if we reject and despise Him, He shall despise us and cast us into the place “Where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” May we be made wise to accept Him.