‘Conviction of sin is one of the most uncommon
things that ever happens to a person. It is the beginning of an understanding
of God. Jesus Christ said that when the Holy Spirit came He would convict
people of sin (see John 16:8).
[…] The wonders of conviction of sin, forgiveness, and holiness are so
interwoven that it is only the forgiven person who is truly holy. He proves he
is forgiven by being the opposite of what he was previously, by the grace of
God. Repentance always brings a person to the point of saying, “I have sinned.”
The surest sign that God is at work in his life is when he says that and means
it. Anything less is simply sorrow for having made foolish mistakes— a reflex
action caused by self-disgust. […] the Holy Spirit, who produces these
struggles, begins the formation of the Son of God in the person’s life (see Galatians 4:19).
[…] The foundation of Christianity is repentance. Strictly speaking, a person
cannot repent when he chooses— repentance is a gift of God. The old Puritans
used to pray for “the gift of tears.” If you ever cease to understand the value
of repentance, you allow yourself to remain in sin. Examine yourself to see if
you have forgotten how to be truly repentant.’ CHAMBERS
There is a difference between being sorry for your
sin and repenting of your sin. Many
people are sorry they did something or did not do something, but they really
have no intention of changing anything. They seek forgiveness for that particular
infraction, with the full expectation that it will happen again. That is not to
say that some people honestly struggle with issues that torment them and seem insurmountable
.. they have no control … in that case their attitude is much different. Their heart seeks repentance, but their
affliction dominates them. It is Jesus
who can set them free …
Paul addresses that in Romans 7:21-25 “So I find
this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For
in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me,
waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of
sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks
be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
I was recently asked if living with a woman and
having children was wrong. I said they
should be married. I went on to say the mere fact that the question was asked
suggested that the Spirit has that person under conviction about what he is
doing.
Then I was asked if you sin do you lose your
salvation. My answer, we are saved by
grace through faith and not by works/good deeds. Our salvation is because of what Jesus did
and not what we have done or not done.
We can’t be good enough. In response
to an unasked question “So does sin matter?” I added that Paul asked the
rhetorical question “Should we sin that grace can increase” His answer .. ‘God
forbid”. Romans 6:1-2
Bondye
Beni Ou (God Bless You)
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