12
There are some who seek to restrict the meaning of elengcho (translated `reprove') to the thought of
enlightening, but this is misleading. Enlightening there certainly is with regard to the Holy Spirit's work with the
unsaved world, but it is enlightening regarding their sinful condition and a conviction that this is so. The usage of
this word in the New Testament is decisive. It occurs seventeen times (Matt. 18:15; Luke 3:19; John 3:20; 8:9,46;
16:8; 1 Cor. 14:24; Eph. 5:11,13; 1 Tim. 5:20; 2 Tim. 4:2; Titus 1:9,13; 2:15; Heb. 12:5; James 2:9; Rev. 3:19).
Typical occurrences are Titus 1:13 and 2:15 where `enlighten' would be completely unsatisfactory as a translation.
The threefold work of the Spirit is described by the Lord as being connected with (1) sin, (2) righteousness, and
(3) judgment. Note that it is sin in the singular, not sins. It goes to the root and deals with the parent sin of unbelief
`of sin', the Saviour said, `because they believe not on Me' (John 16:9). This is the one sin that completely alienates
from God. In fact, it makes the God of truth a liar. `He that believeth not God hath made Him a liar, because he
believeth not the record that God gave of His Son' (1 John 5:10-12). This is something that God will not tolerate.
`He that cometh to God must believe that He is (i.e. exists), and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek
Him', and earlier in the verse, `without faith it is impossible to please Him' (Heb. 11:6).
Now `faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (or Christ)' (Rom. 10:17). So it is evident that
the parent sin of unbelief has to do with man's attitude to the written and living Word of God . This is absolutely
basic, and it is because of this drift away from believing the Word of God and the Christ of that Word that we see
the apostasy deepening today with all the terrible problems that accompany it. It was not for nothing that one of the
apostle Paul's last commands to Timothy was to `Proclaim (preach) the Word' (2 Tim. 4:2), and there is certainly no
substitute for this if we wish to see the truth progressing and darkness being banished.
As regards salvation, man can do nothing to achieve this, and it is for this reason that all has already been done
for man by the Lord Jesus Christ. His last words were `It is finished (completed)' (John 19:30) and a completed
work needs no additions. This is a hard lesson for man to learn, for he believes that he can and must do something,
and all the false religions are agreed on this one fact, however much they may differ among themselves. But the
truth is that God has done everything that is needful, leaving the individual with only the one issue, believing or not
believing what He has done. The true gospel does not present something for the unsaved to do. Rather it presents
something for them to believe, and the Holy Spirit's work is to convict the lost about the character and extent of the
sin that `they believe not on Me (Christ)' (John 16:9) and then points them to the Saviour, `Who can save to the
uttermost' (Heb. 7:25).
The second characteristic of the Holy Spirit's present work in relation to the world is `of righteousness, because I
go to My Father' the Lord declared (John 16:10). Without doubt, this is Christ's righteousness and upon this
glorious fact the whole of redemption rests. If the Lord was not perfectly holy in thought, word and deed from the
cradle to the grave, then He would have needed a Saviour Himself. He could not have been a Saviour of others and
how could a sinner and a blasphemer have been raised from the dead and exalted to the glory of heaven's holiest of
all with everything under His feet? His going to the Father in resurrection and ascension was the fitting
consummation of His perfect work on earth and a triumphant vindication of His righteousness so that He can be the
Saviour of the world. This the Holy Spirit reveals in measure to the convicted sinner.
The third characteristic is found in the Lord's statement `of judgment, because the prince of this world is
judged'. Here we have the usurper, Satan, whose one object is to take God's place and exercise his dominion. At
the moment, while God is overall, the world system is not being run by Him, but rather by the deceiver who has
`blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, Who is the image of
God, should shine unto them' (2 Cor. 4:4). Satan aspires to the very titles of Christ. It was Satan who offered the
kingdoms of this world to the Lord in the wilderness. For the moment Satan has usurped them and the Lord did not
deny this. He is the false prince or ruler of this world (John 14:30) just as Christ is the true One (Rev. 1:5). Satan is
the false god of this age and the Word of God does not hesitate to describe him as such (2 Cor. 4:4), but it is the
Lord Jesus Christ Who is the true One (John 1:1). But, thank God, the enemy has been judged. The victory of
Calvary means his defeat and final overthrow. The sentence has not been carried out yet, but the time is coming
when it will surely take place and sin and death and the deceiver will be finally removed from God's perfected
universe.