1041. The Conviction of the Holy Spirit

Welcome to The Daily Platform from Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. The school was founded in 1927 by the evangelist Dr. Bob Jones Senior's intent was to make a school where Christ would be the center of everything, so he established daily chapel services today. That tradition continues with fervent little preaching from the University chapel platform today on The Daily Platform or continuing a study series entitled breath of life, which is a study of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. Today's message will be preached by Dr. Eric Newton of the Bob Jones University seminary class, something I view today to set aside what is filling your mind what is really easily distracting. What you know maybe weighing you down this morning and I asked that you would give the word of God and the Holy Spirit.

Your full attention. I'm not saying that because I'm speaking actually I'm I'm saying that because of what God's word is and because of the topic that we can deal with this morning. If you turn in your Bibles to John chapter 16 the topic that they've asked us to consider this morning is the conviction of the Holy Spirit, the conviction of the Holy Spirit and got some questions for us. Before we look at God's word. How can we know that the Holy Spirit indwells us that that is essential to the new covenant central to our faith that God actually lives in those who believe. But how do we know that how can we wage war against our flesh to flesh, meet Debbie felt that already. Today I have power, we led by the Holy Spirit. How we walk according to the Holy Spirit as Paul expresses it, and how does the Bible exercise authority in our lives like we believe and so the Scripture were right like like this. This is our supreme authority. This is where fidelity is but but how does actually exercise that authority beyond what we what we affirm in our creed four times what answer all these questions relates to our topics morning spiritual conviction. I don't know what comes your mind when you hear the word conviction it that term is often used in the legal context affirming someone's guilt as charge. Perhaps in an election year like 2020. What comes to your mind is is you think of people who express strong opinions about American politics. Well, today we been asked to consider something much better than that.

Thankfully it's it's actually the conviction of the Holy Spirit. So you turn to John chapter 16 and were to read these verses and in increments of… Read verse seven the start with. Nevertheless I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away. It's a sexy better for you.

Christ tells his disciples 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, stop reading right now.

At that point what what do we mean when we say the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps you've heard somebody say I'm under conviction.

But what what is the nature of other conviction, the spirit, or spiritual conviction. Let me ask another question. What is the Holy Spirit's job. I asked my kids this a few nights ago and expectation chapel today and and and they said well Holy Spirit. His job is to to comfort us to to empower us to convict is one of them said and and and those are good answers but but what is what is the mission of the Holy Spirit.

If we think of someone's purpose merely in terms of the tasks that they check off their list day by day and if that's how you view your life than you might be functionally successful but but but what's the mission what's really going on.

Once the Holy Spirit all about that. For example, whether a faculty staff member here BJ you fixes computers or teaches science or cuts the grass or processes payroll were all on the same mission. All of us ultimately have the job of contributing to a Christian higher educational institution that existed to help you develop Christlike character.

So if we think of the Holy Spirit merely is as a divine person who does some things like like he helps us feel better that we could all use that. I admit that he helps us feel better, or he gives us supernatural strength we need that as well will then our point of reference is ourselves that it it's like talking about the solar system as if everything revolves around the earth but but it doesn't.

It revolves on the sunspots of the solar system and and and the universe doesn't revolve around us as significant as we are made in the image of God, the universe revolves around God's we have to think of the mission of the Holy Spirit in terms of who God is, will notice what John 1613 and 14 say skip over a few verses for now, howbeit when he, the spirit of truth is another designation is the comforter is the spirit of truth is, he will guide you into all truth are that's that's one of his functions. He guides his disciples and all truth for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he will show you things to come. Not now. Notice the summary. What is all of that about verse 14 he shall glorify me for he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you. In other words, the mission of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Jesus Christ.

That's that's why he came at Pentecost to indwell God's people.

