Q 33: How are nonbelievers convicted of sin under the preaching of the Law?
A 33: The Spirit of God convicts those He has chosen to save, so that they turn from their sins and receive Jesus as Savior and Lord (Jn. 16.8-11; Jn. 1.12)
We must not presume to do the Lord’s work in anything other than the Lord’s way. It is not the Lord’s way to bring any to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ apart from recognition of and repentance from sin. Jesus is not just the “Friend” of sinners; He is their Judge. And unless they confess their sins before this Judge, they will not know Him as their Friend.
The Spirit of God works with the Law of God to bring conviction of sin, as the Apostle Paul indicates (Rom. 7.7). We do the work of the Spirit with the Spirit when, as part of our proclamation of the Good News of the Kingdom of God, we declare the Law and call for confession of and repentance from sin.
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