ConvictionClick for the Bible study forward

Key Verse: Key Verse: Acts 2:37Now 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?

Question: What does the key verse mean to you?

LESSON:

They were cut to the heart, in other words, they were convicted of their wrong doing, of their lost condition, of their past actions that were contrary to the way and will of God. They were convicted of having crucified the very son of God! Every person must one day face the fact that Jesus Christ died for their sins so that they might be redeemed from the penalty of death for having broken God’s laws (Romans 3:23-24).

Sin has separated us from God (Isaiah 59:2). The answer is to repent, but the problem is for a person to repent they must be convicted in their hearts that they need to repent. One person learns that they are lost and a sinner but does nothing about it and another person learns the exact same thing and is moved to do something about it. What is the difference in the two people? CONVICTION! God’s witness who is bringing His word to a lost person must be patient (2 Timothy 2:24-26). Notice first that God must grant a person repentance and, second, the unrepentant person has been taken captive by Satan. God, through His Holy Spirit, must touch the person’s hard heart to bring about conviction. The Bible talks about a person’s heart being circumcised (Deuteronomy 10:16).

A person may have “head knowledge” that they are a sinner and may sit on that knowledge for years without moving to do anything about it. But when their “head knowledge” also becomes “heart knowledge” they will be much more inclined to do something about it. You may have been thinking for years that you needed to have your house checked for termites but did nothing about it, until the day came when you saw the damage they had already done to your house. When this happened you were convinced and convicted to TAKE ACTION!

The salvation process has three elements: the first being God’s Calling (John 6:37, 44, 65), the second element is God’s revealing of some truth to the one being called. If they accept that, then God gives them some more truth (Matthew 13:10-12; Luke 16:10). If they don’t accept that truth then for mercy’s sake He allows them to be

blinded and hardens their hearts (John 12:40; 2; 2 Thessalonians 2:10-11). Truth sets you free from the bonds of sin (John 8:32), as one man said, “It’s not the truth that sets you free but the truth THAT YOU KNOW.” A lot of people know that Jesus died for them and that they are sinners, but they live their lives as if they don’t really know it or care. That leads us to the third element in the salvation process, GOD’S CONVICTION. There must be some conviction and they must have the truth revealed to them. They must know the truth. There was a somewhat famous line in a movie that said, “You can’t handle the truth.” If God knows that you aren’t ready to handle the truth then He will, in His mercy and patience, wait for a different time ((2 Peter 3:9). When a person accepts some truth and is convicted that the truth he has accepted is in fact truth and that it applies to him, he will make an effort to obey it. The person must be convinced through conviction that:1. They are under the death penalty because of sin. They must know the Biblical definition of sin ((1 John 3:4; Romans 6:23)2. Obedience is desired because of salvation BUT obedience is NOT what saves them. It is Jesus Christ and the fact that HIS BLOOD and sacrifice paid the penalty for us, making atonement for all our sins.3. They must repent and want to be baptized so that they might receive God’s the Holy Spirit, which will give them life and power over sin and reveal more truth to them.

A person who is honest with himself is a person whom God can convict. God will not work with the person who will not be honest with himself and admit that they are a sinner (Luke 18:10-14). God could cause things to happen in their lives that would compel them to become not only honest with themselves but broken and desperately seeking God in a manner of a few days if He so desired. However, God’s timetable is not the same as ours. The person who is not being honest with himself will make excuses as to why he doesn’t believe in a God or as to why he is not so bad. They will make excuses as to why they cannot obey Him. The honest person will admit that they are not totally right with God.

 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What keeps a person from being honest with himself?(Proverbs 16:18)

2. How easy or difficult is it for a person to admit being wrong?(Genesis 3:11-13; 1 Samuel 15:13-23)

3. Is a person who refuses to admit to being wrong deceiving himself?(Jeremiah 5:30-31, 17:9)

4. How might a person know if they are in fact being convicted?(1 Kings 21:27; John 8:9; Acts 2:37)

5. Does God sometimes use another person to show us our sin and to bring conviction?(Samuel 12:1-13)

6. Is one purpose of the law to bring conviction?(Romans 4:15; Romans 5:13)

7. In the book “Praying Effectively for the Lost” the author said, “……whoever controls the mind controls the person. If Satan can continue to control the mind of an unsaved individual, he will be able to keep him from being saved. The only way for him to do this is to keep the person blinded to the gospel, for anyone in his “right” mind will choose Jesus over Satan and Heaven over hell EVERY single time!” What role does Satan play in keeping people from coming to conviction?(Acts 26:18)

FOR FURTHER STUDY:Luke 5:8 Peter saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.Acts 9:3-6 The Damascus Road experience of Saul.Acts 26:27-28 King Agrippa almost persuaded.James 4:17 He that knows to do good and does not do it commits sin.

