Holy Spirit Conviction

I choose thee, Lord, for, Lord, thy Todd's Road Grace Church would like to invite you to listen to a sermon by our pastor, Todd Nyberg. We are located at 4137 Todd's Road, two miles outside of Manowar Boulevard. Sunday services are at 10.30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Bible study is at 9.45 a.m. Wednesday services are at 7 p.m. Nursery is provided for all services. For more information, visit our website at toddsroadgracechurch.com. Now here's our pastor, Todd Nybert. I've entitled this morning's message, Holy Spirit Conviction. My text is from John chapter 16, Holy Spirit Conviction.

One of the great mysteries of Scripture is that God is one God in three distinct persons. We can't understand that, we just believe it, because that is what the Word of God teaches. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. In the opening verse of the Bible, In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now what is interesting in the Hebrew, the word God is the singular God in the plural. That's a reference to the Trinity. In the beginning, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit created the heavens and the earth. Mystery. Holy Spirit conviction. There is no salvation apart from Holy Spirit conviction.

Now, let me read my text. The Lord says, but because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. 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.

And when He has come, He will reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. Of sin, because they believe not on me. Of righteousness, because I go to my father and you see me no more. Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. Holy Spirit conviction. Now, what I'm going to say may shock some, but I believe many will agree with me. Most of what goes on or masquerades under the name of Christianity sickens me. I do not like it. I'm embarrassed by it. And I don't want to be identified with it. Most of what goes on under the name of Christianity is ridiculous.

But because there's a false, that doesn't mean there's not a true. The true gospel. And the reason I say that most of what goes on under the name of Christianity is foolishness is because most of what goes on under the name of Christianity is religion without the Holy Spirit. We know that from the preaching and teaching that goes on. It's religion without the Holy Spirit. Now let me make good on these words. I hope you'll listen to me carefully as I try to talk about Holy Spirit conviction.

Now that's missing in most Christianity. The natural man, when he says he, when he has come, he'll receive, he will convince the world of sin, of righteousness and judgment. The natural man doesn't have a true understanding of sin. The natural man does not have a true understanding of judgment. The natural man does not have a true understanding of righteousness and will not have this understanding unless convicted by God, the Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit conviction.

And the Lord says in verse six, because I've said these things into you, sorrow had filled your heart. Now, the disciples had been with him every day for over three years. And he tells them, I'm leaving you now. And because of this, sorrow has filled your heart. He knew the next day he would be nailed to a cross and they would think he's gone. Sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it's expedient for you. It's for your benefit. that I go away.

For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come." Now here he speaks of God the Holy Spirit as the Comforter. I love his name as the Comforter. Now in Isaiah chapter 40, verses 1 and 2, God says to Isaiah, Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.

Speak ye comfortably to jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned now notice he doesn't say that her warfare will be accomplished if she does this or quits doing that and her iniquity will be pardoned if she does this and stops doing that these words are both verbs are both in the perfect tense Her warfare is accomplished, the victory's won.

Her iniquity is pardoned. She hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins. Now if you hear, if you're one of His people, you'll hear this. If you hear, your warfare's accomplished. It's over, it's done. Your sin is pardoned, it's put away. And you're comforted from that because you can't find comfort anywhere else. It's God the Holy Spirit who comforts you with that message. He's called the divine comforter. What a name for God the Holy Spirit. He says, I tell you the truth is expedient for you that I go away. If I go not away, the comforter will not come unto you. But if I depart to the cross, to the grave, back to the Father, I will send Him unto you.

And when He has come, He will reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, the threefold conviction of God, the Holy Spirit, he will convince you. He will convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. When he has come, he will convince the world.

Now, who is meant by the world? That's very important. Who is meant by the world? Does it mean everybody? All men without exception? Well, I know this. Not all men without exception are convinced of sin, of righteousness, and judgment. No unbeliever is convinced of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. So who is meant by the world? I realize most people think the world means all men without exception, but do you know The Bible, when it uses the word world, never means all men without exception, not even once.

Now, people use this to Particularly John 3.16, God so loved the world that he gave his own begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

And I love that scripture, but people use that scripture to say, well, that means God loves everybody and Christ died for everybody. Well, it doesn't mean that, and the Bible doesn't teach that. It does teach that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. It does teach that, but if I teach that God loves all men the same and Christ died for all men the same, I'm saying the love of God and the death of Christ didn't secure the salvation of anybody, but it's up to what you do to make what He did work. That is salvation by works. There is no gospel in that message.

Now, what is meant by the world? When it says, when he has come, he'll reprove the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. Well, sometimes the word means the world and all things in it. Acts 17, 24, God that made the world and all things in it.

And then there's the world which John says not to love. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, speaking of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. There's the world of which Christ says, my kingdom is not of this world. It's not a political kingdom. There's the world under Satan's influence, who's called the god of this world, and the prince of this world. And then the world quite often means a large group without meaning every single individual.

This is what John 3.16 means.

