The sin named here is unbelief in Christ, the refusal to believe on the Son whom God gave for the world. It is the Spirit's office work to reprove and convince the world of that sin, as the first part of a threefold conviction of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. After Christ's departure and ascension He sent the Comforter, the Holy Spirit of truth, to take His place so His followers would not be left helpless. That conviction is wrought upon the heart and conscience, bringing truth home with living power to expose sin and need and lead to repentance toward God and faith in Jesus. The Spirit works through the truth of God's word alone, and believers join Him in this work by prayer, by the study of Christ's words, and by bearing a clear living testimony for righteousness and truth.
Setting and Context
Jesus spoke these words to His disciples at the supper in the upper chamber before His death, after Judas had withdrawn and He was left alone with the eleven, when peace returned to Him. They were words of comfort, counsel, and prayer to His faithful disciples. He spoke them while standing in the very shadow of the cross. There He directed their thoughts to His approaching separation from them, to the great object of His mission, and to His joy that all His humiliation and suffering would glorify the Father's name, longing to tell them much more that they could not yet bear.
The disciples did not fully understand these words until after the resurrection. Afterward they repeated them again and again to stay their sinking hearts in disappointment and trial. Through their testimony those truths have spread to all lands and will live through all ages to comfort the desponding and give peace and hope to believers.
The verse belongs to the Gospel of John, which holds God's remedy for the world's sin. More specifically it belongs to the teaching of John 14 through 17 about what God desires to do for the human race. That teaching includes the promise of the Spirit poured out as at Pentecost to open blinded eyes, so that scales fall from them. It is to be understood with new enlightenment by the Spirit of God.
That larger teaching plainly lays out God's will for His commandment-keeping people. It warns of the difficulties, conflicts, afflictions, trials, and temptations to lose faith they will meet in the world, for He knew every phase of experience and every conflict they would face. It mingles dark warnings with bright promises such as the coming Comforter so they will remember His words when the time comes. For this reason John 14 through 17 are of highest value for every soul consecrating life to God's service. When that instruction given in John 6 and John 13 through 17 is lived, it cures dissension, answers His prayer offered before betrayal and crucifixion, and creates unity and love that walls against the enemy and enables standing in the shaking time when everything that can be shaken will be shaken.
Meaning of Sin
The sin named is unbelief in Christ, that men do not believe on Him, the Son whom God gave for the world. The Spirit exposes this as the world's sin, convicting of sin because they believe not on Him. That office belongs to the Comforter sent after His departure, so that His own would not be left helpless, to reprove and not to praise or flatter or exalt, for He is the Spirit of truth and not of deception. Unbelief in Jesus is the sin at issue.
That unbelief is not believing on Him in a practical way. Many things are registered as sin in heaven which men do not call sin. Selfishness and covetousness lie at the foundation of all sins, yet many are not convicted of selfishness because it is part of their nature and they do not listen to the reproofs of the Spirit upon heart and conscience.
Refusing the terms of salvation and spurning offered mercy are forms of this unbelief, making rejection of Christ the ground of the world's guilt. He knew that some would refuse to believe in Him and join in putting Him to death.
The conviction awakens the conscience by the contrast of truth and error. It brings regret for past guilt and for remaining in darkness, and exposes how unbelief dishonors God and goes with transgression of His law. It convinces men that God's commandments are a question of life and death, calling for the heart to be given to God who gave His life for it, opened to the Divine Spirit, looking to Jesus the Sun of Righteousness for peace, touched by God, having His life within, seeing light in His light, and prizing the worth of the soul. So constrained, the convicted seek what they must do to be saved.
That reproof for unbelief in Christ brings condemnation to the world. The convicting agency was purchased by Christ's death and works in the controversy between Christ and Satan continued since the fall. By contrast, belief in Christ uplifted on the cross transforms the person, giving new birth and turning him from living for self to serving Christ.