Study 1 CONVICTION(Scripture Portion: John 16: 1-11)

The salvation of a soul is always preceded and accompanied by the convicting work of the Holy Spirit. No one is ever truly saved without experiencing this conviction of which Jesus spoke in John 16:7-11. People often think that they can be saved “at will”; that is, just when they decide they would like to be saved, and very often those who preach the gospel fail to realise how imperative it is to secure the convicting work of the Holy Spirit if ever spiritual results are to be produced. In the salvation of a soul it is always God who takes the initiative – look up Genesis 3:9 and John 15:16. If God did not seek man, man would never seek after God – look up Romans 3:11, and compare John 5:6 and 6:44. This raises the question: How does the Father draw men and women to Christ? The answer is – by the Holy Spirit, and the first great work that the Holy Spirit accomplishes is the work of conviction; this means, in simple terms, that He convinces us of our desperate need of a Saviour – look up Genesis 6:3 and Hebrews 3:7-8. His “striving” and His “speaking” are all with a view to His great work of conviction.

1. OF WHAT DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVICT THE SINNER?

1. He convicts the sinner of SIN. Not simply “of sins”, the fruit, but “of sin”, the root, and of the paramount sin of unbelief – the sin of rejecting Christ (John 16:9). Our consciences, if they are not too seared (1 Timothy 4:2), will convict us of sins, such as theft, untruthfulness or jealousy, but it is only when the Holy Spirit opens our eyes that we see the enormity of the sin of rejecting the Saviour whom God has provided. The greatest sin anyone can commit, and the one sin by which we are condemned, is the sin of rejecting Christ – look up John 3:18 and 3:36.

2. He convicts the sinner of RIGHTEOUSNESS. He convicts of a righteousness which is required (Isaiah 64:6); of a righteousness which is provided by God and offered to man in the Person of His Son (2 Corinthians 5:21), and which is receivable by faith (Romans 3:21-22). Apart from the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, man has no true conception of his own unrighteousness or of God’s righteousness (John 16:10).

3. He convicts the sinner of JUDGMENT. The Holy Spirit convinces man that Satan, and all who belong to him, are already doomed – see verse 11, and look up Hebrews 2:14; Revelation 12:7-9 and 20:10.

What great need there is today for this three-fold convicting work of the Holy Spirit! There is no substitute for it. Organisation, the personality of the preacher, etc., all fail. Only the Holy Spirit can convince men of their desperate need of the Saviour.

2. HOW DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT BRING THIS CONVICTION?

1. He does His work of conviction through the preaching of the Gospel. The Word of God, the gospel, the “sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17), is the powerful instrument which He uses (Hebrews 4:12) to effect the salvation of all who believe (Romans 1:16). We shall only see conviction resulting from our preaching if we are faithfully preaching “the gospel” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), and “the whole will of God” (Acts 20:27). When Peter preached the gospel on the Day of

Pentecost his hearers were convicted of sin (Acts 2:23), of righteousness (Acts 2:24 and 33), and of judgment (Acts 2:19-20) – as verse 37 tells us.

2. He does His work of conviction through the personal witnessing of Christians. He does it not only by public preaching, but by personal witnessing, as was the case when Philip preached Christ (Acts 8:26-39); when Paul reasoned with Felix (Acts 24:24-25), and when Paul testified before Agrippa (Acts 26:26-29).

3. He does His work of conviction by special providences and interventions. Saul was brought under conviction by a sudden revelation of the Lord Himself as he travelled down the Damascus road (Acts 9:1-6); the people of Joppa were brought under conviction by the death and miraculous resurrection of Dorcas (Acts 9:36-42 – and note verse 42); the jailer was brought under conviction, not only by the testimony of Paul and Silas (Acts 16:25), but by the earthquake which God sent (Acts 16:26 – note verse 30).