It was to glorify the sun, the second person of the Trinity. So first of all three points today. First of all, the conviction of the spirit is Christological. It has everything to do Jesus Christ arts self so we worship the true God and he's a Trinity he's father son and Spirit and and he's eternal so so so these three persons have had this eternal relationship is loving relationship and and the amazing thing about redemption is that they have chosen to bring us into that fellowship they freely chosen to save us, and to bring us into this love that they have experienced forever because God is eternal, so the father authors redemption the sun accomplished redemption.

The spirit applies redemption.

He applies redemption by pointing us to Jesus Christ as one theologian put it, Christ shares himself with the believer through the spirit. You have a relationship with Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit because that's that's what he does he glorifies Christ the applies to salvation so so here's a verse for us to consider. First John 13 that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the father and with his son Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is the agent of this. So the amazing thing is not that we are the center of attention. But the actually the triune God brings us into fellowship. This perfect fellowship of fathers and in spirit through the spirit, now you might say, okay, I believe that but what is at the do with conviction. When conviction sounds negative in all that you said so far sounds positive results. What's the connection thing like this if the Holy Spirit's mission is to declare Christ's glory, then everything he does has something to do with that right. The person fixing the computer and the person cutting the grass and purging person teaching science in a person processing payroll. Okay there doing different things, but all that they do ultimately are contributing to the University mission. Okay so were in the Gospel of John. This was written by the beloved disciple. The apostle John and John throughout his book over and over.

He talks about truth, he starts and in John one by saying that the word became flesh, she bought among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten of the father full of what full of grace and truth. The word came to explain to tell the truth about his father and at the climactic moment of Jesus our earthly life before the cross.

He's on trial you think of the pressure you might be feeling pressure today. Okay, think of the pressure of being on trial. Your life is hanging in the balance. And he's got a chance to tell Pilate what what is all about New Year's and what is he say John 1836. To this end. For this purpose was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness unto the truth. This is why I came to tell the truth about my father and myself and about eternal life.

Jesus came to tell this truth. He bore witness to himself and many others bore witness to it, and then he said the disciples it's going to be better for you. Actually, if I believe, and then another comforter, another advocate, another counselor, another truth bearer is going to come and he's going to glorify me, because he's going to continue my mission is can apply it.

And so, after his resurrection, our Lord did just that.

He ascended the right hand of the father and he sent the Holy Spirit this comforter on can use the word advocate the spirit of truth, the spirit trades places with Jesus so so conviction of the spirit point sinners to Jesus Christ not listen that designation again the spirit of truth. They reminds us that we we don't live merely in a world of therapy that they are very good reasons to to get therapy of various kinds, but but the world is is more than that of our feeling that the something undergirding all of that that we make, we may tend to think of conviction in terms of the motion like I'm under conviction and I'm feeling it emotionally. And there certainly can be a sick feeling in her stomach that you've many hearings experience this you know you did something wrong. The spirit brings conviction and you feel it because our our body and soul are integrally connected. But conviction isn't fundamentally emotional. It's not somebody just getting it not been and and and arousing a lot of emotion so that people feel something and say something or ask some way and then it all just gonna know actually spiritual conviction is based on truth, it's, it's the truth of God's word. The truth of Jesus Christ applied personally in your soul by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we can address conviction that we feel in our souls merely by trying to help ourselves feel better. We we all want to feel better I get it but but we cannot deal with conviction in a way that that just basically works through it, therapy sizes it and so we can sort of get past it because it's not about emotion it's about truth it's about God bringing truth to bear about his son, in your soul now agreed with me.

Verses eight through 11 and when he this comforter, this advocate the spirit of truth is, he will reprove the world. That's our word, reprove or convict the world of sin and 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 not recommended.

Take time exploring all three of those aspects but but but all three of these have to do with Jesus Christ by limiting example on it it it talks about the judgment of judgment to come. Talks about a righteousness of rights that we obviously don't have.

It talks about sin. The sin fundamentally of unbelief okay throughout the gospel Johnny of this theme of truth and you have all of these people who are coming up and they're asking Jesus questions and they're making accusations and their curious and their skeptical and actually at the end of the book Jesus is put on formal drawings is always informal trial. As the book unfolds and then finally he's put on trial and Pilate says okay are you really the king of the Jews. But actually, even though it seems like throughout the book.

