He will convict the world of sin

RE Verse reading–Acts 1:12-14, 2:1-18 (day seven)  “These men are not drunk. . .this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind.’ ” (vs 15-17)  It is a cliche of this age.  People speak of being “spiritual” with little or no understanding of the Scripture’s picture of this unique life.  One huge difference is the element of conviction.  “When the Spirit comes, He will convict the world of sin”  (John 16:8)  The Spirit-filled person will not live an easy relationship with the world system.  His presence in us will sting the conscience of our friends and family, raising either confusion “What does this mean?”  or criticism “These people are drunk”.  It is unavoidable.  Those filled with the Spirit of God will feel the tension that exists between the Spirit and the flesh.  May we be inspired to suffer the tension well.  God is at work convicting people of sin!

Author: Don Guthrie

Don Guthrie is the Senior Pastor at FBCSA.

0 thoughts on “He will convict the world of sin”

  1. I know I signed off and here I am joyfully casting aside all pride in order to share the Lord’s work in my life. (We should never say what we will or will not do…. only the Lord controls that… lesson learned, hopefully.)

    The Lord has opened up so clearly to me the way forward (for me) these past weeks.

    In the words of William Law (not saying I agree with everything he says…) who said, “Suffer me now, before we part, once more to repeat what I have so often said, that you would not receive this Mystery as a System of rational Notions; nor do with it, as the World has, for the most part, done with the Bible, only gather opinions of Reason and Speculation from it. For it opens no Depth of Nature or Grace, but to help you to the Heart and Spirit of the returning prodigal Son, and to show you the Blindness and Vanity of Reason and Opinions; and that Truth can have no possible Entrance into you, but so far as you die to your earthly Nature. The Gospel saith all this to you in the plainest Words; and the Mystery only shows you, that the whole System of the Universe saith the same thing. To be a true Student or Disciple of the Mystery, is to be a Disciple of Christ; for it calls you to nothing but to the plain Letter of the Gospel; and wherever it enters, either into the Height or Depth of Nature, it is only to confirm the Truth of these Words of Christ; viz. He that followeth not me, walketh in Darkness; And unless a Man deny himself, and forsake all that he hath, he cannot be my Disciple. This is the Philosophy opened in this Mystery. It is not to lead you after itself, but to compel you, by every Truth of Nature, to turn to Christ, as the one Way, the one Truth, the one Life, and Salvation of the Soul; not as notionally apprehended, or historically known; but as experimentally found, living, speaking, and working, in your Soul. Read as long or as much as you will of this Mystery, it is all Labour lost; if you intend any thing else by it, or would be any thing else from it, but a Man dead to this World, that you may live unto God through Christ Jesus, in the Power of Faith, and the Spirit of Prayer.

    … A saint dead to this world… that is the way forward for me. How? by mortifying my “flesh” as He leads me by turning my will to His Will ONLY.

    I listened to your sermon from Sunday. Praise and Glory to God for a faithful Pastor who would speak such words of Life to his church.

    However, my dear brother, I respectfully submit to you that it is through the Spirit that we mortify the deeds of the flesh. Obviously, examples given (such as fixing broken relationships) are important….however, I am firmly convinced that no lasting mortification of the flesh can be accomplished without the Power of the Spirit. Making prayer/communion with Him the starting point…. not the destination. The Spirit is grieved by a rebellious heart…a broken and contrite heart He will not despise. May the Lord continue to give us Wisdom that we might know/receive His working in our lives.

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