Lack of Conviction by Independent

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 1, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 13.

Lack of Conviction.

By Independent

It has been justly observed that, in most cases of conversion nowadays, there seems to be a lack of conviction. This is to a certain extent true. It arises from the fact that almost the entire emphasis in preaching has been placed upon immediate faith in Christ, without a clear and definite declaration of God's testimony as to sin. The Scriptures clearly and exhaustively set forth the fact of sin, its demerit and guilt; not for the purpose of putting the sinner in a despairing "slough of despond," but that he may fully understand and appreciate his need of a Saviour.

In our judgment, the work of Jesus Christ as the sin-bearer and sin-purger, is not sufficiently preached; at least not preached with sufficient clearness. He is indeed set forth as the reconciler to God; as the one through whom sinners are accepted, etc.; but the fact that he is such a Saviour because he has borne our sins and expiated them on the cross, is not so fully dwelt upon. Our true condition as sinners is best seen in the fact that, in order to our salvation, Jesus Christ was "made sin" for us, and had, in some mysterious way, to bear our sins in his own body and suffer for them. What must be the nature of sin? What its dreadful guilt to make it necessary for Christ to suffer in order to deliver us from the curse and justify us before God?

The sinner who studies Christ in this relation, will not long hold superficial views of sin. Indeed he will daily recognize, with deepening sense, the awful fact that sin was and is the one thing in the universe that God could not deal with except by punishment. And if the alternative of punishment is either in the offering which Jesus Christ made of himself to God, or in the "everlasting destruction [of the sinner] from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of his power," then there cannot be any light view of sin by him who is properly instructed.

Such an instructed sinner will, while he accepts salvation through Christ, daily turn away from sin with increasing detestation and loathing, and, at the same time, daily draw nearer in his affections to Christ because of such boundless love and grace on his part. Where these two affections co-exist, there can be no superficiality. It is the kind of preaching which leaves the mighty sin-expiating work of Christ in the shadow, instead of putting it in the very front of the proclamation which tends to lightness. God saves, and he saves instantly, because the emergency is great; but he can only save, and save instantly, because we have been redeemed "at such tremendous cost."

"Was it for crimes which I had done, He groaned upon the tree? Amazing pity, grace unknown, And love beyond degree!"

The man who wrote that hymn knew what sin was; and the convert who sings it understandingly cannot be a superficial Christian. Let us have clear, simple preaching, and then we will have clear, simple, and deep Christian life.—Independent.