The Holy Spirit's First Work

THE HOLY SPIRIT’S FIRST WORK

(How He Works in Unbelievers)

Warsaw Christian Church, Pentecost 2025 Richard Bowman, Pastor Emeritus

Primary text: John 16:7-11.

Today, we celebrate Pentecost, the day the Holy Spirit was given to the church. He is given to you if you have true faith in Jesus. According to the Bible, the Holy Spirit works in various ways in our lives. I have preached over 25 sermons on the Holy Spirit, so please keep those sermons in mind! Today, however, the focus will be on His first work in us.

It is commonly asserted today in some cults and schools of liberal or progressive theology that the Holy Spirit is accessible to all persons, regardless of their religious beliefs or affiliations. The New Testament presents a very different picture. Listen carefully to these words from John 14:15-18: “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. Two things are clear: 1. The Holy Spirit is unknown to the world at large. 2. He is known and received only by those who trust in Jesus.

Here is our text for today: Jesus is speaking: “But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned” (John 16:7-11).

Jesus explains to believers two aspects of the Holy Spirit's ministry. First, Jesus repeats that only those who believe in Him will receive the Holy Spirit. Then the emphasis changes to the unbelieving world. The Holy Spirit works in the heart of an unbeliever, but this ministry does not occur directly. Instead, the Spirit has been given to the Christian who has faith in Jesus, and as the Spirit works in the life of the disciple, His presence impacts those who do not believe.

The effect is threefold. The Holy Spirit convicts (convinces, persuades) the unbeliever in three areas: sin, righteousness, and judgment. The implication is that if the unbeliever is to come to faith, he must be persuaded to change his mind in these three areas. The Christian must therefore be aware of these three areas for the Holy Spirit to carry out this convicting ministry. When these three concepts are alive in an unbeliever's heart, he becomes a believer. When he believes in Jesus, he also receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. Without an understanding of these three truths, he remains an unbeliever.

This concept goes against much modern thinking. Today, the idea is popular that the church must appeal to the world. Through contemporary music, drama, and other forms that appeal to the worldly man, the church seeks to attract the lost. While churches using this methodology may attract large numbers of people, we cannot guarantee that the Holy Spirit will work through such means to change the hearts of individuals. Focusing on sin, righteousness, and judgment is difficult to fit into this approach.

The critical question is not, "How many people are attending your church?" but "Are the people attending your church being converted and growing in Christ?" Do we trust in human methods to build the church, or do we trust God's Word and the ministry of the Holy Spirit? We do not build the church. Jesus does (Matthew 16:18) through the Word of God and the Holy Spirit, who works through the life of a believer.

Our text states that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin in relation to the ministry of Jesus. We used to speak of people being "under conviction" because of their sins, and feelings of overwhelming guilt have gripped the heart. I do not doubt that this takes place. On the other hand, most persons in my acquaintance, including unbelievers, admit they are sinners. If you ask almost anyone if they have ever sinned, they will recognize their sinfulness. Once the Son of God entered the world and suffered at Calvary, our relationship with sin radically changed. The issue to be resolved now is whether or not we sinners will believe in Jesus, who has taken away our sins. There is but one sin that will keep us out of heaven: refusing to believe in Jesus. All our other sins have been judged by the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.