Work of Holy Spirit
After His departure and ascension Christ sent the Comforter to take His place, as His crowning gift, so the disciples would not be left helpless. The Comforter is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth and not of deception, given as Guide and Comforter. He is the soul of Christ's life, the efficacy of His church, and the light and life of the world, and with His Spirit Christ sends a reconciling influence and a power to take away sin.
The character and office work of the Spirit is to reprove and convince the world of sin, not to praise, flatter, or exalt. This reproof of sin as unbelief in Christ is the first part of a threefold conviction, of sin, of righteousness because He goes to the Father and is seen no more, and of judgment because the prince of this world is judged. This convincing is done through the testimony of the Holy Spirit joined with the living Christian, together making the working plan of the gospel.
The Spirit does this work upon the heart and conscience, giving clear testimony against sin and bringing truth home with living conviction as a spiritual reality. Like eyesalve that stings when applied, the conviction exposes sin and spiritual need so sinners may repent toward God and have faith in Jesus. It reaches unbelief in a practical way, including things men do not call sin but are registered as sin in heaven, with selfishness and covetousness at the foundation of all sins.
The only channel and instrument through which the Spirit operates in conversion is the truth made known through God's word. God alone can impart the Spirit as a transforming power unto the saving of the soul, opening the heart to receive the Word and producing its effect through the medium of truth, and faith itself is the gift of God. Prayer is therefore to be made that the Spirit make the Word effective in convicting people of truth.
Beyond convicting, the Spirit guides into all truth and glorifies Christ. He draws to God all who will be drawn, constantly works as the regenerating agent, recreates, refines, sanctifies and makes effectual in believers what Christ wrought, endows the human agent with supernatural power, enabled the apostles to stand against every species of idolatry and exalt the Lord alone, and guided the pens of the sacred historians to present the record of Christ's sayings and works. He alone presents the moral standard of righteousness and convinces of sin, produces godly sorrow which works repentance, inspires faith in Christ who alone can save from all sin, withdraws affections from temporal perishable things, imbues desire for the immortal imperishable inheritance, constantly draws attention to the sacrifice on Calvary, unfolds the love of God, opens precious things of Scripture, and opens darkened minds to bright beams of truth so hearts burn with awakened intelligence of eternal things.
That office of the Spirit is an encouraging theme to be kept before the people and presented in every discourse. Understanding and comprehending it brings blessings and all blessings and leads to completeness in Christ. It calls for uplifted thoughts and enlarged expectations to grasp the highest conception of excellence, for striving to understand Christ's words, for valuing the wonderful gift bestowed, and for seeking the fullness of the Holy Spirit without resisting His working even in the first presumptuous step.
Response and Application
The Lord entrusts faithful workers with the message that reproves the world of sin as unbelief in Christ, joined with encouragement for all who forsake their sins and are converted. They are to bear a clear, decided testimony in behalf of righteousness and truth. That convincing is done through the testimony of the Holy Spirit joined with the living Christian, together making the working plan of the gospel, a living commentary by which the words of God are repeated to people with divine authority. As laborers together with God they freely declare His goodness and power, hold forth the word of life, and show His working power is with His obedient children.
Believers cooperate with Him in that convicting work by joining their living testimony to His, by prayer that He make the Word effective in convicting people of truth, and by studying Christ's words and sharing what He commanded. Such study and sharing provides evidence that can bring people to faith. Those who have the riches of the grace of Christ are not to keep them to themselves while souls depend on the knowledge of the way of salvation they can give, for Christ died that hungry, unsatisfied souls might have those blessings. They are to speak to neighbors, friends, and associates to explain the position they occupy and the reasons for their faith, to walk before them in holiness of life, and to reveal to sinners the righteousness of Christ.
