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 />
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