| |
|
The disciple must know that the Spirit convicts the man. Just as the Spirit draws man He also convicts, but not just of sin. Jesus said, "And when He (the Holy Spirit; Greek: pneuma or parakletos; which is counselor, or comforter) comes He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment".1 Disciples do not convict of sin; we tell of sin. We do not judge sin. Our message is of our Lord Jesus Christ the Savior who died to abolish sin. The sinner is drawn and convicted by the Spirit of God to receive that message. Further, we are witnesses of that message.
We must not confuse the work and function of the Holy Spirit's action as something that leaves us without responsibility in our witness. To the contrary, it makes us realize the necessity of a Holy and Devout Life if we are to be used of God. There is no joining light and darkness, sin and holiness, or pure with impure. We are spiritual people involved in spiritual endeavor. Light plus light equals light. We become one with the Spirit.
"God has revealed to us through the Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God".2 To rest this point we need to see that "the mind of Christ" in the believer points to a way out of sin, but is not the conviction of it. The conviction comes when we look in the mirror of truth and see ourselves in comparison with Christ. There is never a place of high-handed judgment and conviction of a human soul, but there is always a place for compassion, humility, and love. Jesus Christ died for sin, the Spirit convicts of sin, and God judges sin. Our job is to tell of these three.
Our position as disciples is again verified by virtue of our willingness to follow and do what Christ taught. Obedience is attached to knowledge, or both are useless. The Spirit convicts us as the saved sinner to share the new life of the King and His Kingdom with an unsaved sinner. He does all the convicting by His Word and Wisdom.
Additional Scripture References:
John 14:15-31, John 15:26-27, John 16:7-15
Romans 8
1 Corinthians 2:10-16
1 John 3:24, 1 John 4:2, 1 John 5:6
1. John 16:8-10
2. 1 Corinthians 2:10-13
© Copyright 2001 Lighthouse Ministries. All Rights Reserved.
Return to the top
|
|
|
