John 16:8

“And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.”

John 16:8

When one hears the word “conviction,” there is usually a sense of fear. In the courtroom, a conviction usually means a sentence is being passed down on a guilty individual. However, when the Bible speaks of conviction, it is something that is being given for our good from the Holy Spirit to the believer. It is a way that a Christian can be reminded, redirected, and enlightened for use by God. It is not something that is to be feared. On the other hand, we have the evil cousin of conviction which is “condemnation.” This does not come from God or the Holy Spirit, but from the enemy.                        

Condemnation is not a part of God’s vocabulary when it comes to one of His children. Paul was speaking from the heart of God when he told the church at Rome that, “There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Once we receive the gift of salvation and enter into the family of God, we are no longer under condemnation. We might feel guilty from things we do at times, but the guilt we feel is the conviction of the Holy Spirit trying to get us back on to the path of truth and righteousness. It is a spirit of conviction that God gives to those He loves. Under no circumstances is condemnation from God directed towards us. That is a lie from the enemy of God. Listen to His Spirit and know that we have been bought with a price that no one can take away.

God Bless,

Paul Provencio