Ministrymaker Magazine

David cried out to the Lord, “Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me” (Psalms 51:11). David said this after dealing with his sin with Bathsheba. This is something that should be the constant cry of every true born again believer. When we cease to feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit in our life, we are in a desperate situation.

It’s amazing to me how many who claim to be born again believers today can jump headlong into a multitude of sins and feel no conviction whatsoever. It is an indictment against the time in which we live if there ever was one. It is what Paul wrote to Timothy concerning our hearts being seared with a hot iron (1 Timothy 4:2) and John’s word to the lukewarm Laodicean Church (Revelation 3:14-22).

Jesus said, “when He (the Holy Spirit) is come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness and of judgment” (John 16:8). If He convicts the world, how much more His children when they drift into sin?

There are five definitions of sin or different categories that sins fall under. We, as born again children of God, should sense deep conviction when we transgress in any of these areas. I will list them briefly.

Missing the mark

During the time the King James Bible was translated archery was common. When the archer shot his arrow and missed the bullseye, someone would yell, “Sin”, signifying he had missed the mark.

We have missed God’s mark for us. Our target is God’s perfection and holiness (Matthew 5:48 and 1 Peter 1:15-16). We have all missed and will continue to fall short of His mark for us (Romans 3:23). The problem is we have stopped trying to hit the mark. The Bible makes it clear that without the pursuit of holiness no one will ever see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). Let us, once again, attempt to hit His mark for us.

Sins of commission (1 John 3:4)

This is purposely doing what we know God has forbidden; transgressing the law or Word of God. There are things God has clearly forbidden. If we do them, knowing He has said not to, we are sinning against Him. We all struggle with things, and at times slip and fall. The problem is, far too many Christians do things they know God has forbidden and don’t think twice about it. It doesn’t seem to bother them at all. This simply should not be.

Sins of omission (James 4:17)

This is not doing what we know God has commanded us to do. There are many Christians who seldom fall into sins of commission (doing bad things), and feel good about their right standing with God. On the other hand, they go through their days constantly failing to do the things they know God has told them to do. This too is sin. Take some time to think of things God has said you should do that you are not doing. Confess them as sin, and purpose to start doing them.

Violation of our conscience or personal convictions (Romans 14:1-5 and 23)

There are, as Paul calls here, “disputable areas.” These are things that one person may feel convicted to do or not to do. What may be sin for one, another may have perfect liberty in. These are things that are not clear cut in scripture. Paul says they are to be left up to personal conviction. If we violate our conscious in these disputable areas we are sinning. We are to respect the convictions of others, and at the same time not look down on those who have liberty in their area of conviction (Romans 14:3-5).

Failure to live by faith (Romans 14:23)

“The just shall live by faith” (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17). Abraham was declared righteous because he believed God (Romans 4). We are justified before God the same way (Romans 5:1). It is interesting that Paul says, “from faith to faith” (Romans 1:17). We are to go from saving faith to living faith (living by faith). It’s one thing to get saved by faith, but it’s another thing to walk by faith. If we are not living by faith it is sin, “for whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Romans 14:23).

Many have been saved by faith in Jesus but have not gone on to live (walk) by faith. Notice it says, “The just shall live by faith”. It’s a lifestyle. The writer of Hebrews takes it a step further and says, “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him” (Hebrews 10:38). He later says, “But without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). The entire chapter that follows talks of men and women who did great things for God by faith. They took great risks, doing all they felt God was telling them, in spite of impossible odds and circumstances. Living by faith takes great courage and is not for the faint hearted. Are we living a life a faith? I challenge you to read Hebrews 11 thoroughly and see how the greats lived by faith – and strive to follow their example, “of whom the world was not worthy” (Hebrews 11:38).

“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5 NIV).