The Holy Spirit convicts ("reproves") unbelievers of sin. "He will reprove the world of sin...because THEY do not believe in me" (John 16:8-9). On the other hand, the Holy Spirit does not convict the believer of sin, but of the believer's righteousness because of Jesus. "He will reprove the world of righteousness...because I go to my father, and YOU see me no more“ (John 16:8, 10).
If we are going to "earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints" (Jude 3), we must "rightly divide the word of truth" (2 Tim 2:15).
Romans, the definitive book on the gospel of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, makes it crystal clear that the only true righteousness is God's righteousness, not our righteousness (Rom 1:17, 2:21-22). Righteousness is a gift from God through Jesus Christ. Romans 5:17. We are not righteous because of what we do but because of what He did. We don't earn it - he earned it for us.
Hebrews also hammers home the truth of the New Covenant in His blood: "for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more" (Heb 8:12). ALL of your sins, past, present, and future were judged and completely condemned on the body of Jesus Christ on the cross. God exhausted his full wrath and condemnation of all of our sins, past, present, and future on His son on the cross. There is no more wrath or condemnation left for you and I. Otherwise, God is an unjust God. It would be unjust for God to judge you or condemn you because of your sins because He would be committing double jeopardy - condemning the same sin twice - once on Jesus Christ on the cross and again on you. God will not do that because God is a just, holy, and righteous God.
It is, therefore, not God's will for you to go around remembering your sins because "their sins will I remember no more." When we do otherwise, we fall from grace (Gal 5:4) and discount righteousness judgment of God. The perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ for us was ONCE and FOREVER for ALL of our sins, past, present, and future (Heb 10:12,14).
The sign, therefore, of a believer who is living and growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18) is not his remembrance of sins which the blood of Jesus has completely wiped clean, but his remembrance of the gift of righteousness and the abundance of grace by which he reigns in life (Rom 5:17).
What things is he referring to? Those things he has just written. So, it's not possible that his letter did not include Christians he consider his "little children".
John 16: he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin , because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged .
He reproves the "world". He also loved the world so much he gave his only son. We are part of the world.
Moreover, "Of righteousness" is directed to "Ye" (You all) who would see Him no more". That is, the disciples/apostles to whom he was then speaking.
Do you believe that you do not sin?
Amen to that! The Holy Spirit does not convict the believer of sin... but Satan does. Haven't you ever heard that quiet voice that says something like "You, saved? Gimme a break! Have you forgotten when you _____ and _____ (fill in the blanks)?" So, it is not God's will for us to go around remembering our sins, but there's a certain shady character who is glad to be reminding us on a daily basis. Ignoring him could be one of the ways we "contend for the faith".
Care should be taken not to mistakenly identify any spirit which convicts us of our sin as not being righteous.
God the Holy Spirit interrupts us when we sin, but also deceiving spirits will accuse us of our sins.
When in fellowship after we return to fellowship by 1st John 1:9, we may continue to grow in Him and we likely will not be preoccupied with our past failings, but as we grow, we also will be better able to identify in ourselves how we have scarred our souls from worldly and carnal thinking which is not by His Plan.