How can sinners be convicted of their sins? In the divine teamwork the Holy Spirit takes the lead, just as Jesus promises to the apostles:
But if I go, I will send [the Holy Spirit] to you. And when He comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16:7-8).
As the New Testament’s story unfolds, we find the Holy Spirit active in powerful ways. Yet He never forces His will on sinners. Nor does He whisper the saving message, the Gospel, into a sinner’s heart. Instead, as Acts consistently shows, the Spirit chooses to work through believers as His Gospel messengers. He supplies them with the perfect spiritual weapon: “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17 cf. Hebrews 4:12). That aligns with the context of John 16. Concerning the Spirit’s work, Jesus makes another promise:
I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth (John 16:12-13).