Jesus is the one on trial. Jesus is the one being question.

The whole point of the book is that we are on trial, but the whole point of the book it is that is that Pilate and Nicodemus and the Jews and the whole world is on trial are we going to turn from our sin and believe in Jesus and have eternal life. That's what the book is about the spirit is is is bringing that witness, to bear on us personally.

He's bringing us to trial personally in our souls are excellent. So how does he do this you know this sounds, mystical right what what happens. Well, verse 13 again, howbeit when he, the spirit of truth is, he will guide you into all truth get in and and he does guide believers entered into truth day by day, but the point of this actually is much more narrow. The point of this is that spirit was in a common is gonna guide these disciples and their associates into the truth that were holding our hands. New Testament is gonna guide them into the truths. Our second point is that this the conviction spirit is knowing Christological. It's scriptural. It has everything to do with the Bible. The spirit bore along these people and they penned these words and and and now the spirit uses these words to convincingly expose the world to expose us as sinners to rebuke us of our sin and the point is to Jesus Christ our flesh hates this right.

I mean all of those who are of the world.

John says in John three. They refuse we outside of Christ refuse to come to the light because because were afraid our deeds are to be exposed. The Bible brings exposure. It highlights the problem it's it's like spotlights it. It's like at one moment the stage is pitch black and at the next moment, the lights are up. And if you're standing on stage and you got the first line you got nowhere to hide.

It's all on you, the conviction of the Holy Spirit is fundamentally concerns are our belief 19th century theologian George meeting said conscience may convict convince men of ordinary sins, but never of the sin of unbelief. That's the work of the spirit. He turns the lights on in our souls in order to persuade our wills and I just have to pause. I much of this message is is geared toward application to believers but III would not be doing God's called me to do if I didn't pause and say there are some in this room undoubtedly that you never experienced the conviction of the spirit you can't you come to Chapel every day items just mainly on the bad day when some really didn't go back home is happening you come to chapel every day and you go on your phone and you pay no attention. You don't experience the conviction of the Holy Spirit beep beep because you don't open your heart to his word that there's no interest in his word that there's no navigation for your life there's there's nothing inside.

It's pressing back against your flesh.

If you're feeling a war inside your soul between spirit and flesh that is a really good sign. The conviction of the spirit is a really good thing, as the song says appeal to some of you dark and soul.

Behold Christ's glory blinded eyes receive your site sin or leave your seed of darkness, rise and come to the light of the Spirit's ministry of truth bearing conviction does not and when we first trust Christ, the spirit, ministers personally as our counselor inside of us who believe Christ judged sin objectively at the cross and was vindicated by the resurrection, the empty tomb. The spirit then calms and and he indwells those who believe in any key ministers conviction inside of us.

He's our advocate that means that he defends us. He testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, but he also instructs and rebukes and corrects and trains and equips us through scriptural words that he's breed that is word convict or reprove In 17 times in the New Testament and watch our attention a couple of those because they speak to how the spirit continues this ministry of conviction.

This is second Timothy four to preach the word Paul says to Timothy.

Be instant in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. In other words, the spirit convicts us his people through preaching to the ministry of the word. It also occurs in Matthew 1815 in the context of going to a brother or sister and admonishing them bringing something to the light, exhorting personally so we could put it this way the Holy Spirit accomplishes his conviction for believers today through preaching and the personal ministry of the word, we tend to think about the spirits powerful influence in terms of of of big stuff that he accomplishes like like wow you know that somebody was unable to do something spectacular but actually the spirits ministry is so powerful, but it's personal. And we could say this, it's ordinary. It's every day it seems speaking to you through preaching through your reading of the word through through your fellowship with other believers is what Proverbs talks so much about wisdom being a response to reproof we can have wisdom if we don't respond to the reprove of the spirit through his word.

