By nature, man is full of pride and pretty certain of his own greatness. From early childhood, he seeks the praise of others for what he deems great accomplishments. He constantly boasts of his abilities, both physically and mentally. In order for a man to get saved, or a saved man to get his fellowship right with the Lord following salvation, each individual must humble himself under the mighty hand of God (1 Peter 5:6). Conviction brings such humility. Eventually, God’s hand causes the mouth of pride to shut. It reminds the sinner of his sinfulness and the just guilt he feels within. It shows him that he comes short of the glory of God and stands in need of repentance.
Without the truth, there can be no true biblical conviction. By definition, conviction is the work of God that convinces an individual concerning the validity of truth and accountability for truth. The Spirit of God takes the law of God and writes it upon men’s hearts. That truth works upon a man’s conscience to accuse or excuse one’s thoughts. Either way, this work is very much the work of conviction. On one hand, a man develops the conviction that Jesus is the only way to get his sins forgiven. On the other hand, a man sees himself as sinful with no hope. In the end, conviction demands a holy God and a holy truth in order to forgive sin. Both elements working together bring true biblical heartfelt conviction.
God no longer expects His people to bring animal sacrifices to a temple made with hands. The Lord Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself for man, and in doing so, became the ultimate sacrifice, once and for all. To bring an animal to any religious facility in the present age would be directly disobedient to the clear teachings of the New Testament. Yet, the Lord still desires to receive sacrifices from men. The sacrifices today consist of believers presenting their bodies to the Lord (Romans 12:1) and giving thanks to Him with their lips (Hebrews 13:15). In Hebrews 13:16 the Bible also says “to do good and to communicate . . . for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”
