Convicted by the Holy Spirit

by FLL Editorial Team
2014-05-27


Jesus said to his disciples: “Now I am going to the one who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?' But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts. But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes he will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation: sin, because they do not believe in me; righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.”
John 16:5-11

Those whom the Holy Spirit convicts, Christ convicts also. Jesus then explains what the world would be guilty of: "Of sin, because they do not believe in Me." He mentions this as the sin above all others, because while it remains, the others are retained; when it departs, the others are remitted.

"Of righteousness because I go to the Father": as it is the common objection of unbelievers, "How can we believe what we do not see?" So the righteousness of believers lies in this: "Because I go to the Father, and you see Me no more." For blessed are they which do not see, and believe. (Jn 20:29) The faith even of those who saw Christ is praised, not because they believed what they saw, i.e., the Son of man, but because they believed what they did not see, i.e., the Son of God. And when the form of the servant was withdrawn from their sight altogether, only then was scripture fulfilled, "The just live by faith" (Heb 10:38). It will be your righteousness then, of which the world will be convicted, that you shall believe in Me without seeing Me. And when you shall see Me, you shall see Me as I shall be, not as I am now with you, i.e., not see Me as a mortal, but everlasting.

It makes a great difference whether one believes in Christ, or only that He is Christ. For that Jesus was Christ, even the devils believed; but he who believes in Christ both hopes in Christ and loves Christ. The devils seeing souls go from hell to heaven on Easter, knew that Satan, the prince of this world, was convicted of judgement and had lost all right to what he held. This was seen on our Savior's ascension, but was declared plainly and openly in the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples.

參考 References:
Catena Aurea (St. Thomas Aquinas)
Tractate 95 on the Gospel of John (St. Augustine)
De Verbis Domini (St. Augustine)

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