1There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk
according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Wuest-
Walk- to order one’s behavior
After- kata (κατα), whose root meaning is “down,” which suggests domination.
A Christian is one who orders his behavior in such a way that it is not dominated by the evil nature,
but by the Holy Spirit.
The Christian is described as one whose nature it is to not have their lifestyle ordered by the sinful
nature, but one whose lifestyle is under the leading of the Holy Spirit.
I. The Holy Spirit In Regeneration John 16:8-11; 3:1-21
John 16:8-11
8And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness,
and of judgment: 9of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10of righteousness, because I go to
My Father and you see Me no more; 11of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
A. Convicts/Convinces The Unbeliever
1. By conviction, to bring to the light, to find fault with, to correct, to show one his fault
2. Man generally doesn’t want to be told about sin or admit to sin.
3. Man may admit to making mistakes, but admission of sin against God is what is needed
B. Sin-The Truth About Man
1. The Holy Spirit comes alongside the Unbeliever and convinces them about sin
2. To miss the mark, to err, to be mistaken, to wander from the path, violate God’s law
C. Righteousness-The Truth About Jesus
1. Jesus claimed to be the Way, the Truth and Life. The only way to the Father/Heaven.
2. His resurrection from the dead and ascension into Heaven validate who he was/is.
3. Holy Spirit convinces the Unbeliever that they need Jesus, not just improvement.
D. Judgment-The Truth About Judgment
1. Satan called the “god of this world”. (John 12:20-33; John 14:25-31)
2. The death and resurrection of Jesus paid for sin and offers man an escape from living under the dominion of Satan.
E. Main Points From John 3
1. We see those three points included in Jesus’ explanation of the new birth to Nicodemus.
2. Vs. 1, 2– Nicodemus was a religious leader who believed that his physical birth granted him a place in heaven, and who also believed that Jesus was from God.
3. V. 3- Jesus explained that a second birth was needed to even perceive, experience, or know the Kingdom of God.
a. The word again is the Greek word anothen, which also means “from above”.
b. The birth of which Jesus spoke was a birth that originated “from above”.
4. V. 4- Nicodemus’ response reveals the physical/fleshly mindset that most people have.
a. His answer might have been re-stated as “well how can I do that”?
b. In other words, Nicodemus saw re-birth as something that he needed to accomplish.
c. This mindset exemplifies man centered religion. Man’s belief that he can make himself right with God and that it is up to man to accomplish this.
5. Vs. 5, 6– Jesus explained that two types of births existed: physical and spiritual.
a. Born of water- speaks of the sac in which the baby grows within the mother’s womb
b. Born of the Spirit- A birth not having to do with the fleshly nature, but coming forth from the work of the Holy Spirit.
6. V. 7- Jesus said that Nicodemus shouldn’t marvel at this.
7. Vs. 8, 9- Jesus admitted that the re-birth has a mysterious, intangible aspect to it.
a. It is hard to clearly define how the re-birth happens, but the evidence is clearly seen.
b. The re-birth seemed like an impossibility to Nicodemus.
8. Vs. 14-16- Jesus used an Old Testament example from Numbers 21:4-9 to illustrate what it means to be saved by faith.
a. Looking at a snake on a pole doesn’t make logical sense if one is dying from poison.
b. Yet Jesus used that example to illustrate the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing new birth to an Unbeliever.
c. The Holy Spirit convinces someone that they have sinned, they will be judged (are judged), and that Jesus is the remedy. An intangible yet life changing experience.
9. Vs. 17-21- The Holy Spirit convinces the unbeliever both pre and post regeneration that these statements are true.
II. The Holy Spirit & The Christian
A. Teaches The Christian John 16:12-15
1. Vs. 12, 13- Jesus admitted that His teaching was incomplete.
2. That was why the New Testament was spoken into the hearts of the inspired writers
3. Those who reject the teaching of the apostles and want only to follow Jesus’ teachings miss the mark by Jesus’ own statement.
4. Jesus’ teaching would be carried on via the work of the Holy Spirit to inspired writers.
5. V. 13- The Holy Spirit illumines the words of Jesus and of Holy Scripture, to give the Christian understanding of both content and application.
6. Vs. 14, 15- The Holy Spirit both glorifies Jesus, and gives revelation and understanding of the words of Jesus.
7. Remember- The words of Jesus are not just found in the Gospels, but the entire Bible is the inspired word of God. The Holy Spirit gives understanding to the Christian, and
helps us to make application/live it out.
B. The Indwelling Spirit
1. John 14:15-18
a. V. 16- Helper- Parakletos- One who comes alongside; advisor, mediator, intercessor
b. V. 16- Another- Literally, another of the same kind; not different, but the same.
c. V. 16- That He- The Holy Spirit is a person; the third person of the triune Godhead
d. V. 17- The Spirit of truth– He indwells and leads the Believer into truth.
e. V. 17- “With you, in you”- para, en. Alongside (convincing), and then inside, when
the unbeliever surrenders and is born again.
f. V. 18– Jesus dwells in the Believer in/thru/via the Holy Spirit.
2. John 14:25, 26
a. Jesus existed as a solitary man, able to be only in one place.
b. When He ascended, the Holy Spirit was poured out upon/into all believers.
c. The Holy Spirit teaches and reminds the Christian about truth.