Convinced and Convicted

The law does not save us, but we are convinced and convicted of our sin by the law. “For by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20, NKJV).

The law was sent “that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” (Romans 3:19). “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24).

“Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful” (Romans 7:12-13).

Paul was saying, “I couldn’t really confess my sins until I knew they were sins. I couldn’t seek after the holiness of God until I saw how far from him I was. The law hit home to me, destroying my nonchalance about sin. When I saw God’s holiness by his commandments, sin became utterly sinful to me.”

That is the conviction that drives you straight to the arms of Christ, crying, “Mercy, Lord! I can’t save myself, I can’t fulfill your law. I’ve seen the sin of my heart!”

Faith has been defined as the flight of a convicted, repentant sinner unto the mercy of God in Christ Jesus. Only the person who has been convicted of his sins by the law of God will flee to Christ for refuge.

On the day of Pentecost, Peter stood and offered the crowd the gospel of God’s grace. Before that, though, he put them under the blazing light of the law. He pointed his finger and said, “You have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death” (Acts 2:23). The people were pricked in their hearts, so utterly convicted by the word of God, that they cried out, “What shall we do?” (see Acts 2:37).

Adam was given the gospel of grace after his “eyes were opened” (see Genesis 3:7). It was only after he had seen his pitiful condition and the consequences of his sin that God brought to him the message of mercy and hope!