That call requires giving the heart to God who gave His life for it, opening the heart to the Divine Spirit, looking to Jesus the Sun of Righteousness to satisfy the yearning for peace and happiness, responding to the touch of God, having His life within, seeing light in His light, and appreciating the value of the human soul. For the receiver the Spirit gives the mind of Christ and makes him a faithful worker who brings self into subjection, represses evil inclination, refuses to excuse faults, and in faith and much prayer cuts away evil. When that determined effort is seen he is not left to struggle alone for the mastery, for Christ is with him to help in every true purpose and never leaves nor forsakes him in the battle with the enemy, enabling him to overcome. The Spirit was promised to be with those wrestling for victory as the grand helper, endowing the human agent with supernatural powers, making effectual in believers what Christ wrought by humbling Himself, enduring temptation, wrestling with the foe, and dying the Just for the unjust, constantly drawing attention to the sacrifice on Calvary, unfolding the love of God, opening to the convicted soul the precious things of Scripture, opening darkened minds to truth so hearts burn with awakened intelligence of eternal things, withdrawing affections from temporal perishable things, imbuing desire for the immortal inheritance, and recreating, refining and sanctifying human agents to become children of the heavenly King, as He enabled the apostles to stand against every species of idolatry and exalt the Lord alone and guided the pens of the sacred historians to present the record of Christ's sayings and works.
Aid and guidance are to be sought from Christ, not from man. Christians in contact with worldly men who do not believe the truth are not to become fretted and impatient but to keep temper, show faith that works by love and sanctifies the soul, remain Christlike with untarnished reputation, bear faithful witness against evil working contrary to truth and righteousness, and remember His words when the time comes. Lack of conviction comes when people do not listen to the reprovings of the Spirit, especially over selfishness and covetousness which are at the foundation of all sins yet are part of their nature, and many things are registered as sins in heaven which men do not call sin. This is seen when they judge brethren and try to remove a mote from a brother's eye while a beam is in their own eye that must first be removed, for no man is placed on the judgment seat to judge his brother and define the character of his sin, and correcting others, especially brethren in the faith, requires wisdom from God and growing experience in spiritual things so spiritual things are called by their right name.
The sin named here is unbelief in Christ, the refusal to believe on the Son whom God gave for the world. It is the Spirit's office work to reprove and convince the world of that sin, as the first part of a threefold conviction of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. After Christ's departure and ascension He sent the Comforter, the Holy Spirit of truth, to take His place so His followers would not be left helpless. That conviction is wrought upon the heart and conscience, bringing truth home with living power to expose sin and need and lead to repentance toward God and faith in Jesus. The Spirit works through the truth of God's word alone, and believers join Him in this work by prayer, by the study of Christ's words, and by bearing a clear living testimony for righteousness and truth.
Setting and Context
Jesus spoke these words to His disciples at the supper in the upper chamber before His death, after Judas had withdrawn and He was left alone with the eleven, when peace returned to Him. They were words of comfort, counsel, and prayer to His faithful disciples. He spoke them while standing in the very shadow of the cross. There He directed their thoughts to His approaching separation from them, to the great object of His mission, and to His joy that all His humiliation and suffering would glorify the Father's name, longing to tell them much more that they could not yet bear.
The disciples did not fully understand these words until after the resurrection. Afterward they repeated them again and again to stay their sinking hearts in disappointment and trial. Through their testimony those truths have spread to all lands and will live through all ages to comfort the desponding and give peace and hope to believers.
The verse belongs to the Gospel of John, which holds God's remedy for the world's sin. More specifically it belongs to the teaching of John 14 through 17 about what God desires to do for the human race. That teaching includes the promise of the Spirit poured out as at Pentecost to open blinded eyes, so that scales fall from them. It is to be understood with new enlightenment by the Spirit of God.
That larger teaching plainly lays out God's will for His commandment-keeping people. It warns of the difficulties, conflicts, afflictions, trials, and temptations to lose faith they will meet in the world, for He knew every phase of experience and every conflict they would face. It mingles dark warnings with bright promises such as the coming Comforter so they will remember His words when the time comes. For this reason John 14 through 17 are of highest value for every soul consecrating life to God's service. When that instruction given in John 6 and John 13 through 17 is lived, it cures dissension, answers His prayer offered before betrayal and crucifixion, and creates unity and love that walls against the enemy and enables standing in the shaking time when everything that can be shaken will be shaken.
