Grace Fellowship Church Pastor/Teacher Jim Rickard Sunday, May 8,

John 16:7-11 The Office of the Holy Spirit - to convict or convince the world that it needs a Savior.

First He convinces the unbeliever of his need for a Savior, vs. 9-11, then He comforts those that do believe, vs with Acts 9:31; 2 Cor 1:3-8.

Acts 9:31, “So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit,….”

“Sin” – HARMARTIA: “Sin, failure, or missing the mark”, in the singular not plural. The sin in focus is the lack of faith in Jesus Christ, the sin of unbelief.

In this verse sin is a failure for which Christ did not and could not die on the Cross (i.e. rejection of the Cross).

When a person rejects the Cross he stands on his own human good which has not been judged yet but will be at The Great White Throne Judgement of Rev 20:11-15.

John 3:36, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son (i.e., obey Jesus’ command to believe in Him, John 3:16), will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

When presenting the gospel it must be made clear that the issue in salvation is attitude toward Christ. To believe in Him is eternal life; to reject Him is eternal condemnation.

HOTI OUK PISTEUO – “Because they do not believe!” They habitually do not believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior.

John 16:9, “Concerning sin (the sin of unbelief), because they (the world), habitually or customarily do not believe in Me.”

Without this conviction such men actually have a pride of intellectual superiority in refusing to believe on Jesus as their Savior. Rom 1:18-25; 1 Cor 1:18-31; Eph 4:17-18

The Spirit does not convict the world of individual sins; the conscience must do this (see Acts 24:24-25).

The Spirit’s presence in the world is proof that the world does not believe on Christ; otherwise Christ would be here in the world.

The sin that condemns the soul is unbelief, the rejection of Christ (see John 3:18-21). Compare with John 8:23-24; 12:47-50.

The Sin of rejecting Christ is the “unpardonable sin”, the only sin which Jesus could not pay for at the Cross.

When the Bible speaks of blaspheming the Holy Spirit, it is saying that that person or group has rejected the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit.

They have rejected His message of Christ crucified for their sins. Mat 12:31-32

Blasphemy is defined as: 1) The act of claiming for oneself the attributes and rights of God.

Blasphemy is defined as: 1) The act of claiming for oneself the attributes and rights of God. 2) Any word or deed meant to dishonor or revile the being or the work of God.

Mark 3:28-29, “Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin.”

Luke 12:10, “And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him.”

The Unpardonable Sin is: 1. A sin of the heart, not the lips, Mat 12: The words from the lips are the evidence of the condition of the heart; and evil words indicate an evil heart.

2. A sin committed in the light of great evidence.

2. A sin committed in the light of great evidence. 3. A sin of willful, persistent unbelief and final rejection of Jesus Christ.

The Spirit shall convince the world, of sin; not merely tell them of it, and prove that all the world is guilty before God.

There is no salvation without Spirit led conviction, for the Spirit uses believers and the Word to convict lost souls. Eph 2:1-22

Grace Offering

Grace Fellowship Church Sunday, May 8, 2011 Tape # Convicting Ministry of God the Holy Spirit Upper Room Discourse, Part 504 John 16:8-9; Mat 12:31-32; Mark 3:28-29; Luke 12:10 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2011