4. He does His work of conviction in answer to the prayers of God’s people. Here is scope, not only for the preacher, but for the Christians who are present in a gospel meeting, to pray with the preacher for the convicting work of the Holy Spirit to accompany the message as it goes forth – look up Matthew 18:19.

5. He does His work of conviction through cleansed, yielded and Spirit-filled lives. Stephen was stoned to death (Acts 7:54-60), and Saul witnessed his death (verse 58); he heard his testimony and he saw his Christ-like spirit (verse 59). Was it not at this point that Saul first became convicted?

In closing, note John 16:7-8: “I will send him to you. When he comes (to you), he will convict…” The measure in which He can convict is the measure in which He has come “to you.”

Mark #6: Biblical Conviction

Introduction

Romans 4:18-22. 18 Against hope Abraham believed in hope with the result that he became the father of many nations according to the pronouncement, “so will your descendants be.” 19 Without being weak in faith, he considered his own body as dead (because he was about one hundred years old) and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver in unbelief about the promise of God but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God. 21 He was fully convinced that what God promised he was also able to do. 22 So indeed it was credited to Abraham as righteousness.

Abraham is called “the father of us all” (Rom. 4:16). From the standpoint of faith, he was certainly the epitome of a man of biblical conviction as the book of Genesis and the above passage demonstrates. When all the odds were stacked against him, and even though at times he tried to give God a hand by taking matters into his own hands, he tenaciously held on to the promise of God.

But what exactly do we mean by the term conviction? Conviction means “the act or process of convincing,” “the state of being convinced,” or “a fixed or strong belief.” Thus, by biblical conviction we mean convictions or beliefs derived from and based on a commitment to Scripture, the Bible. As God’s Holy Word, it is the absolute index for the whole of our lives—faith and practice.

Conviction refers to the state of being convinced and confident that something is true; it means a strong persuasion or belief. In other words, conviction stands opposed to doubt and skepticism. When we think of a man of conviction, we also think in terms of action and direction. We think of a person whose convictions have a definite impact on how he lives, on what he does, says, and where he goes. By a man of biblical convictions we mean a man whose convictions are derived from Scripture and whose convictions affect him scripturally.

Biblical conviction is really the product of three things that characterize the ideal Christian leader or the person of maturity: (a) a commitment to Scripture as one’s authority, (b) the construction of specific beliefs and convictions based on that authority, and (c) the courage to act on those convictions in faith.

Illustrations

Isaiah

In the early chapters of Isaiah we see a nation that was destitute in its leadership. The leaders were viewed as adulterated, polluted, and diluted with the ideas and opinions of the world. As a result, Isaiah calls them “mere lads” and “capricious children” (Isa. 3:4, NASB). They were like immature boys who acted not out of biblical conviction, but out of caprice: from the whims and fancies of their wants and selfishly-motivated opinions. This resulted in expedient and arbitrary decisions where the end justified the means (cf. Isa. 1:21f; 3:1ff).

But what was the root cause of this failure then and now as we observe the deplorable leadership we see in our government, and far too often in the church? In place of the Word as their index for life, they had listened to influences from the East. They were religious, but they had abandoned the Word of the Lord and were a people without biblical convictions (cf. Isa. 1:10f; 2:5f; 5:13 with 20-24; and 8:16-22).

Apostate Leaders

The book of 2 Peter provides us with another illustration of the necessity of biblical convictions based on the absolutes of the Word. What was the basic problem of 2 Peter? It was apostate leadership or false teachers who were leading people astray in both doctrine and in moral behavior because one always follows the other. Unrighteousness is invariably linked to ungodliness and ungodliness is linked to unsound doctrine or a rejection of the truth (cf. 2:1-3, 14f). But remember, the degree of apostasy described in 2 Peter 2 and 3 never occurs overnight; it is a gradual and sometimes almost imperceptible process, at least at first. Such is the subtlety and the danger of failing to have sound biblical convictions. It is one of the reasons immature men are never to be chosen as elders (see 1 Tim. 1:6) and why doctrinal soundness is needed in mature leaders (Tit. 1:9).

