Conviction of Sin ...

I met a wonderful brother in the Lord a few weeks ago and I was talking with him about the church my wife and I attend. He asked me a very pointed question and I've regularly been asking myself this question, since that conversation."Are you regularly being convicted of sin by the Holy Ghost at the church you attend?" (I realize the church is not a building but the body of Christ but this has been a soul-seeking type of question for me.)I'm asking about Holy Ghost conviction, the kind of conviction that is distressing (leading to repentance of some kind) yet encouraging (coming to a deeper relationship with Christ) at the same time versus the kind that says you've got to try harder in your flesh.I had to truthfully say that until recently I didn't want to be convicted, but rather "encouraged." Unfortunately, the encouragement oftentimes is that it's okay to stay in our sin, hence it's not really encouragement at all but rather deception.I'm not certain that I've articulated this well encough for you all to understand my thoughts on this but I pray this is helpful as a starting point for discussion.

Hi Ed,I know what you mean. I know I may sound weird but I love to be convicted! I'm sure it does not sound right but what I mean is that I love that feeling of knowing that the Lord has just chosen to reveal something in me that needs work. I have this desire to be a perfectly clean vessel for Him. I just want to keep presenting myself to Him as this pure sanctuary. I find it very hard to be convicted at many churches and since I have been home from a church building for almost 3 years, I see perfectly clear that the Lord still convicts me just as much if not more in the privacy of my home or when I am at the store, wherever.I am one who is always asking the Lord to "search me and know me- see if there be any wrong thing in me"- and when we ask this, He is always faithful to answer. I don't need a church building or a pastor to get me convicted. it is the work of the Holy Spirit (and a willing heart). I am sure that the Lord is pleased with a "willing" heart, one that is willing to be searched by Him personally, than to "have" to go somewhere and let a man do the convicting. I know some people may take this the wrong way- i hope not. I was just telling my daughter two days ago that the Lord really convicted me about something else, He showed me about some issue that I was not watching as well in my life as I should. Oh, I loved it!!! I welcome it. I love that feeling of being broken over my sin and knowing I am freshly cleansed. I want so badly to be purified for Him and to reflect His image to others. I don't want to shame His name in any way.I can say that a few weeks ago I did go to a church where the pastor was talking about Jonah and how he thought the people deserved judgement and how God was angry at him for this. I was convicted on the spot because I have a tendancy to be a Jonah- but i also got the same conviction at home reading that same story in my bible a few months back. it has nothing to do with where you are - but are you willing and wanting to be cleansed all of the time. I depend on God to make sure He shows me my ways of error. Like you said, much of today's churches are meant mostly to encourage anyway- or who would come! :-) LOL (Just kidding- but sadly it's true)

Just so people know- I am not happy about the sin He shows me- I am grieved at the time and sorrowful that I have hurt the Lord and may have shamed His name is some way- but it's the afterwards feeling that I love. It's the feeling of knowing that i am one step closer to reflecting his image. :-) One step closer to "more of Him, less of me".

You know, I'm not sure alot of people know what conviction is. I was convicted for years and called it self-hatred. I was convicted and reacted with depression instead of repentance. I see people all the time who share things with me and I can see that they "feel bad", but they don't know how to repent. Repentance is a lost treasure, it seems to me. I'm always telling people to repent. I told my garbage man to repent. It's nothing personal. I think everyone needs to make repentance a lifestyle. Repentance, to me, is aligning myself with God. Psalm 91 says, "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High..." I believe "the secret place" is agreement with God. Sin is the opposite of that.

Yes, GideonYou stated;I'm asking about Holy Ghost conviction, the kind of conviction that is distressing (leading to repentance of some kind) yet encouraging (coming to a deeper relationship with Christ) at the same time versus the kind that says you've got to try harder in your flesh.and I agree the kind of Conviction that Leads to Repentance, a complete turn around/change. I have found that weather it feel good or bad, the best place to be is in his hands. ;-) AMEN

Quote:"Are you regularly being convicted of sin by the Holy Ghost at the church you attend?"Oh this is so good.I am so happy to say, that I attend a church that is very sensative to the Holy Spirit and we do practice repentance, and often times we do repent corporatly as one. I remember back in the day, when one would sin any kind of sin, there was such a conviction and a reverance of the Fear of the Lord. It was the kind of Conviction where you just had to come forth, because you knew that God knows everything.Quote:I have been praying for the holiness of choice saints in the church to convict unbelievers and carnal christians. This has been an area in my life, where I have so many times, had to examine myself and repent, where I've had someone sit next to me or talk to me, that has been in sin, and yet has not been convicted. This is were I immediately begin to examine "Me" this is one of the areas that brings me to his feet. Oh, but when there is conviction, there is salvation for the unbeliever, and restoration, reconcilliation, renewal of the mind for the carnal.Quote:Oh that we might see it again. Lord revive thy work amongst us again, convict us all afresh with thy fire divine. Purge us .. crown the offering.. from our heads to toes.. purify.. only You can do this now. For thy names sake.I touch and agree...

