Welcome to Defenders, the teaching class of Dr. William Lane Craig, today, and excurses

on Natural Theology, Part 3.

For more resources from Dr. Craig, go to reasonablefaith.org.

Last time we were together, I argued that for the Christian believer, belief in God and the great

truths of the gospel, are properly basic beliefs, which are grounded in the inner witness

of God's Holy Spirit. Now, if that's the case for the believer, what about for the unbeliever? What is the role of the Holy Spirit

in the life of an unbeliever? The unbeliever is not regenerate and therefore is not endwelt by the

Holy Spirit and therefore does not experience the witness of the Holy Spirit to the truth of the

Christian faith as we Christians do.

So since the unbeliever is bereft of the Holy Spirit, does this mean that he has to rely

on arguments and evidence in order to convince him that Christianity is true? Well, I think the answer is

no, not at all. According to the

scripture, God has a special ministry of the Holy Spirit which is geared to the needs of the

unbeliever in particular. And Jesus describes this ministry in John chapter 16 versus 7 to 11.

John chapter 16 versus 7 to 11.

Jesus says, it is to your advantage that I go away.

For if I do not go away, the counselor will not come to you. But if I go,

I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convince 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 more, concerning judgment because the ruler

of this world is judged. Now notice that here Jesus is addressing the ministry of the Holy Spirit not to the church,

but to the world.

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