God so loved the world. He loved Jews, Gentiles, black, white, rich, poor, educated, uneducated. He's going to have a people out of every kindred, tribe, tongue, and nation. He's going to have a people for himself. I'm so thankful for that. Christ is called the savior of the world. If you're saved, it's because he saved you. That says he will reprove the world. The word means overwhelmingly convince the world, everybody he reproves, of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.

I've heard people say, God's trying to teach me something. God doesn't try to do anything. If He's your teacher, if God the Holy Spirit is your teacher, you are overwhelmingly convinced of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. Now, there is a Conviction when he has come he'll convict the world There is a conviction that is without the Holy Spirit that a natural man can have let me read you about this in John chapter 8 and Early in the morning.

He came again into the temple and all the people came unto him and he sat down and taught them and the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman and taken in adultery. They caught her in the very physical act. There was no question about this woman's guilt. She was taken in adultery. And when they'd set her in the midst, they said unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery in the very act. There's no question with regard to her guilt. This is not hearsay. This is something she's guilty of. Now, Moses, And the law commanded us that such be stoned.

But what sayest thou, this they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him? Now, these men thought we've got Christ in an unwinnable position. If he says, don't condemn her, we can say, Where's your compassion? If he says stoner, we can say, where's your compassion and your mercy? If he says, let her go, we can say, you have no respect for God's law. They, and let me say this, these idiots thought they had Christ in a place where he could not possibly win.

But remember, this is he who is all wisdom speaking. They said, tempting him that they might have to accuse him, but Jesus stooped down with his finger and wrote on the ground as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself and said unto them, he that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

And I have no doubt he's talking about this particular sin. He's not talking about sin in a generic light. He's talking about this particular sin, the sin of adultery. If they hadn't committed it physically, they had in their hearts. Because the Lord said, whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after in his heart hath committed adultery already with her. And these men all knew, I believe they were probably all physical adulterers. As a matter of fact, I think they had this set up to catch this woman in the very act so they could accuse the Lord.

And he again stooped down and wrote on the ground after he said, he that's without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And they which heard being convicted by their own conscience, not by the Holy Spirit, but by their own conscience, went out, one by one, beginning at the eldest, even to the last, and Jesus was left alone in the woman standing in the midst. Now, when these men were convicted of their conscience, they thought, I can't really throw a stone at her. I've committed the same sin. But instead of coming to Christ for mercy, instead of coming to Christ for forgiveness, they left Christ. I guess they were gonna go out and try to make things right somehow and make their life better.

God, the Holy Spirit conviction never takes you away from Christ. He drives you to Christ, to where you have nowhere else to go. You have no other options. You must have him. That's Holy Spirit conviction. Now, when he has come, he will reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, of sin. Now, here's where God, the Holy Spirit, works in a man or woman and gives them life. He convicts them of sin.

In 1 John 1, verse 8, John said, if we say we have no sin, right now, present tense, we deceive ourselves. And the truth is not in us. We've told ourselves a lie, made ourselves to believe that lie, and we've lost all credibility. At all times, I have a sinful nature. The Apostle Paul, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said, Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am, present tense, the chief. Not I was, I am right now. And then in verse 10, John says, if we say we've not sinned, and they're the words of verb talking about any action that I take.

If I say I've not sinned in that, I make him a liar because he says I. have, and the truth is not in me. Once again, I've lost all credibility. When I'm preaching this message, I'm very keenly aware that everything I say is sin because of who says it. Now, that doesn't take away from the truth of this message. I'm not saying the truth of this message is sin, but I'm saying the one delivering it to you is a sinner saved by the grace of God, and I realize that I am a sinner.

Now, you know when you realize this? When you see who God is. If you don't see who God is, you might think you're a pretty good fella. You might compare yourself to others and think, well, I look pretty good. But if you ever see who God is, you'll say with Job, I've heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eyes seeth thee, wherefore I hate myself and repent in dust and ashes. Daniel said, when I saw him, my comeliness turned to corruption. Isaiah said, in the year the king Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne high and lifted up. And what was Isaiah's response to seeing him?

Then said I, woe is me. I am undone. I'm a man of unclean lips. I dwell in the midst of the people of an unclean lips. For mine eyes have seen the king, the Lord of hosts. If I ever see God, As He is, in His holiness, in His righteousness, in His absolute purity, in His otherness, I'll see myself as a sinner. Sin is the transgression of the law. Ten commandments.

All I've ever done is put other gods before him. I've created false images of him in my own mind to justify myself. I've been an idolater. I've taken his name in vain every time I've spoken that blessed and holy name. I've never rested in the Sabbath of rest. I have disobeyed and dishonored my parents. I'm a murderer. I'm an adulterer. I'm a thief. I'm a liar. I'm covetous. Somebody says, I'm not any of those things.

Well, you've never seen who the Lord is, and you don't know what sin is, because if you knew who the Lord was and who you were, you would see you're a lawbreaker. By the law is the knowledge of sin. He shall convince the world of sin. And notice this comment he makes upon it, of sin because they believe not on me. When you're convicted by God the Holy Spirit, you're convicted of being an unbeliever.