Meaning of Sin
The sin named is unbelief in Christ, that men do not believe on Him, the Son whom God gave for the world. The Spirit exposes this as the world's sin, convicting of sin because they believe not on Him. That office belongs to the Comforter sent after His departure, so that His own would not be left helpless, to reprove and not to praise or flatter or exalt, for He is the Spirit of truth and not of deception. Unbelief in Jesus is the sin at issue.
That unbelief is not believing on Him in a practical way. Many things are registered as sin in heaven which men do not call sin. Selfishness and covetousness lie at the foundation of all sins, yet many are not convicted of selfishness because it is part of their nature and they do not listen to the reproofs of the Spirit upon heart and conscience.
Refusing the terms of salvation and spurning offered mercy are forms of this unbelief, making rejection of Christ the ground of the world's guilt. He knew that some would refuse to believe in Him and join in putting Him to death.
The conviction awakens the conscience by the contrast of truth and error. It brings regret for past guilt and for remaining in darkness, and exposes how unbelief dishonors God and goes with transgression of His law. It convinces men that God's commandments are a question of life and death, calling for the heart to be given to God who gave His life for it, opened to the Divine Spirit, looking to Jesus the Sun of Righteousness for peace, touched by God, having His life within, seeing light in His light, and prizing the worth of the soul. So constrained, the convicted seek what they must do to be saved.
That reproof for unbelief in Christ brings condemnation to the world. The convicting agency was purchased by Christ's death and works in the controversy between Christ and Satan continued since the fall. By contrast, belief in Christ uplifted on the cross transforms the person, giving new birth and turning him from living for self to serving Christ.
Work of Holy Spirit
After His departure and ascension Christ sent the Comforter to take His place, as His crowning gift, so the disciples would not be left helpless. The Comforter is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth and not of deception, given as Guide and Comforter. He is the soul of Christ's life, the efficacy of His church, and the light and life of the world, and with His Spirit Christ sends a reconciling influence and a power to take away sin.
The character and office work of the Spirit is to reprove and convince the world of sin, not to praise, flatter, or exalt. This reproof of sin as unbelief in Christ is the first part of a threefold conviction, of sin, of righteousness because He goes to the Father and is seen no more, and of judgment because the prince of this world is judged. This convincing is done through the testimony of the Holy Spirit joined with the living Christian, together making the working plan of the gospel.
The Spirit does this work upon the heart and conscience, giving clear testimony against sin and bringing truth home with living conviction as a spiritual reality. Like eyesalve that stings when applied, the conviction exposes sin and spiritual need so sinners may repent toward God and have faith in Jesus. It reaches unbelief in a practical way, including things men do not call sin but are registered as sin in heaven, with selfishness and covetousness at the foundation of all sins.
The only channel and instrument through which the Spirit operates in conversion is the truth made known through God's word. God alone can impart the Spirit as a transforming power unto the saving of the soul, opening the heart to receive the Word and producing its effect through the medium of truth, and faith itself is the gift of God. Prayer is therefore to be made that the Spirit make the Word effective in convicting people of truth.
Beyond convicting, the Spirit guides into all truth and glorifies Christ. He draws to God all who will be drawn, constantly works as the regenerating agent, recreates, refines, sanctifies and makes effectual in believers what Christ wrought, endows the human agent with supernatural power, enabled the apostles to stand against every species of idolatry and exalt the Lord alone, and guided the pens of the sacred historians to present the record of Christ's sayings and works. He alone presents the moral standard of righteousness and convinces of sin, produces godly sorrow which works repentance, inspires faith in Christ who alone can save from all sin, withdraws affections from temporal perishable things, imbues desire for the immortal imperishable inheritance, constantly draws attention to the sacrifice on Calvary, unfolds the love of God, opens precious things of Scripture, and opens darkened minds to bright beams of truth so hearts burn with awakened intelligence of eternal things.
