Once a child of God does the Holy Spirit convict of sin in someones life? John 16 says He convicts the unbeliever. But how is this with THE believer? Can someone biblically explain this?

And another question...
Is God concerned/busy about sin nowadays? Jesus carried all the sin of THE world on THE cross so how do we interprete this? If He isn't busy with sin should we be?

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Dirk

Yes, he does.
I have preached on this a couple of times, the difference is unbelievers are still under condemnation and the Holy Spirit is convicting to free them from sin and the condemnation, whereas for the believer 'there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus'
Conviction from the Holy Spirit in the believer is there to draw into a closer relationship with the Lord, to deal with issues that may prevent this relationship from deepening, the problem with a lot of Christians is that when the Holy Spirit convicts, they start feeling condemned and get bound up with guilt.
There's nothing wrong with initial guilt, but if it persists after repentance then there is a problem and it's not from God - the enemy can have a field day with this!
God is concerned about sin, as it prevents a deep relationship, this is why one of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to convict of sin so it can be dealt with.
Jesus paid the price of all sin with his blood on the cross, as blood had to be shed to atone for the sin, so all we have to do is ask forgiveness and God looks at us through the blood of Jesus and sees the debt is paid and we can be free.
If you PM me with your email address I'll send you my bible study notes I preached on conviction and condemnation - the difference between the two.

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Ceri Elaine

[i]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. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.[/i](John 16:13-15)

The Holy Spirit glorifies Christ by opening our spiritual eyes to the riches available in Jesus, He shows that unto you. When we behold Christ in this way we become like Him;

[i]But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.[/i](2Corinthians 3:18)

Like Isaiah, when we behold Him as He truly is we see ourselves as we truly are, and all we can say is, "woe is me!" Our sins and iniquities are exposed so very clearly in the light of His glory as revealed by the Holy Spirit. [i]Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.[/i](Isaiah 6:5).

With each fresh revelation of the Lord of glory the Spirit is dealing with sin and all that hinders the life of Christ from being manifested in and through us.

In Christ,

Ron

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Ron Halverson

How do you people look at this article? http://randykhoo.blogspot.com/2009/08/does-holy-spirit-convict-you-of-sin.html

Is this biblical and if not what does the word then say? Just curious about peoples opinions and wanting to learn truth in all of this.

God bless

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Dirk

Hi Dirk.
I disagree with Randy Khoo.
He is presenting an unbalanced view.
There just has to be conviction in order to bring about repentance - and the act of repentance that leads to sins forgiven, God declares us not guilty' and chooses to forget. The two go together.

To say that the Holy Spirit does not convict believers is like saying that God does not discipline His own as a father who loves his children - which as we know is contradictory to scripture, you cannot do it!

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Ceri Elaine

I understand your point and it helps me. Another thought some have is... where does it say that in the bible that the Spirit convicts believers then? Some say the Spirit will only show you are a child of God instead of convicting of sin. Because the sins you committed have already been forgiven. Jesus carried it all and don't remember it anymore because it's gone. How do we deal with these thoughts then? So the thought is then... the Spirit doesn't convict of sin, but convicts/declares your childhood and that there is no condemnation.
Also trying to get this good in picture because it's good to know these things and understand this in a biblical way so if you could help me that would be great.

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Dirk

DirkW,

More & more of the popular preachers are saying this (ie Joseph Prince).

But consider 2 Corinthians 7:8-12,

"8 For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. 9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. 11 For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter. 12 Therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong, nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you."

Paul was pleased that they experienced godly sorrow (or conviction of sin), which brought repentance and a change in their behavior.

Also, consider Ephesians 4:30,

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

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Lisa

Hi Dirk - after seeing the link you placed from Randy Khoo, I think I'm understanding your problem more - and it is in the meaning and understanding of the word 'convict'

For a believer it is not in the sense of being condemned or pronounced 'guilty' by a judge - or that we are condemned prisoners serving a prison sentence.

With a believer how does the Holy Spirit convict of sin? It is through our conscience.

That is why those who continue to sin after being convicted of sin, lose their sense of conscience 'as having it seared with a hot iron' scripture says.
We often say whenever we see or hear of people doing wrong "he/she must have no conscience!"

The word for 'convict' in the new testament is 'Elegcho' and is used once to mean convict; To convince (4 times); To rebuke (5 times); To reprove (once); To discover (once); To tell one's fault (once)

Of course a believer who has repented of the past is forgiven, the slate is wiped clean, as scripture says 'He declares us not guilty!' - But the Holy Spirit is still always at work in the life of a believer, prompting, speaking and guiding, through our conscience, our heart and mind, bringing things to our attention that need dealing with - but not as a judge shouting 'you are condemned!' but to 'convince' on times 'rebuke' and to 'tell of one's fault' as a father disciplines and chastises his children in love.

It is an ongoing process until the end of our days which is why the Psalmist prays in Psalm 139 v 23 'Search me O God and know my heart...point out anything in me that offends you' He does not presume that he is righteous, but wants God to tell him about things that he wasn't even aware of in his heart - and this is the role of the Holy Spirit in us, convicting, rebuking, prompting, making us aware of faults, bringing to the surface things hidden in our hearts that are not pleasing to Him.
To keep molding us, to keep us growing in Him and growing the fruit of His Spirit.

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Ceri Elaine

I was reading Ceri’s response and saw your link and I agree with her.

I would like to add that you pray about what you read and by whom.

It’s ok if these guys on that website want to believe what they believe, but they don’t have to propagate to young believers who don’t even know the basic word of God OR exactly what they believe, let alone trying to apply and live by what someone else believes.

This belief these guys have (to me) is a distraction (one of many actually). A person who focuses on whether or not the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin instead of actually living in a relationship with Christ and dying to our flesh nature (self)... so it’s a distraction from the enemy in my book; but that’s just me!

I personally have beliefs that other people would call weird (huge grin), but I do try to keep what I believe to myself and not mislead others especially those who are young in the Lord.

I teach women at the local jail and they all think I believe in OSAS and in the pre-tribulation rapture of the church!! LOL To me, these things are not the whole gospel and I will not influence their walk in Christ. They might hyper focus on those things instead of walking with Christ and dying to self. There is probably a LOT that I am going to stand in judgment for; but I refuse to knowingly add to that list by misleading a babe in Christ or causing them to be distracted on their journey.

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Lisa