Welcome to the In Touch podcast with Charles Stanley for Tuesday, September 2nd.

All people are born with the corrupt nature that is hostile toward God.

Today, you'll hear about this desperate condition and how the Holy Spirit invites change by convicting the unbeliever.

So John chapter 16, remember that Jesus is in the upper room,

and the atmosphere is one of instruction and encouragement to them because he's going to be crucified

the next day. And all through these chapters of 14, 15, 16, we find his continued references

to the work of the Holy Spirit. And so he says in verse 7 of John 16,

But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away,

the helper shall not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And he, when he comes, will convict the world

concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. Concerning sin because they do not believe in me,

and concerning righteousness because I go to the Father, and you no longer behold me,

and concerning judgment because the ruler of this world has been judged.

I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

In this passage, Jesus tells us the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the unbeliever.

Now, let's look for just a moment because there are two things here I want us to see, and the

first one is simply this, and that is the conviction of the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential

to the salvation of anyone.

The conviction of the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential to the salvation of anyone. The conviction of the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential to the

salvation of anyone. Notice what Jesus said. He said, I tell you, it is necessary. It is expedient.

It is absolutely to your advantage that I go away. That is his crucifixion, his resurrection,

his ascension to the Father.

He says, because if I don't go, he won't come. But if I go, then I will send him. That is the Holy Spirit. And the reason he said that was, first of all, it was absolutely essential to fulfill

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