That office of the Spirit is an encouraging theme to be kept before the people and presented in every discourse. Understanding and comprehending it brings blessings and all blessings and leads to completeness in Christ. It calls for uplifted thoughts and enlarged expectations to grasp the highest conception of excellence, for striving to understand Christ's words, for valuing the wonderful gift bestowed, and for seeking the fullness of the Holy Spirit without resisting His working even in the first presumptuous step.
Response and Application
The Lord entrusts faithful workers with the message that reproves the world of sin as unbelief in Christ, joined with encouragement for all who forsake their sins and are converted. They are to bear a clear, decided testimony in behalf of righteousness and truth. That convincing is done through the testimony of the Holy Spirit joined with the living Christian, together making the working plan of the gospel, a living commentary by which the words of God are repeated to people with divine authority. As laborers together with God they freely declare His goodness and power, hold forth the word of life, and show His working power is with His obedient children.
Believers cooperate with Him in that convicting work by joining their living testimony to His, by prayer that He make the Word effective in convicting people of truth, and by studying Christ's words and sharing what He commanded. Such study and sharing provides evidence that can bring people to faith. Those who have the riches of the grace of Christ are not to keep them to themselves while souls depend on the knowledge of the way of salvation they can give, for Christ died that hungry, unsatisfied souls might have those blessings. They are to speak to neighbors, friends, and associates to explain the position they occupy and the reasons for their faith, to walk before them in holiness of life, and to reveal to sinners the righteousness of Christ.
That call requires giving the heart to God who gave His life for it, opening the heart to the Divine Spirit, looking to Jesus the Sun of Righteousness to satisfy the yearning for peace and happiness, responding to the touch of God, having His life within, seeing light in His light, and appreciating the value of the human soul. For the receiver the Spirit gives the mind of Christ and makes him a faithful worker who brings self into subjection, represses evil inclination, refuses to excuse faults, and in faith and much prayer cuts away evil. When that determined effort is seen he is not left to struggle alone for the mastery, for Christ is with him to help in every true purpose and never leaves nor forsakes him in the battle with the enemy, enabling him to overcome. The Spirit was promised to be with those wrestling for victory as the grand helper, endowing the human agent with supernatural powers, making effectual in believers what Christ wrought by humbling Himself, enduring temptation, wrestling with the foe, and dying the Just for the unjust, constantly drawing attention to the sacrifice on Calvary, unfolding the love of God, opening to the convicted soul the precious things of Scripture, opening darkened minds to truth so hearts burn with awakened intelligence of eternal things, withdrawing affections from temporal perishable things, imbuing desire for the immortal inheritance, and recreating, refining and sanctifying human agents to become children of the heavenly King, as He enabled the apostles to stand against every species of idolatry and exalt the Lord alone and guided the pens of the sacred historians to present the record of Christ's sayings and works.
Aid and guidance are to be sought from Christ, not from man. Christians in contact with worldly men who do not believe the truth are not to become fretted and impatient but to keep temper, show faith that works by love and sanctifies the soul, remain Christlike with untarnished reputation, bear faithful witness against evil working contrary to truth and righteousness, and remember His words when the time comes. Lack of conviction comes when people do not listen to the reprovings of the Spirit, especially over selfishness and covetousness which are at the foundation of all sins yet are part of their nature, and many things are registered as sins in heaven which men do not call sin. This is seen when they judge brethren and try to remove a mote from a brother's eye while a beam is in their own eye that must first be removed, for no man is placed on the judgment seat to judge his brother and define the character of his sin, and correcting others, especially brethren in the faith, requires wisdom from God and growing experience in spiritual things so spiritual things are called by their right name.