The Mission of the Holy Spirit Regarding Salvation
E.W. Bullinger


John 16:8 And when he is come (having come), he will reprove (convict) the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
John 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
John 16:10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
John 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

Reprove - John 3:20

Convict - John 8:9

Convince - John 8:46

The mission of the Holy Spirit was to bring the world in guilty in regard to 3 things:

1. Sin. In God's sight sin is refusal to believe the Gospel concerning His son (1John 5:10-12, John 3:20, 1 John 1:10).The Jews regarded only moral offences (as men do today) and infractions of the ceremonial law and the traditions of the elders (Matt. 15:2) as sin.

2. Righteousness. Here also God's standard and man's differ. The Jews regarded the punctilious Pharisee (Luke 18:11,12) as the ideal. The only righteous One, whose standard was the will of God (John 8:29, Heb 10:7) was rejected and crucified, and now in righteousness was to be removed from the earth, the seal of the Father's approval being put upon Him by resurrection. In Him who is made unto us righteousness (1 Cor.1:30), the Divine standard is revealed (Rom. 1:17).

3. Judgement. For the prince of this world has already been judged (John 12:31)and sentenced and ere long the sentence will be executed (Rom. 16:20)

Therefore, the World Shall Be Judged For:

1. Rejecting the gospel that God sent His Son to save the world. They rejected God's offer of His Son, His free gift of salvation, and therefore they have rejected God himself.

2. Because they have not availed of the righteousness which is of God in Christ, which is a right standing with God and not their own righteousness or uprightness of heart. It is not based on man's righteousness because all have missed the mark or come short of the glory of God.

3. Because their father, the devil has been judged. The sentence already has been passed upon him and therefore unto all that belong to him.