When [the Holy Spirit] comes, [He] will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16:8).
Let’s face it: no matter how hard we try, all of us will rationalize all sorts of evil plans. As my dad has said many times, “For many people today, there is no such thing as sin; everything is explainable.” The Holy Spirit cuts right through this nonsense.
The Holy Spirit is God’s gift to convict us of sin. When we are not in close relationship with God, the Holy Spirit uses the preaching of the Word of God to convict us of our need for the forgiveness and salvation of God in Christ. If we are followers of Christ, then the Holy Spirit dwells within us to convict us of the need to get things right with God when we do wrong.
Realize that the most miserable person in the world is not the non-Christian. The most miserable person in the world is the Christian who is rebelling against God, because that individual is going through a war inside. When the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, He gives us an inner desire to confess our sin to God and then to seek forgiveness from those we have wronged. In the process, we get right with God once again.
The Holy Spirit is there to convict us—because God loves us and wants the best for our lives. His conviction is all about God’s love.