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Holy Spirit Does Not Convict a Believer of Their Sins

by Michael Edwards  
3/03/2018 / Bible Studies

Introduction

This Bible study as most I have written is designed to rid the believer of any doubt regarding God’s love for them and their complete and total forgiveness in Christ. It is only satan who wants you to doubt your total forgiveness and righteousness in Christ which leads you to doubt God’s love. Satan knows that doubting these truths is specifically what keeps a believer trapped in reoccurring sin and ineffective for God. These studies are designed to renew the mind.

The Bible is clear that the Holy Spirit does not convict a believer of sin. If your sins are being pointed out to you, it is the accuser of the brethren (Rev 12:10) and the law of Moses (John 5:45) in a mind and conscience that is not renewed. Scripture is clear the Holy Spirit convicts a believer of their righteousness in Christ, not sin. The Bible states that we are under grace and not the law. Scripture is clear that under grace your sins are not counted by God. The Holy Spirit is your comforter, advocate and helper if your faith is in Jesus. The only people he convicts of sin are unbelievers. He convicts them of the sin of unbelief.

Study

And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment John 16:8 NASB

For many years as a Christian, I was told that based on Jesus words to his disciples in John 16:8 and my sin consciousness, that the Holy Spirit was convicting me of my sins. I was wrong.  If we read verses 9-11, we see that Jesus thankfully took the time to expound on and clarify exactly what he meant.

"concerning sin (singular sin), because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you (believer) no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. " John 16: 8-11 NASB

So we learn directly from Jesus that the Holy Spirit convicts non-believers of the singular sin of unbelief.

He does not convict believers of sin.

He convicts believers of their righteousness (right standing with God). It would not be possible for the Holy Spirit to convict a person of being righteous before God and also convict them of being a sinner before God. These are opposites and contradict each other. Once a person is righteous in Christ before God, they are righteous eternally. 

In verse eleven we see the Holy Spirit also convicts satan of his judgment.

The Greek word for convict is elégxÅÂ. It is defined as - to convince with solid, compelling evidence. Are you convinced that you are righteous in Christ?

These verses also enforce another crucial truth. The contrast we see between a person who is convicted of sin versus a person convicted of righteousness is predicated solely on what is believed about Jesus. We are without a doubt the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

The Holy Spirit is our advocate, comforter and helper and He testifies about great things to the believer.

11Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 12but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, 13waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. 14For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying,

      16“THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM
            AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD:
            I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEART,
            AND ON THEIR MIND I WILL WRITE THEM,”
            He then says,

      17“ AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS
            I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE.”

18Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin. Heb 10:11-18 NASB

The truth is if we want to know how the Holy Spirit would treat a person, we just need to look at Jesus. When we look at Jesus we see immense compassion, love, grace, forgiveness and no condemnation for sinners.  Jesus tells us in the following verse that he would never accuse us to the Father.

Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. John 5:45

The spirit that we have been given is the spirit of God’s Son.

And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Gall 4:6

The Holy Spirit came to fill the void upon Jesus departure and only does what Jesus does. Jesus told us clearly that he only did what the Father did. When we see Jesus, we not only can see exactly what the Father looks like as Jesus told us, we can see exactly what the Holy Spirit looks like too.

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, John 14:16  In other words, Jesus was our helper too.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. (things like the following Jesus said) Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:26-27

“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. John 15:26

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons^f of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ,... Rom 8:14-17a

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. Rom 8:26-27

But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. 1 Cor 2:9-10

Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 1 Cor 2:12

for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Tim 1:7

Thank you, Father, for sending the Holy Spirit (our comforter and advocate) to convince us with solid and compelling evidence of our right standing with you solely through our belief in Jesus.

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Cor 5:21 NASB

So who is making me sin conscious?

While as a believer I stopped any major sins a long time ago. But I still lived with a consciousness of my sins. This would lead to guilt and condemnation, which in turn would lead to more sin to try and escape the feelings of guilt and condemnation, like an addiction cycle. 

I had heard preached and thought myself it was the Holy Spirit making me sin conscious. The years went by, I just did not have the same sinful desires any longer. As time progressed further, even the smaller sinful things lost interest to me. I thought the closer I got to God, as the bigger sins were gone, the Spirit was simply pointing out the smaller sins that still existed. Today based on scripture I realize I was deceived. 

It is clear from scripture; the Holy Spirit comes to convict believers of their righteousness in Christ as we have just reviewed. It is also clear from Hebrews 10:2that believers really believe Jesus sacrifice worked, we should no longer be sin conscious. The Bible tells us that the law is what makes us sin conscious - Romans 3:20. To me, this along with the other points we have covered makes it clear that the Holy Spirit was not leading me to be sin conscious. This is especially true when we know for certain that God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are all in agreement with the main pillar of the New Covenant believers live under.

“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” Heb 10:17

Today I know for certain that the cause of my sin consciousness was really a combination of living partially under the Old Covenant law.

Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. John 5:45 

Incorrectly thinking I was still under the law gave satan a weapon against me. He is the accuser of the brethren. He accuses Christians day and night according to scripture. The Greek word translated “accuser” in the following verse is also defined as “prosecutor”. The Bible says he accuses believers day and night. 

And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. Rev 12:10

A light bulb moment, I used to be conscious of my sins day and night. If that was the Holy Spirit as some claim, when was Satan talking to me?

The truth I now know is that as my bigger sins fell away, Satan would grasp for any sin, no matter how small and point it out to keep me sin conscious, in guilt and condemnation. If we are sin conscious we are living at least partially under the Old Covenant law of Moses that does not apply to us any longer. This keeps us focused on the problem (ourselves) and not Jesus (the solution). If we are sin conscious instead of Christ, forgiveness and righteousness conscious as we should be. We grieve the Holy Spirit who is constantly convicting us of our righteousness in Christ. Sin consciousness also leads us to avoid God when we sin, thinking God has broken fellowship with us.  This causes us to not go boldly to the throne when we sin, in our time of need, as the Bible tells us to do.

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Heb 4:16 

Satan wants to keep you from coming close to God where there is protection, blessings and great reward.

But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works. Psalm 73:28

Satan knows that if you are double minded about your salvation, thinking it is about Jesus and then sometimes Jesus plus what you do, this double-mindedness will lead you to avoid God. 

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8

The truth is you have been perfected, sanctified, made holy and righteous by Jesus one act on the cross. Satan does not want you to believe this truth. Read Here.

Satan had been posing as an Angel of Light to keep me sin conscious and away from my heavenly Father. I know the truth now. How about you?

There are no verses that say the Holy Spirit convicts believers of sin. This is because believers are righteous in Christ. Read HERE. Jesus and the disciples never called a believer a hypocrite. This title was exclusively reserved for unbelievers, those who attempt to stand on their own self-righteousness. Read HERE.

Learn more - Sin Consciousness Grieves the Holy Spirit, Self Occupied or Christ Occupied, How to be Transformed Into His Image

The law was satans only weapon. If I incorrectly still think it applies to me, I actually rearm satan in my mind and thoughts. You need to learn that we are absolutely not longer under the law of Moses, we are under grace where sin has no dominion over us. Read here. 

Read HERE about how to not rearm satan,

Many more New Covenant Bible Studies HERE. Jesus poured out His blood for the New Covenant of grace and truth, replacing the Old Covenant law of Moses. Believers are exclusively under the New Covenant, the last will and testament of Jesus that began after the cross.

And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. Luke 22:20

 

New Covenant Bible Studies

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