The Conviciton Myth

The great news that a believer is under no condemnation is often squelched with the statement, and I have heard it often, "God does not condemen us when we sin, but He will convict us." Really? Is that what the Scriptures teach? As baby Christians, we so often buy hookline and sinker things that are said by preachers, teachers or "mature" Christians because the "BIBLE" says its true. I have found and have been guilty of the same thing, that many folks know what the "BIBLE SAYS," but they have no clue what it means. The present example of God convicting His children is one of those lies. The idea that God won't condemn, but will convict comes from Jesus statement in the upper room. Jesus was telling the disciples about the coming and work of the Holy Spirit. He told them, "Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned."

Notice that Jesus said "The Advocate" will come to the discples. Advocte means "one who will speak in our defense--the opposite of conviction. Notice that the Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin. The world, not the child of God undergoes this conviction. Moreover, Jesus describes the nature and reason of that conviction in the next sentence. Why does the Holy Spirit convict the world of sin? "Because people do not believe in me." The conviction for the unbeliever is to see their sin and need for Jesus Christ and His gospel. It has nothing to do with the child of God! Jesus tells the disciples what the Holy Spirit will be for the child of God. He says the Spirit will comfort the child of God; lead the child of God into all truth; remind the Child of God of everthing Christ has said; will testify of Jesus Christ, and my favorite description of the Spriti's work is this: "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." (Romans 8) That is the Spirit's job for the believer--to show them that they are a child of God--our biggest need if we are overcome by sin. But more than a Child of God, the Spirit is to teach us that we are Co-heirs with Christ. Has that even begun to sink in to any believer? To be a Co-heir means that your presence here on earth is just as important to God as Jesus presence on the earth! That is the absolute truth of the Gospel---the good news!! Because of faulty teaching, Children of God often are walking around mad, thinking God is convicting them while the good news of their true identity and importance is lost in double talk, watered down truth. Why are God's children walking around like that, and why has this "conviction" lie flourished? Because the bottom line is, we don't think God's grace can cause us to behave properly, so we still need some kind of fear tatic to keep us in line. A useful hint to know if God is speaking to you or not is this: The flesh and the world system motivates through fear, guilt and pride; God motivates his children, the New Creation, which is spiritual in nature, through faith, hope and love. Listen closely to the Comforter--He has something good to say to you.