After conviction (Jn 16:8), choice must be made. This will often lead to true repentance and a turning to Jesus as Lord and Saviour (Acts 2:37-38).

(b) Righteousness. The Spirit convinces people that Jesus is the righteous Son of God, resurrected, vindicated and now the Lord of all. He makes them aware of God’s standard of righteousness in Christ, shows them what sin is and gives them power to overcome the world (Acts 3:12-16; 7:51-60; 17:31; 1 Pet 3:18).

(c) Judgment. The Spirit convinces people of Satan’s defeat at the cross (12:31; 16:11), God’s present judgment of the world (Rom 1:18-32) and the future judgment of the entire human race (Mat 16:27; Acts 17:31; 24:25; Rom 14:10; 1 Cor 6:2; 2 Cor 5:10; Jude 14).

(2) The Spirit’s work of convicting people of sin, righteousness and judgment will be manifested in all who are baptised in the Holy Spirit and are truly Spirit-filled believers. Christ, filled with the Spirit (Luke 4:1), testified to the world that “the works thereof are evil,” (see 7:7; 15:18) and called people to repent (Mat 4:17). John the Baptist, “filled with the Holy Spirit” from birth (see Luke 1:15), exposed the sin of the Jewish people and commanded them to change their ways (see Mat 11:7; Luke 3:1-20); Peter, “filled with the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:4), convicted the hearts of 3,000 sinners and called them to repent and receive forgiveness (Acts 2:37 -41).

(3) Clearly, any preacher or church that does not publicly expose sin and calls for repentance and Biblical righteousness is not directed by the Holy Spirit. 1Cor 14:24-25 explicitly states that God’s presence in the congregation is recognised by the exposure of the sin of unbelievers (i.e., secrets of their hearts), and their consequent conviction and salvation.

16:13 “he will guide you into all truth.” The Convicting work of the Holy Spirit is not only directed toward the unsaved (vv. 7-8), but also operates in believers and the church in order to teach, correct and guide them into truth (Mat 18:15; 1 Tim 5:20; Rev 3:19).

(1) The Holy Spirit will speak to believers concerning sin, the righteousness of Christ and the judgment of evil in order to (a) conform them to Christ and His standard of righteousness (cf. 2 Cor 3:18). (b) guide them into all truth, and (c) glorify Christ (v. 14). The Holy Spirit works within believers to reproduce Christ’s holy life in their lives. Thus, the Holy Spirit works within believers to reproduce Christ’s holy life in their lives.

(2) If Spirit-filled believers reject the Spirit’s guidance and convicting work, and if they do not “through the Spirit… mortify the deeds of the body” (Rom 8:13), then they will enter into condemnation.