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Gold Tried in the Fire - Robert J. Wieland

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aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong> Holy Spirit; but even <strong>the</strong>n it's not He<br />

who has forsaken you, but you who have forsaken<br />

Him.<br />

Suppose one has already made mistakes after<br />

he has decided to follow Christ. What does <strong>the</strong><br />

Spirit do now? He shifts gears and has ano<strong>the</strong>r<br />

work to do for us:<br />

4. He gives <strong>the</strong> gift of repentance. There are<br />

three dist<strong>in</strong>ct th<strong>in</strong>gs He does, and each is<br />

tremendous good news:<br />

A. Jesus said, "It is expedient for you that I go<br />

away: for if I go not away, <strong>the</strong> Comforter will not<br />

come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto<br />

you. And when he is come, he will reprove<br />

[convict] <strong>the</strong> world of s<strong>in</strong>." John 16:7, 8.<br />

At first thought, this may not seem to be such<br />

good news. Isn't <strong>the</strong> conviction of s<strong>in</strong> a pa<strong>in</strong>ful<br />

experience? Yes. This is <strong>the</strong> feel<strong>in</strong>g of hurt<strong>in</strong>g, of<br />

pollution, of shame, of alienation from God. But on<br />

second thought, it's <strong>the</strong> best good news one can<br />

107

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