CONVICTION by J. CLARKE.

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 16, 1860

CONVICTION

By J. CLARKE.

Is the legitimate work of the Spirit, so setting home the justice and goodness of God, and his law, as to alarm the transgressor, and set him to repenting, and calling him to the work of self-examination; and with such conviction comes the invitation, "Let the wicked man forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

But just here the enemy has a word to say. He thus addresses the sinner: "These promises sir, are not for you: you have sinned beyond mercy, and now only wrath and anguish is your portion." If this does not succeed, he says, "You have not repented deeply; these promises cannot apply to one in your condition: you must get in greater agony, then you may apply them to yourself." Often has the enemy persisted in such endeavors until reason was dethroned, or despair settled like an incubus upon the soul.

The Christian, perhaps, is encompassed with darkness and gloom. The Scriptures inform us that Job, and the prophets, and Christ himself endured great horror and distress of mind, anguish and distress of soul, and that their own sins had not brought this darkness upon them, but often burdens were laid upon them, and that the Christian should endure as seeing Him who is invisible, that man may rely upon the goodness and love of God, even in darkness and anguish of spirit; and while in the way of duty, even death cannot separate him from the love of God.

But the enemy steps in just here, as he sees the Christian tried and tempted, and informs him that he is in darkness because of some hidden sins, or some unpardoned sins, and that his past assurances of God's goodness were deceptive, and that he is now suffering the just vengeance of God, who will in no wise accept him; and thus by causing distrust as to the work God has already done for him, he despairs as to the future. If the enemy succeeds here, he gains his victim.

This darkness, says the tempter, is conviction for your sins, when perhaps the darkness is wholly a mist from Satan, and with this he thickens the gloom with such suggestions as best suit his purpose.

Conviction is rational and collected. It does not lead to despair, or to darkness, but to the promises and encouragement of God's word, for the good Spirit wounds only to heal, while the enemy wounds to destroy.

True conviction is calm and subduing; it melts rather than blasts; or if it breaks the heart in pieces, it points to a better, a holy state, a condition of entire happiness: it has nothing of despair or of desperation, nothing of fretfulness or of moroseness: these are accompaniments introduced by the enemy, and suggested by the evil heart of man.

There are many phases of false experience connected with conviction: not necessary, but consequent upon the existence of evil; and the Christian should study the subject thoroughly, and know what his true state is, what sin is, and be immovable in the right, always looking to Jesus as the source of all light and truth. J. CLARKE.