Got this in the mail today:*What if those who profess to be His children really lived that way! *What if Christians loved Christ passionately and loved others with an authentic, sacrificial love? *What if Christian marriages and homes were so filled with love, joy, and peace that non-believers wanted to know our "secret"? *What if our churches were ablaze with the fire and presence of God, so that the most hardened opponents would have to bow and acknowledge the truth of what we proclaim? *What if, instead of focusing on how the unbelieving world needs to change its ways, God's people were to humble themselves and pray and seek His face and turn from their wicked ways? He is the only hope for our prodigal world that is in such turmoil. He is the only hope for our homes, our churches, and our lives. -Nancy DeMoss

Yes, God is so good. I spoke to the youth group at our church and the title was "The Gift of Repentance." It truly is a wonderful gift from God. As the Holy Ghost convicts our hearts and we repent, the walls that separate us from Christ fall down. And it's also true that repentance is something we walk in, not a one-time occurrence. (e.g Well thank God I repented back in 1975 :-).)God is creating this hunger for more of Him and less of us. I see that hunger in a number of people I know here and other places. Isn't that glorious to see God bring us to that place He wants to be? Washed by the blood of Jesus...Praise God!

"Are you regularly being convicted of sin by the Holy Ghost at the church you attend?"I read this and did ponder,however what rose within me was "no i'm not regularly being convicted of sin"to be honest i'm convicted of the reality and presence of God amongst the body.Please dont get me wrong when the word is preached, spoken ,prophesied,interpreted, or sung,conviction can come of sin.But i think in the main i hear, to use that last but one verse of Wesley's hymn And can it be;Still the small inward voice i hear,That whispers all my sins forgiven,Still the atoning blood is near,That keeps me clean and fit for heaven.I feel the life His wounds impart,I feel my savior in my heart. :-)

Derek,to be honest i'm convicted of the reality and presence of God amongst the body.I am glad you brought this up. It brings back memories of last March when I went to see Shane Barnard in concert- it was the last time I really felt the overwhelming presence of the Lord. I just remember thinking that this would be a good time to pray for repentance for everyone there but the HoLy Spirit took that thought far from my mind because His overwhelming power and greatness was there. All I could do was try to remain standing and think "oh, how unworthy I am- and how worthy You are, Lord" There were no other thoughts or feelings to have. Just the love He had for us all there and how we all fell or almost fell to our knees in honor to Him.You cannot go away from that and not want to keep sin in your life. There was no direct conviction, but the love we felt and how powerfully He ministered to us- you just wanted to give everything you owned and had (lives, will, rights, everything) to Him. That is surrendering out of love- not duty. It has to do with intimacy. I don't want to surrender anything just because I am scared of the consequences. He deserves more than that. Like we have said before, He deserves it all because He is so worthy.If you have never experienced His presence like that, then all you would know is the kind of conviction that comes from men's words- which is inferior, or has a different place?, to that of the Lord's own Holy presence.It seems there is a conviction that comes from man's words and a conviction of sorts that comes from very direct intimacy with the Lord.Hmmmm. More thoughts to ponder about conviction and it's place.

LOL. As you can see, I went back and changed that to: which is inferior, or has a different place?, to that of the Lord's own Holy presence.Still pondering this whole thing. But really, when you feel that overwhelming worthiness of Him and how unworthy you are- you really can't stay comfortable in sin for a second. It is different than the conviction that comes from a sermon or a book. Ya gotta be there. :-(

Hmm I do think the conviction of the Holy Ghost is something that is uncomfortable and really can't be compared with men's words. Conviction is from the Holy Ghost but might find its agent in men's mouths. Also conviction is just not a feeling I would say but a feeling with a truth supressed behind it. but a feeling with a truth supressed behind it.What words my brother!As regards the use of mens 'words' whether in print or through their vocal cords, could only say; ' You know it when you 'hear it'.The Word of God preached!I know what was meant, that often times we\\they can attempt to force the issue and it just falls flat and to confound that, still wonder if that doesn't have more to say about us than them. We can be deceived by too easily dismissing things that pass by us with a shrug; 'glad I don't have THAT problem' Are you sure?I must say though this is all just outstanding my brethren, all of you. I needed to hear this, even if "I know that...." (see what I mean? :-? )I believe Greg said earlier something that followed on Chanins thoughts about how sad it was that we needed to be brought to a place where we practically have to plead for conviction to come in some ways, primarily in our churches. Which I guess should indict not only 'them' but perhaps even more so US, being that WE are the church no matter where we gather. Probably being redundant here, but the problem sure does seem that we have gone the way of the Israelites, deciding to following our own version of just who God IS. All the chastising in the 'Old Testament' why? Because God was bent on being a hard taskmaster? Or was it because they where His chosen people, whom He loved? Doesn't seemed to have changed now for us...what's that verse in Hebrews...?Oh how this is needed, how I needed this. The past week has seen this resident evil within, my flesh rising up with it's 'demands'. It has been full blown war and sadly it took me down a number of times, yet I am not done fighting. Don't want to draw to much of a distinction, like some kind of dualism, am reminded of the words of our own Mr. Bailey; "There is just 'you..." And yet it has sent me scrutinizing Romans primarily chapters 5-8, know the answer lies in there if only in part.Continuing on with the thoughts Chanin expressed earlier, found it helpful to do just exactly that, namely welcoming some conviction to come to help offset these lies that I was trying to rationalize (even though I recognized them as such, that 'fleshly' part could care less, "I want what I want!") So I went back through the stack of CD's and pulled out A Call to Anguish by David Wilkerson.Think there is too many points to give examples of in this message, but suffice it to say, it did bring conviction, at many points it made me want to just break down and cry outwardly yet I was working and trying to focus on the job at hand...What's that word? O yeah,....Unction!Perhaps now would be a good time to revisit it again.Would be worth stating that all this is leading unto something, to restoration, to 'times of refreshing, to joy!All those "what if's" that Chanin posted by Nancy Demoss, what if that was us?Why not? I take it as an encouragement to press on, to strive after, to be-come that. But first the woodshed...