May I speak of a fact
too common, alas, to escape observation? We are living in times of superficial
conviction. Souls are not plowed up by the Spirit of God, as He would and as
they should be. Men say, “Peace, peace,” too easily. The sinner is not made to
realize the awfulness of his position—a guilty, lost and helpless soul
on the brink of eternity. I know this is not considered popular preaching, and
that it is hardly thought proper or wise to speak of the hell of eternity that
awaits Christ-rejecters. As a result, the work of conviction is very
superficial, and, even when real, of but shallow depth. But souls must be
convicted of sin if they are to receive the gospel. That gospel is not a mere
piece of logic to be reasoned about, such as, “All men are sinners; Christ died
for sinners; therefore He died for me.” Cold, lifeless acquiescence like this
is not faith, nor salvation. It is the awakened soul who realizes what it is to
be “lost” who can appreciate, as cold water to a thirsty man, the gospel of the
grace of God. Men trim down the solemn fact of man’s sin, and thus the Spirit’s
work of conviction is hindered. What wonder that the professing church is full
of unsaved souls!
Let us take an example
of this convicting work of the Spirit. We find the three features of conviction
of sin, righteousness, and judgment (see John 16:8-11) in the first gospel
sermon after the descent of the Spirit at Pentecost, “preached … with the
Holy Ghost sent down from heaven” (1 Pet. 1:12).
First, as to conviction
of sin, he brings home to them the fact of their rejection of Christ:“Him
being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have
taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain” (Acts 2:23). Here the Holy
Spirit brings home the fact of their sin. It was not now a question of this and
that transgression, but they had refused to believe on Christ—had rejected Him.
Next, he convicts them
of righteousness, because Jesus had gone to the Father:“Whom God hath raised
up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He
should be holden of it…. Therefore, being by the right hand of God exalted,
and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He has shed forth
this which you now see and hear” (Acts 2:24,33). Clearly, God had manifested
His righteousness, and vindicated His beloved Son in thus raising and exalting
Him to the right hand of power.
Finally, the Spirit of
God brings home to them the reality of impending judgment:“I will show wonders
in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath, blood and fire, and vapor of
smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before
that great and notable day of the Lord come” (Acts 2:19,20). All nature would
quake in the presence of its Judge, and this judgment was imminent.
Thus we have a threefold
conviction of sin; and what was the result? “Now, when they heard this, they
were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the
apostles:Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). Blessed work! Is
there not joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that
repents? and here were 3,000 crying under conviction by the mighty work of the
Spirit of God. Blessed and easy work now for Peter to set Christ before them,
and to assure them of free forgiveness in His name.
(From Lectures on the
Holy Spirit.)
* * *
Jesus died to set me free,
Jesus died on Calvary;
Not a blessing that I know,
But to Jesus Christ I owe.
Through His blood I’m
reconciled,
Of a foe am made a child;
For His foes the Saviour
died,
Sinners now are justified.
Only sin to Him I brought,
Only love in Him I found,
Love that passes all my
thought,
Love that doth to me abound.
’Twas for sinners that He
died,
Title I have none beside;
Thus I know it was for me
Jesus died on Calvary.
F.W.
Grant