because. The mission of the Holy Spirit was to bring the world in guilty in regard to three things: (1) SIN. In God's sight sin is refusal to believe the Gospel concerning His son (1 John 5:10). The Jews regarded only moral offences (as men do to-day) and infractions of the ceremonial law and the traditions of the elders (Matthew 15:2) as sin. (2) RIGHTEOUSNESS. Here also God's standard and man's differ. The Jews regarded the punctilious Pharisee (Luke 18:11; Luke 18:12) as the ideal. The only righteous One, whose standard was the will of God (John 8:29; Hebrews 10:7), was rejected and crucified, and now in righteousness was to be removed from the earth, the seal of the Father's approval being put upon Him by resurrection. In Him Who is made unto us righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30), the Divine standard is revealed (Romans 1:17). (3) JUDGMENT. For the prince of this world has been already judged (John 12:31) and sentenced, and ere long the sentence will be executed (Romans 16:20).
believe... on. App-150.