Jesus said, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."(John 16:33)
In the last blog, I wrote about conviction. Specifically, I referred to the example of some believing that the holy Spirit -- our Lord God and Saviour --convicts their hearts AFTER they are saved. Today, I will continue on this topic, citing scriptures that refer to conviction using the original King James version. I will also divide these verses into two sections. The first has to do with salvation -- when we as unbelievers are convicted /pricked in our hearts -- so that we will come to know Jesus as our personal Saviour. The second has to do with the end times (the last days) when Jesus returns with His saints to judge those who have rejected His Kingship and His name.
Beginning first with conviction of the ungodly or unsaved, we begin with the woman taken in adultery. Jesus had gone unto the mount of Olives, and early in the morning came again into the temple. There, all the people came unto Him, and He sat down and taught them.
And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto Him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, they say unto Him, "Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the Law commanded us, that such should be stoned but what sayest thou?"
This they said, tempting Him, that they might have [justification] to accuse Him.
But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground, as though He heard them not. So when they continued asking Him, He lifted Himself up, and said unto them, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."
And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last; and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. (John 8:9)
When Jesus lifted Himself up, and saw none but the woman, He said unto her, "Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?" She said, "No man, Lord." And Jesus said unto her, "Neither do I condemn thee; go, and sin no more." (John 8:11)
Herein, these accusers (or unbelievers) were convicted in their own conscience. As of yet, they had not believed on Jesus and therefore, needed to be convicted in order to understand their own sin.
Another example can be found in Acts chapter two. Therein, on the Day of Pentecost, we read that the people listening to Peter (standing with the eleven) "were pricked in their heart" and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"
Then Peter said unto them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." (Acts 2:37-38)
And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, "Save yourselves from this untoward generation." Then they that gladly received His Word were baptized, and the same day, there were added unto them about three thousand souls. "And they continued steadfastly in the apostle's doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." (Acts 2:39-42)
When we believe in Jesus' complete redemption plan, we are free from all condemnation. When we believe in Jesus by faith, and seek His righteousness, we no longer speak in the words which man's wisdom teaches, but "which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual." (I Corinthians 2:13) The Comforter does not accuse us of our wrongdoing. Why?
Because Jesus told us that we cannot serve two masters. "No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6:24)
Moreover, when we are crucified in Christ, we live -- "yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20) Timothy takes this point one step further. He writes: "That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (II Timothy 3:17)
If then we are perfect, labouring to enter into His rest, and furnished unto all good works, we as born again believers cannot be convicted by the Holy Ghost. We are set free. We are no longer condemned because Jesus paid the price on the cross, when He shed His precious blood for our sin.
This is not to suggest that we cannot be tempted by satan and feel as if we are still under condemnation but that is a different matter altogether. Let him who hath an ear to hear, hear. More to come. Stand in the offering plate.
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