Pneumatology 2024/25 Discussion Board 1

[pastorderrick]

Refer to an instance of the conviction ministry of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. List three things it proves.

Your essay should be at least 500 words.

Paste the same submission from the previous step here by clicking on the REPLY link just above. Your submission should be made on or before 11:59 p.m. (WAT) on Wednesday the 1st of January 2025.

Then scroll down to see your peer submission and click reply to comment on their submissions. You MUST comment on at least one post with a minimum of 200 words on or before 11:59 p.m. (WAT) on Friday the 3rd of January 2025. Your comments will also be graded.

[VictorKachi]

The event of the Holy Spirit being received by Cornelius’s household is truly a distinctive instance of the convictive power of the Holy Spirit.
From this story, some fascinating facts can be ascertained.
1. This proves that salvation starts with conviction:
The point at which someone experiences salvation is not strictly when they lift their hand or step forward during an evangelistic invitation. It is more accurately at the instant they yield to God and genuinely place their trust in Jesus from their hearts.
For one to be saved, he must first believe in his heart (Rom 10:10), and this happens as a result of the prompting by the Holy Spirit. To “believe in your heart” transcends mere intellectual agreement; it encompasses a profound, personal reliance and dedication. This conviction is not shallow but life-changing, influencing every aspect of a person’s existence and conduct. The heart, regarded as the foundation of faith, highlights the genuineness and depth necessary for a true Christian journey.

2. This proves that the Conviction of the Holy Spirit is divinely orchestrated and it isn’t one-sided:
God isn’t partial, He reaches out to unbelievers (Jews and Gentiles) alike.
It is interesting to note that at the time Cornelius and his household received the Holy Spirit, they were not yet believers, not yet baptized, and not yet saved. Cornelius was not a Christian in the sense that he was not yet regenerated or born again, yet in this case God heard his prayers and remembered his generosity to others
Just as God communicated with Cornelius, He also reached out to Peter himself.
“Two men are separated by thirty miles. They need to be united. In the midst of Joppa’s bustling trade and Caesarea’s significant shipping activities, completely unaware of the unfolding events, God, watching over His own from the shadows, sends an angel to Caesarea and induces an ecstatic trance in Joppa. In this manner, they were brought together.

3. The Holy Spirit doesn’t condemn, it convicts by honouring the finished work of Christ:
He points us to the already finished work of Christ. The message Peter preached was clear. Peter’s point was not to imply that men like Cornelius were already right with God and don’t need to become Christians. Instead, the point is that they need not feel excluded from God because of their national background.
Peter’s sermon was a wonderful (brief and perhaps condensed by Luke) explanation of the person and work of Jesus of Nazareth:

*Jesus was baptized in identification with humanity.
*Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power. Jesus went about doing good and healing, delivering those oppressed by the devil. Jesus did this with the power of God, for God was with Him.(vs 38)

*Jesus did these things in the presence of eyewitnesses. Jesus was crucified. He was raised from the dead, resurrected in view of many witnesses. (vs 40)

*Jesus commanded His followers to preach the message of who He is and what He did.
He is ordained by God to be Judge of the entire world. And He is the one foretold by the prophets. (vs 41-43).
Peter permitted the Holy Spirit to intervene during his message. The Holy Spirit was achieving a more significant transformation in the hearts of the listeners, and Peter chose to follow that lead. He paused and invited them to be baptized

In conclusion, God, despite his sovereignty gave room to our will and decisions. The Holy Spirit convicts us but our decisions are needed. The Holy Spirit did not directly, supernaturally open Cornelius’ heart. Rather, the Holy Spirit miraculously fell on the household of Cornelius afterwards. Thus, giving credence to the truth that believing in our Heart and confession with our mouth, are needed to complete our spirit’s transformation ignited by the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

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