If we do not reckon with its early symptoms and protect ourselves by a right position and behavior toward the Word, we gradually become desensitized and we then become more and more open to the deceptions of Satan and the secular and profane world. It’s like the illustration of what happens when a frog is placed in a beaker of cold water and then slowly brought to a boil

in contrast to what happens if you drop him into water that is already boiling. He will jump out of the boiling pot, but he doesn’t even notice if the water is slowly brought to a boil.

This is why 2 Peter 1 (which precedes the section on apostasy) is protective and becomes an important passage on leadership. Second Peter chapter 1 not only deals with the concept of commitment to the Word, its value, and nature as the God-breathed revelation from God, but it does two more things: (a) it naturally exhorts us to mature Christian qualities which are, of course, qualities essential to leadership, and (b) then warns against that constant tendency to regress rather than continue to grow and mature. Like the second law of thermodynamics, things tend to go downhill.

Remembering that a man of biblical convictions is one who is affected scripturally, let’s note a spiritual law: The Law of Spiritual Deterioration. Pollution of the Word (the mingling of our ideas, the failure to develop biblical convictions based on sound exegesis) leads to polluted thinking. Polluted living then leads to a loss of sound biblical leadership (i.e., men of biblical convictions). This leads to a breakdown in the home which in turn leads to the breakdown of society as is so evident in the early chapters of Isaiah.

Now, what exactly is meant by a commitment to Scripture? May I suggest that this includes at least three things:

(1) Recognition of Scripture as inspired and thus inerrant and the final word. The Bible becomes our index (2 Pet. 1:20-21; 2 Tim 3:16).

(2) Commitment to Scripture as our standard for thinking. Everyone has convictions, but are they biblical convictions? We must use the Word to filter everything that comes into our minds so we can bring every thought captive to the standard of Scripture. If, after careful study, they fit with the truth of Scripture, they are then qualified to be called biblical convictions. This means Scripture always takes priority over our opinions, experiences, and background. When we fail to do this we adulterate or pollute the Word and weaken its impact on our lives. A wrong understanding of Scripture will eventually necessitate wrong behavior. In other words, by the wrong approach, we can negate its authority over us (Mark 7:13; 4:23; Luke 8:18; 2 Tim. 1:13-14; 3:14; 1 Tim. 6:20; 4:6; 1:3, 11).

(3) Commitment to Scripture means a commitment to excellence in its study, use, and application. This means being careful students who seek to rightly handle the Word (2 Tim. 2:15). The higher our view of the Bible, the more painstaking and conscientious our commitment and study should be. If the Bible is the Word of God, then away with slovenly, slipshod exegesis and application; away with that tendency to insert our opinions on the text; away with ignoring the text and assuming our ideas are correct without carefully studying the Word until it yields up its spiritual treasures (2 Tim. 2:14-19).

Thus, we have three responsibilities: (1) a commitment to Scripture, (2) the construction of biblical convictions, and (3) the courage to act on those convictions.

 

 

Appendix: Discussion Questions for Marks of Maturity

MEN 7/52 is a men's ministry of bible.org. Our desire is to see all men become true followers of Jesus Christ 7 days a week/52 weeks a year.

These studies were developed in a team training environment where men were being trained for their role as church leaders, as fathers, and as effective members of a society that desperately needs to see what authentic, biblical Christianity looks like. So, exactly what does a mature Christian look like? A mature Christian is a believer whose life begins to take on the character of Christ-likeness. But what exactly is that? What are the specific qualities that mark out a person as Christ-like? This is the focus and point of this study.

The qualities that should characterize Christian leaders are also the marks of spiritual maturity as described in the Bible. While all of the qualities that will be discussed in this series are not unique to Christianity and are often promoted and taught in the secular world, many of them are, by their very nature, distinctive to the Bible or biblical Christianity. Thus, the characteristics that should mark out a Christian leader are also the marks of biblical maturity which are in essence the product of true spirituality. In fact, biblical spirituality can be described by the term maturity since Christian maturity is the result of growth produced by the ministry of the Spirit in the light of the Word over time. It is this biblical/spiritual element, at least in part, that makes the marks of Christian leadership distinctively Christian.