Which brings us to the third point, that is the convictions Christological and scriptural and finally personal professing believers candlelight of the Holy Spirit. Ananias inspired it right now. If you're in a room and you light a somebody I mean you could say I lied to the carpet sort of metaphorically right but but but but the carpeting have anything to do with it okay or are you are you could say well for this powerless electricity. It's going to the building and keeps these lights on and you know I lied in the presence of that of that power.

But you don't lie to power. Don't lie to things you like the people the Holy Spirit is that is a personal being his work can be resisted and opposed. Ephesians 430 says do not grieve the Holy Spirit by whom you're sealed for the day of redemption.

Okay you can even have an opinion about somebody way far away and we often do not even say that okay is through social media. You can you can have pity on somebody that you don't really know but you actually don't grieve people that that that don't know you and love you very personally. It's not just that the Holy Spirit is is is personal but but this this truthful witness is it's it's a somebody who loves us.

It's no small matter. It's also the truthful witness of a personal divine love that the father chastens children and he sent his Spirit to dwell in us because he loves us. If you're experiencing conviction of the spirit, that's a sign of God's love for you, but parents don't like to discipline their children.

I can testify to that children don't like to receive discipline, I can testify that to but but your father loves you. That's what he gave is for. That's why James 45 says that that he made the spirit to dwell in us to jealously desire us to be jealous course like a wife should be of her husband's faithful love what we do, we humble ourselves will respond to that conviction. We retake the Holy Spirit's side in the courtroom. We say guilty as charged. Please forgive me please change me I'm on your side. Finally this truthful witness of the Holy Spirit is is to specific people to specific persons to view it to me for Sicilies. 519 tells us not to quench the quench really has that idea of of dousing of putting the fire out which we can't we can do away with the Holy Spirit, but we certainly can throw cold water and what he's trying to do in our souls and and when the ministry of the word whether it's personally or publicly like this when we resist that.

That's what were doing processes for talks about this that were not rejecting man's words but but if if what's being preached is faithful to the text and were actually resisting the Holy Spirit. He's calling us to sanctification were ignoring that were quenching spirit. It's possible for you and me to quench the spirit to grieve the spirit so I come back to these questions. How would we know the spirit indwells us one of the ways we know is is he's working in us to convince us of truth and to change us.

How can we wage war against our flesh. It's by responding to his work in us as he points us to Christ and away from our sin. How are we led by the spirit were following him or saying I really want to do this but but Lord, I come to understanding by a word that's not the right way to go. I'm gonna follow you house the Bible exercise authority in our lives. It's when we respond to it and often that responses were sinful beings is humility, and confession and repentance in our belief the spirit of truth, persuades us to believe in Jesus Christ as is his convicting ministry through his breeds out words he turns on the lights so that we see ourselves as God has as God sees us we see God as he revealed himself and he keeps on teaching and instructing and rebuking and correcting and training us and patiently drawing us along the spirit facilitates our fellowship with the triune God.

Some of us are miserable because we really are out of fellowship with the only one who ultimately matters we we are not responding.

We are even giving the chance to the Holy Spirit to work in our lives were closing it off or were busy or distracted. There's a lot to be concerned about. We we have to come to the light will we submit to the spirit we walk in step with him.

Will we see that the conviction of the Holy Spirit is the best thing we have going for us. It's how he builds us up by drawing our attention away from our self and our sin and to Jesus Christ the mission of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Jesus Christ. You and I need that Christ not only for initial salvation to be converted, but all the way through to eternity will you respond to the spirit as he points you to Christ today. May God help us pray father in heaven we thank you that you not only have not left us without truth in written form, but you have sent your very own spirit to come inside all of us who believe, and to bring us to glory, oh Lord, help us to be responsive and in that to be built up and to build one another up. We pray for this in Jesus name you been listening to a sermon preached by Dr. Eric Newton of the Bob Jones University seminary.

Thanks for listing and join us again tomorrow as we continue the study of the Holy Spirit here on The Daily Platform