And you can't even come up with faith. You can't come up with faith any more than you create a world. You see, you don't decide to believe. You only find yourself believing. You know, if you decided to believe, it's not really faith. Faith is the gift of God. You look to Christ only.

Now, if you and I ever see who he is, we will be overwhelmingly convinced that we're sinners. I don't just see society as a sinner, I see I am a sinner. I just don't see man as totally depraved, I see I am totally depraved. I believe what God says in his word about me, and God saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of the heart was only evil continually. And I find out that's me. Every imagination of the thoughts of my heart is only evil continually.

Now when God the Holy Spirit convicts a man, He convicts a man of sin. But not only does He convict a man of sin, He convicts the man of righteousness. When He has come, He'll convict the world of sin, of righteousness. Wherever you have the conviction of sin, you have the conviction of righteousness. By natural man, I'm talking about every unsaved man, every man who hasn't been born again, every man who has no true love for Christ. The natural man has no understanding of righteousness.

Paul said that in Romans 10. He said, brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved, for I bear them record. They have a zeal of God. They're very religious. but not according to knowledge for they being ignorant of God's righteousness." Ignorant of his righteous character, ignorant of his righteousness in their condemnation, ignorant of his righteousness in their salvation. They being ignorant of God's righteousness, going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God, for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.

When you're convicted of sin, you're convicted that Christ is the only righteousness there is. If I don't have his righteousness, I do not have righteousness because I know that my righteousnesses are as filthy rags as Isaiah said under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in Isaiah 64 6. He said our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. You are convinced that the only righteousness there is is the righteousness of Jesus Christ and the only way you can be saved is if his righteousness is your righteousness.

You are convinced of that when you're convinced of righteousness by the Holy Spirit. David said in Psalm 71 16, I've made mention of thy righteousness even thine only. Now why did you say David? Why did you say even thine only? Because his righteousness is the only righteousness there is.

I have no personal righteousness. My only way of being saved, being the sinful man I am, is that his righteousness becomes my righteousness. Paul said in Philippians 3 and 9, Oh, that I may win Christ and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law. All that would amount to is filthy rags, but the righteousness which is of God by the faith of Jesus Christ, the righteousness of God. Now, if I'm convicted of sin, I'm convicted, I'm convinced that His righteousness is the only righteousness there is.

Now here's the third thing. These all go together when you have Holy Spirit conviction. You're convicted of sin, you're convicted of righteousness, and then He says of judgment because the Prince of this world is judged. He says, here's what you're going to be convicted of. When you're convicted of sin and of righteousness, you're convicted of judgment. You're at perfect agreement with Abraham when he says, shall not the judge of the earth do right? And to amplify this, he said, because the prince of this world is judged or has been judged.

Now, when did this judgment take place? On the cross. Satan was judged and defeated. He thought he was defeating God, but he didn't know. He was signing his own death warrant in his doom, in murdering and inspiring these men to murder the Son of God. He was defeated. He was judged.

So was every unbeliever. But so was every believer. You see, all judgment took place on the cross. The final judgment day is just the sentences being passed out. Judgment has already been finished. When Christ said, it is finished, all judgment had taken place. Satan was judged. Unbelievers were judged. Believers were judged. And they were judged as righteous. They were judged as perfect.

The glory of the gospel is God has made a way to be just, absolutely just and righteous and yet justify the ungodly through what Christ did for them. You see, when he lived and worked out that perfect righteousness, he never sinned, yet he's nailed to a tree and put to death and forsaken by God. Why? The sins of God's elect became his sins, and he put them away. He made them not to be, and his perfect righteousness is given to every single believer, and every believer is nothing less than the very righteousness of God.

Now, God has called and Christ has called in Jeremiah 23, 6, the Lord our righteousness. This is the name wherewith He shall be called, Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our righteousness. And Jeremiah 33 says, this is the name wherewith She shall be called. This is everybody He died for, all of His church, all who believe. This is the name wherewith she shall be called the Lord our righteousness. That's my name, the Lord our righteousness. That's his name, the Lord our righteousness.

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5, verse 21, for he hath made him. He, God the father, hath made him the son to be sin. He who is holy was made to be sin. God took the sin of His people and placed them in His Son. That's what was in that cup that He drank in Gethsemane's garden.

For he hath made him to be sin, for us who knew no sin, he never sinned, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, so that on judgment day, every believer is justified. Justified by the just judgment of God without guilt before him. Now this is Holy Spirit conviction. When he has come, he will overwhelmingly convince of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. Every believer will stand before God on judgment day, justified in God's sight, having never sinned because of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. What a glorious Holy Spirit, good victory.

Holy Spirit Conviction

Sermon Transcript

About Todd Nibert

Comments

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Music

Recent Comments

About

Legal

Subscribe

Account

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Recent Comments

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Collections

Music

About

Legal

Subscribe

Holy Spirit Conviction

Sermon Transcript

About Todd Nibert

Comments

More from Todd Nibert

Related Sermons

Same Scripture

Articles by Todd Nibert

Where this book stands in the tradition

Plato

Augustine

The Western Christian Tradition

This Book