Conviction

I've always been one to question the status quo. It gets me in trouble sometimes. Oh well.

Was in a conversation last night, and was asked, "Don't you believe the Holy Spirit convicts people?" My first response was, "It's the kindness of God that leads us to repentance. Not conviction." (Rom. 2:4)

But this morning I started studying out the word "convict," "conviction," "convicted," etc. I found it once in KJV. John 8:9 - the story of the woman caught in adultery. After Jesus set the religious guys straight, they left, one at a time, each "convicted BY THEIR OWN CONSCIENCE."

Did the same search in NASB. It comes from the word ELEGCHO (same root word as used in Jn. 8:9) meaning "to refute, confute, find fault with, correct, punish."

John 16:8-11. Holy Spirit will CONVICT (CORRECT) the world concerning sin because they do not believe in Jesus. He will CONVICT (CORRECT) the world concerning righteousness because He was going to the Father and the disciples would no longer see Him. He will CONVICT (CORRECT) the world concerning judgment because the ruler of this world HAS BEEN judged. I've heard this passage explained lots of times, and I'm still don't completely "get it," but understanding that CONVICT also means CORRECT makes it more clear. The world has some erroneous views concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. Holy Spirit is CORRECTING those wrong views.

Jude 1:14-15. This is a prophecy of a time when the "Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly..." Same root word as the others. This, to me, sounds not like a "drawing" to God, but a time of punishment.

So do I believe the Holy Spirit CONVICTS people? No, I don't believe He makes us feel guilty or shamed. I believe it's His kindness that leads us to repentance (Rom. 2:4).

Luke 19. Zaccheus was a scoundrel. Jesus said, "Come down - I'm eating with you today." It was His kindness that led Zaccheus to say, "I'm giving half of everything I own to the poor. And if I've defrauded anyone, I'll pay them back 4 times!" (I think this it's funny that he said "IF I've defrauded anyone ...")

The only people that Jesus was harsh towards were the religious stuffed shirts. His very presence - the love that exuded from Him - caused demons to fall before Him, sinners to repent, and religious people to become enraged.

Does God want us to quit sinning? YES!! Why? Because sin has consequences that hurt us, not because He, in His holiness, can't look at sin. Who was chasing whom in the garden when Adam sinned? Wasn't God, fully aware of what had happened, going out to walk with Adam, as always?

Your thoughts?