9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me;
Verses 9 and 10 reveal the particular implications of the words “sin,” “righteousness,” and “judgment.” The first is that people do not believe in Jesus.
9 of sin,
“Sin” in the singular is unbelief (Jn 3:18). It does not refer to sins in general but of the single sin of rejection of Christ as Savior. Jesus had just spoken of the guilt of those who reject His message (Jn 15:22, 24). This verse asserts that people are guilty because they refuse to believe in Jesus and His message. The Holy Spirit will personally witness about this (Jn 15:26).
because they do not believe in Me;
The world in general is willfully ignorant of its need to believe Jesus. Because of this, it takes the supernatural ministry of the Holy Spirit to bring them to the point of belief in Jesus as their Savior.
PRINCIPLE:
Unbelief in Jesus is the singular sin that casts a person into a Christless eternity.
APPLICATION:
People do not come to God strictly from their own initiative; God draws them to Himself (Jn 6:44). He does this by the convicting work of the Spirit. The sin of unbelief is the singular or supreme sin that condemns a person to a Christless eternity. The Spirit’s conviction of the world is not of sin in general but of the special sin of rejection of Jesus as Savior. We accept Him by believing that He saves us from all sin.
The touchstone of believing the gospel is to discern God in Christ. The only sin that can put a person outside fellowship with God is unbelief or rejection of Jesus as their Savior. Belief is the singular requirement for salvation.
The Holy Spirit convicts the world in two ways: (1) He secures a verdict of “guilty” by producing definite evidence of that guilt and shows there is no excuse for not believing. Also, (2) He brings them to a point of decision of either negative or positive volition toward the gospel message.
