What is Conviction?
What to do with Conviction? • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Transcript
Intro
Intro
So far we’ve talked about:
Who the Holy Spirit is
a. He is God
b. He is a person
c. He is the author of the Bible
d. He was active in creation
e. He was part of the virgin birth
f. He was part of the resurrection
What He does
a. He testifies of Jesus
b. He convicts of 3 things: sin, righteousness and judgement
c. He regenerates us at salvation
d. He dwells inside of us at salvation
e. He seals our salvation
f. He comforts us
g. He prays on our behalf
What my relationship to Him is
a. He enables me to keep the things of God’s Word
b. I can grieve Him
c. I can quench Him
d. His work is to produce the fruit of the Spirit in me
Now we continue in this same line and are going to talk about What is Conviction?
Ultimately leading up to a message on What to do with conviction?
Our text this evening:
1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. 2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. 3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. 7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Definition: a legal / courtroom term that is the pronouncing of guilt whether admitting it or not…
The testimony is done
The evidence has been shown
The trial is over
The guilt has been determined and now
A verdict is ushered
Conviction is the revealing and pronouncing of a guilt…
Have you ever been told what you did was wrong?
Then felt bad for it?
And hopefully it drove you to make a change?
This is the feeling of conviction…
When we talk about what to do with conviction we will look further into the act of it…
Personal example (again):
In line at Dutch Bros, cannot get the $20 gift card…
Rude and impatient with the employee
Lost my testimony
Convicted, went back and made it right
The Lord brought truth to my mind and made me feel guilty to make a change
Example # 2:
Growing up, went to teen camp
Early years of youth group (8th, maybe 9th grade)
Was very convicted one year, but didn’t truly do anything about what the Lord convicted me of
Dreaded the thought of going back the next year because I remembered the conviction and didn’t like it
Went back, didn’t think much about it but walked into the chapel and immediately overwhelming feeling of conviction
The same Biblical truths flooded back into my mind and the guilt of not changing anything convicted me
Example # 3:
At the age of 14, I was rolling in my bed for several nights in a row…
Scared and extremely convicted…
I couldn’t sleep, was sweating from gripping my clothes tightly and rolling back in forth in bed…
The Holy Spirit was calling me to salvation…
I got saved after 3 or 4 nights of that and that went away…
Remember:
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
The Holy Spirit guided me into making decisions like:
Going back to Dutch Bros and attempting to repair my testimony
Taking care of the truth I was convicted about at camp instead of ignoring it
Getting saved
From our text:
1. Conviction came from the words of Jesus
1. Conviction came from the words of Jesus
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
It is the Words of God… truth that convicts
The reason conviction occurs is because of truth not lived…
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
After Peter’s sermon on Pentecost:
37 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?
Pricked: to pierce through or agitate violently
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Reprove: conviction
2. Conviction appealed to the conscience
2. Conviction appealed to the conscience
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
They were convicted “by their own conscience”…
So let’s talk about the conscience:
Conscience: to understand or become aware; to be conscious of
Our conscience becomes offended when we violate the parameters of moral ethics in our minds...
Statement: When the Holy Spirit convicts, He works through the conscience—God’s moral law written in the heart—and He measures our lives against the revealed truth of the Word of God.
Why do you think some things are okay for some people and not others?
In other words, why are some people convicted in their conscience about certain things and others not?
A conscience can be defiled (I Cor. 8:7)
A conscience can be wounded (I Cor. 8:12)
A conscience can be offended (I Cor. 8:13)
A conscience can be seared (I Tim. 4:1-2)
a. Paul lived in good conscience
1 And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
But wasn’t he a murderer and persecutor of the church?
Yet, through inspiration of the Holy Ghost, he was able to write that His conscience is good toward God....
This would indicate that despite a rough and sinful past, it doesn’t dictate the nature of our conscience forever...
I am convicted of things today that I was not convicted about 15 years ago
Growth… knowledge of God’s Word… relationship...
b. Paul exercised himself to always have a conscience void of offence towards men and God
16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
Exercise: to train; by implication, to strive
right between God and man “always”… it takes work...
c. A conscience bears witness to the work of the law written in our hearts
15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
With the conscience and thoughts… it either excuses us or accuses us...
Difference between a good conscience and conviction...
d. The conscience bears witness, by the power of the Holy Spirit, of a truth
1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
The Holy Spirit, through conviction of the conscious, can tell you when you’re lying...
e. A good conscience depends on knowledge
7 Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
Knowledge… truth… they help strengthen your conscience...
I became convicted ONCE I heard a truth from God’s Word...
I wasn’t convicted of it before because I didn’t know about it...
Our text:
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
They became convicted by their own conscience once they heard from Jesus...
Preaching of the Word of God should induce conviction in our hearts...
This is one of the key differences between a motivational speech to live better and a sermon...
A sermon should reveal truth, of which the Holy Spirit can convict the conscious of this learned knowledge that causes us to make a change in how I live...
Think with me:
Are there things you are convicted about today that you didn’t even think about 10,15,20,30 years go?
What’s the difference? You received knowledge...
But just because you receive knowledge, does not mean your life will change...
You must make the change based off the “leading of the Holy Spirit”; i.e. the conviction of the conscience brought on by the Holy Spirit...
Because of this point… young Christians are most at risk for being offended...
165 Great peace have they which love thy law:
And nothing shall offend them.
Spiritual infancy is related to a lack of skill in the Word...
13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Why? Lack of knowledge… growth… relationship…
They might say, “Well that doesn’t convict me!”
Note: if a stronger Christian than I is convicted by something that I am not… I need to seriously pray and consider the Biblical truth of that conviction to apply to myself. It may be a lack of knowledge on why I am not convicted by it...
f.) The suppression of conviction of the conscience is a step toward shipwreck
18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; 19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
Putting away of the conscience leads to shipwreck...
If the Holy Spirit guides us into all truth...
When we push him down… suppress Him… “quench Him”...
It leads to being lead into deceit and eventually shipwreck...
g.) Those who depart from the faith have seared consciences
1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
Why do they depart?
Give heed to another spirit
Give heed to doctrines of devils
Speak lies in hypocrisy
Having their consciences seared with a hot iron...
Seared: burnt on the surface… cauterized…
You don’t just leave a Bible-living church, depart from solidified Bible doctrine, abandon the true Word of God and abandon all Biblical principals you once lived while being as close to the Lord as you ever have been and discerning the voice of the Holy Spirit...
You give heed to things in your life that should not be there...
This creates a ripple effect from one thing to the next...
To the point you are departing from the very faith you once preached about...
Why?
A seared conscience...
burnt on the surface
No longer sensitive to small and gentle touch
loss of nerves and feeling
h.) Service can be with a pure conscience
3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;
Only you and the Holy Spirit know if you are doing everything you can in your service for Him...
The Holy Spirit can convict us to give more… to do more… to try harder… to study more...
i.) Jesus’ sacrifice provides for a purging of your conscience from dead works to serve God
14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
j.) The conscience has to do with honesty vs. deceit
18 Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
The Holy Spirit, through conviction of my conscience, can help me determine honesty vs. deceit and help me live an honest life...
k.) A conscience can be toward or away from God
19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
l.) A good conscience puts the speaker of evil to shame because his accusations are not true
16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
3. Conviction stops you from doing wrong
3. Conviction stops you from doing wrong
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
They wanted to stone her
They wanted to deceive Jesus
Yet, conviction caused them to do the right thing… walk away
