How Does Apologetics Fit into the Work of the Holy Spirit?

The Bible teaches at least two different methods that the Holy Spirit uses to reach people.

In John 16:4-15, John Records Jesus saying,

“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

This passage gives us a clue on exactly what the method looks like on reaching people with the truth of Christ Jesus. Verse 8 again reads, “when He comes, He will convict the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment.” It makes sense that conviction can only take place if there are certain truths communicated to the person. So, the Holy Spirit speaks to the inner being of a person and convicts them of their sin. But is this the only method of communication?

John 20:23 reads, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” I have heard Catholics use this verse to give strength to their argument that a priest can forgive sins, but I have questions about it. For instance, what quality (or quantity) of the Holy Spirit is given? The Old Testament shows us that the Holy Spirit is already given, in some respect. Exodus 31:1-5 reads,

The Lord said to Moses, “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft…”

We should seek to figure out what the Bible means when it says that the Holy Spirit has not yet been given. John 7:38-39 records Jesus speaking and then the apostle John giving commentary on Jesus’ words, “’Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified” (emphasis added).

The key thing to notice in the verses above is the phrase, “not yet been given.” I think that this all means that there is some quality of the Holy Spirit that human beings have been missing or lacking until the ascension. Now that Jesus is not here, we have the full quality (perhaps capacity) of the Holy Spirit (John 16:7 "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you").

What does this look like, practically speaking? In John 16:8 discussed above, we see that when He comes, that is, the Holy Spirit, He will convict the world in regard to sin, righteousness, and judgment. The question is, what is the provision for sin, righteousness, and judgment? The answer to the problem of what conviction is communicated in John 16:8, is John 14:6. The Holy Spirit reaches into the hearts of people to convict them of the truth that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

But is this the only method that the Holy Spirit uses in reaching people? I think that John 20:23 shows that the Holy Spirit empowers believers to tell unbelievers how their sins can be forgiven, so that they will in turn come to Christ and be convicted in regard to sin, righteousness, and judgment. Again, it reads, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” Consider also Mark 2:5-12:

And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Notice that the scribes asked Jesus, “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” then Jesus answers, “But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” In other words, Jesus is telling the scribes that He is God. The point here is that the scribes are correct, that only God can forgive sins. King David says in Psalm 51, “Against you (God) and you only have I sinned.”[1]How so? He murdered a guy so he could take his wife, yet his only sin is against God! The fact simply is that human beings did not make the Law. Human beings are not above the Law, but below it. There is only one Lawmaker. If only God can forgive sins, and it is against Him alone whom we truly offend by our sins, then how can a priest forgive someone’s sins, not to mention that he is a sinner himself? John 20:23 clearly means something different. This verse means that Jesus is essentially saying, “If you show someone how they are forgiven, then they will be forgiven. If you withhold showing them, then they will not know how their sins are forgiven.” Paul says in Romans 10:10-15,

“For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

The conclusion then, is that the Holy Spirit has access to the door of one’s heart, but also, He has access to unbelievers through believers, because believers are now completely filled with the Holy Spirit. It is still the work of the Holy Spirit, either way. He convicts the world, and empowers us to convict the world and speak the truth, in regard to sin, righteousness, and judgment.

Written by Nace Howell through the grace of the Lord Jesus

[1] Again, in the same Psalm, King David says, “Do not… take your Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:11).

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