WHEN HE IS COME
John 16:6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless 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; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
In verse seven we understand that the coming of the Holy Spirit made it essential for the leaving of the Lord Jesus Christ. For he would soon command the apostles to go, not just to Israel and the Jews, but to the Gentiles in all the world. But their going forth would have to await his coming into his absolute, sovereign authority, and then upon his ascension, his sending them the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Luke 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
And what a difference the Holy Spirit would make! No longer to just come on them, but to actually dwell in them! John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
And his coming would both birth and define the church. It would not be an organization, but an organism! It would be known by the spiritual qualities of it’s love and obedience! And his coming would put the school house, the school books, and the school teacher inside every believer! John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
1 John 2:20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. 27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
Jeremiah 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
And THAT, dear soul, is what makes Christianity different from all religions! For it is not simply a religion, but it is a renewed, spiritual way of life! 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: (or ‘creation’), old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
But what shall be the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s presence? We dare not ask that of religion! For we would get as many different answers as the numbers of those we asked! But what do the scriptures say? What did the Lord Jesus Christ say? We need only read verses eight through eleven of our above listed text to find out. Let us consider these verses.
In verse eight we read that our Lord states that the Spirit’s work will be that of ‘reproof.’ That is the same Greek word translated, being convicted in John 8:9. And it is also translated, I rebuke in Revelation 3:18. So the Holy Spirit is not just a ‘feel good’ influence, but one of the Holy Person’s of the Trinity, sent to deal with our sin, and sinful natures.
The key to understanding the Holy Spirit is found in Christ’s introduction of him. John 16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. And that is the key to understanding the entirety of the Trinity! Colossians 2:9 For in him (That is, ‘in Christ’), dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. For it is at the name of Jesus that all creation shall bow! Philippians 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; None can know God except in Jesus Christ! John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Therefore, the key to understanding the Holy Spirit, is to know him as revealed in his relation to the Lord Jesus Christ! For the Holy Spirit IS the spirit of Christ! For our last quoted verse states that the Lord Jesus is the truth. And the Holy Spirit is proclaimed to be the spirit of truth! John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And it is only his presence in the hearts of the believing elect that make us to understand just what our Lord meant when he said that we would “see” him again! And when that occurs, the believers would know that the Lord Jesus had made it back to the right hand of the majesty on high! John 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
Dear Reader, the Lord Jesus came into the world. But the Holy Spirit came only into the believing church! And when he does, he takes of the things of Christ and reveals them to the believer! Therefore the three things which our Lord reveals as the work of the Spirit are all in relation to Christ himself! Sin is only identified by one’s unbelief of him! Righteousness refers to Christ’s personal righteousness. And judgment speaks of his work on the cross to defeat the powers of darkness!
The first thing mentioned which the Holy Spirit convicts of is sin! But what is sin? How is it to be known? Are we to allow the various forms of religion to set forth their individual taboos as sin? We cannot do this for the Lord said that religion strain at gnats, but swallows down camels! That is, they make great to do over minor things, but excuse major things with ease! Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Then just what is the basic standard in identifying sin? It is Holy Ghost conviction of unbelief in the Lord Jesus Christ! Unbelief is the basic sin! John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
Hence we see that it is not the one who, like that Pharisee, goes up to the temple to use prayer as an announcement of his perfections that has the Spirit. But it is that publican, convicted and convinced of his sin in whom the Holy Spirit is at work! (Luke 18:10-14). He it was who is a blessed mourner. Matthew 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Belief in God through Christ hinders all condemnation! John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
The second issue which our Lord brings forth to reveal the evidence of the Spirit’s work is to convince of righteousness. And the reason given was because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Again, this is the Holy Spirit taking of the things of the Son and revealing them unto us. Therefore this is speaking of the convincing of the Son’s personal righteousness. And this is the strong, irrefutable, effectual evidence that the Lord Jesus Christ is presently reigning Lord! Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Failure to see the present reign of Christ is the great evidence that today’s religion has not the Spirit! John 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. The three things which the Trinity set in order at the cross are, first and foremost, the glory of God. John 17:1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: The second is the absolute Lordship of Jesus Christ. John 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh,… (See Matt. 28:18 listed above). And the third and final thing is the salvation of his elect! John 17:2b, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Dear soul, we are clearly instructed that the first thing to be sought by us is, a.) the kingdom, and b.) his righteousness. Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. For if we are not convinced by the Holy Spirit that Jesus Christ is holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners (Heb. 7:26), we will not believe him to be seated above all things, and in sovereign control! And there is no salvation apart from his Lordship! Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Then the third and final thing mentioned by the Lord as the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s conviction is judgment! And what is there of Christ that the Holy Spirit is undertaking to show us here? The Lord says he shall convict of judgment because the prince of this world is judged. One would be hard pressed to find those today who believe in the present reign of Christ and the past destruction of the kingdom of Satan! But our Lord states this as the reason for the conviction of the Holy Spirit concerning judgment!
Justification of the sinner is not possible without the judgment of Satan! And positionally, both took place at the cross. Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Listen at the two “nows” of our Lord. John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. 32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 33 This he said, signifying what death he should die. And just when does it clearly state that this occurred? – at the death he should die! It took place at Calvary!
It was when Satan was cast out of heaven that salvation came! Revelation 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
How we have been brainwashed by the Scofield “Bible,” and the Whore church! Revelation 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. Get out of the path of the broad way religionists, little sheep. For that way, although very popular, leads unto destruction! Believe the scriptures! 1 John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
Your liberty from that bondage is made sure for you at his cross! Colossians 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Pastor Gene Breed
March 19, 2015
