Regarding Sin and Conviction

So throughout this time I have changed dramatically. Where I used to keep my beliefs quiet and held close I now talk about it openly. This has caused some good conversations and has also brought conflict. That’s to be expected of course. What I didn’t expect was conflict with other Christians. It actually makes me kind of sad that Christianity has split into so many denominations with so many variables to the way the faith is taught. I feel like some churches water the message down to make it more appealing and end up doing a disservice to followers. When talking about this and lamenting how some churches no longer talk about sin I ended up in, not really an argument, but a disagreement on the message of Jesus and how it is presented. I actually got rather annoyed as I was told that my church was teaching me wrong and this person’s church focuses on the love of Jesus and doesn’t talk about sin. Truly though, if you leave sin out of the equation you are missing the whole point of Jesus coming to this earth. Of course, He loves everyone regardless of our pasts but repentance isn’t listed as an optional thing. Conviction of our sins is the way we grow and improve. Being a follower of Christ isn’t all happiness and rainbows. It isn’t just about warm fuzzies and that message does a disservice to all who hear it. This life isn’t easy and wasn’t meant to be. Jesus tells us as they hated Him so to would we be hated. To accept His gift and then keep on doing all the bad things you did before seems like taking His sacrifice for granted to me. Knowing something is totally against God but willfully doing it anyway, I think, is a sign of an unrepentant heart and if you aren’t a repentant sinner then are you truly saved?

I don’t know the answer to that question. Some think simply believing is enough and it doesn’t matter if you turn from your sin or not. That Jesus is all peace and love. They seem to forget there were times he also showed righteous anger. When He returns it won’t be to give the world a big hug, He will be returning as the Lion, as judge of the world. Conviction of sin is important, I have had my wrong ways pointed out to me and it has helped me to grow as a person and as a believer. I stumble, we all stumble, but the point is we fight against our inherent sin nature. We won’t be perfect, we can’t be, but we can still strive to be.

Jesus convicts people of sin throughout His time here on earth. In BSF right now we just learned about the Samaritan woman at the well. Before He could bring her in He pointed out her sin and her guilt regarding her 5 husbands and the man she was currently living with. My BSF notes put it this way: Conviction of sin was the first step in granting her the living water. The first step. Sounds pretty important to me.

Does that mean we act like ogres running around whacking people on the heads with our Bibles or acting crazy like those Westboro people? No way!! Another good excerpt from my notes says this: “Jesus used strong words, not to condemn her, but to cause her to see her sin and her true state from God’s perspective. His words proved He knew the worst about her. The secrets of her heart were open to Him but He did not despise her. In fact He loved her deeply.”

In love, He helped her to see her sin and led her to a better way of life more pleasing to God. Once you accept it, our sin is not our shame anymore. We no longer have to hide. It then becomes, I don’t know, a teaching tool? We can declare “this is what I used to be and this is what I have become”. I was selfish, prideful, disrespectful at times, I had sex before I was married, I let the desire to be liked cause me to compromise my morals, I have been judgmental, greedy, I have stolen, I have cheated, I have put myself and my happiness above others. I still struggle with some of these but now I think about my actions and how they will affect others, I help others without being concerned about what I will get in return, I set aside my own discomfort to bring joy to others when the opportunity presents itself. I don’t collapse every time something bad happens; I trust more and worry less.

God's grace given freely to us through Jesus Christ forgives us of our sins but first, we must recognize our sin as sin.

Conviction and change leads to freedom.

-Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Psalm 32:1-7

- As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:9-10

- And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: John 16:8 (regarding the Holy Spirit)