Session 7

1. Using the text and a dictionary, please write a definition for the word “conviction”.

2. What is the definition of “biblical conviction”?

3. What stands opposite of conviction?

4. Please give a detailed description of a man of biblical conviction.

5. What three components are necessary to produce true biblical conviction?

6. Please answer this question carefully and accurately. How much time do you spend each week doing the following activities?

Watching TV: Playing golf: Engaging in a hobby: On your computer: Reading newspapers and books:

Taking work home: Reading the Bible:

7. How would you describe yourself as a man of biblical conviction?

8. Which teachings in Scripture do you have difficulty accepting or believing?

9. Are there commands or teachings in the New Testament that you believe are not relevant today? If so, which ones?

10. "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6).

Do you believe that the only way to eternal life with God in heaven is through faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Please explain your answer.

11. Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

Do you believe that each element of this passage is true? Please explain your answer.

12. Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God (James 4:4).

What does it mean to be a friend of the world?

13. A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety (1 Timothy 2:11-15).

Knowing that God is speaking through Paul and makes this statement without condition, please explain how the church must be obedient to this command.

14. But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep (2 Peter 2:1-3).

How are false prophets infiltrating the church today and where have their teachings been adopted by today’s church? What about your church?

15. What happens when we do not protect ourselves against false teachers by a right position and behavior toward the Word?

16. In 2 Peter 1, what two components of biblical maturity are presented?

17. Please explain, in your own words, the Law of Spiritual Deterioration.

18. What three elements are necessary for a commitment to Scripture? Please describe them in detail.

19. What happens when Scripture is not a priority over our opinions, experiences, and background?

20. Group Discussion: What will you do, beginning now, to exercise your mature, biblical responsibilities in the following?

Your commitment to Scripture: Your construction of biblical convictions: Your courage to act on those convictions:

Teach And Preach Biblical Conviction

By Rick Warren — May 21, 2014

“So we continue to preach Christ to each person, using all wisdom to warn and to teach everyone, in order to bring each one into God's presence as a mature person in Christ.” (Colossians 1:28 NCV)

The third measure of spiritual growth is conviction. Dictionaries usually define conviction as a fixed or strong belief. Conviction is really much more than that. Your convictions include your values, commitments, and motivations. I like the definition I once heard Howard Hendricks give: “A belief is something you will argue about. A conviction is something you will die for!” Our convictions determine our conduct. They motivate us to act in certain ways.

When you first become a Christian, you often do things simply because other Christians around you suggest them or model them. You may pray, read the Bible, and attend services because you see the examples of others. This is fine for a new Christian. Little children learn the same way. However, as you grow, you must eventually develop your own reasons for doing what you do. Those reasons become convictions. Biblical convictions are essential for spiritual growth and maturity.

A person without conviction is at the mercy of circumstances. If you don’t determine what’s important and how you’ll live, other people will determine it for you. A person without conviction is a weak, jellyfish type of individual who mindlessly follows the crowd. I believe Paul was talking about conviction when he said in Romans 12:2, “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within ...” (Phillips)

The church must teach biblical convictions to counter the secular values that believers are constantly exposed to. As the old cliché goes, If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything. What is ironic today is that people often have strong conviction about weak issues (football, fashions, etc.) while having weak convictions about major issues (what is right and what is wrong).

Knowing what to do (knowledge), why to do it (perspective), and how to do it (skill) is all worthless if you don’t have the conviction to motivate you to actually do it!

Jesus’ life was dominated by his conviction that he was sent to do the Father’s will. This produces a deep awareness of his life’s purpose that kept him from being distracted by the agenda of others. Study all the times Jesus used the phrase “I must ...” to gain insight into the convictions that he held. When people develop Christ-like convictions, they too develop a sense of purpose in life.

Conviction also has an attractive quality to it. This explains the popularity of many cults. Their beliefs are erroneous and often illogical, but they believe them with such intense conviction. In contrast, churches without clear, strong convictions will never attract the level of commitment that Christ deserves. We must teach and preach with conviction.

Talk About It

What are the things about which you speak with conviction?

How would your effectiveness in ministry and evangelism change if you spoke with the most conviction about these things?

Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and most influential churches. Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller "The Purpose Driven Life." His book, "The Purpose Driven Church," was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. He is also the founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for pastors.

This devotional ©2012 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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