The Spirit of God at Work!

"And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged" (John 16:8-11)

To attempt to describe fully the work of the Spirit of God in the world today, beloved, is a formidable task, indeed!  Seminary libraries are filled with thousands of volumes that have been written over generations on this subject alone.  Still Jesus, in His final night on earth with His disciples before going to the cross to pay the price for the sins of mankind, described for them graphically in very few words what the true work of the Spirit of God is in the world today.

In the verses above, note that the first work of the Spirit of God in the world today mentioned by Jesus is that He will "convict the world concerning sin."  The recognition of each person's sinfulness before God is the one great essential if he is ever to know forgiveness and receive eternal life.  That every man has sinned against God and stands under His divine condemnation is the deepest need of the human heart.  It is the work of the Spirit of God to reveal to every person, then, his lost condition spiritually before God and his need of God's gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Jesus went on to tell His disciples that the Spirit of God would also "convict the world concerning righteousness."  He told them that the "righteousness" about which He would convince the world can be found only in Jesus Christ Himself.  The evidence that His is the only true righteousness is seen in the fact that the Father received Him to glory following His death, resurrection, and ascension and declared that with His righteousness He was truly "pleased."  Thus, beloved, it is not the righteousness of any man, no matter how lofty his standards or how hardy his efforts to attain it, that God accepts.  He only accepts the righteousness of the sinless Son of God and only in His righteousness can we find acceptance with the Father.

Finally, Jesus revealed to His disciples that the Spirit of God would "convict the world concerning judgment."  Mankind has deluded himself into believing today that no such judgment is forthcoming, that God either cannot or will not judge the sinfulness of man.  Man is only accountable to himself, so says the secular humanist, so there is nothing to fear.  The work of the Spirit of God is to convince the world that this judgment is not only real but that it is inevitable and that no man will escape it.  Jesus pointed to the fact that Satan himself had already been judged and would feel the full measure of God's wrath at the appointed time.  Why, then, would God not judge sinful man when He has not allowed the Father of Lies to escape?

What is so exciting for every true follower of Jesus Christ today, beloved, is the awareness that we are each partners with the Spirit of God in His work in the world today!  It is within us and through us that He seeks to work to let this sinful world know that salvation can be found in Jesus Christ and in Him alone.  Ours is the blessed privilege not only to know Christ personally and to know the assurance of our own salvation, but to tell others about Him as the Spirit of God gives us opportunity.

So the Spirit of God is truly at work in the world today!  The question that remains to be answered is whether or not you are working with Him?

Ron