Originally Posted by friendoftruths
God's mercy, true grace must, early in a believer's understanding, be coupled with a consciousness of sin. Is there today conviction by the Holy Spirit? Is there today a genuine sense of need for a Redeemer?
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As to your statement above, I agree 100%. Unfortunately today, there is little or no mention whatsoever of sin and even more true about a person being a SINNER by birth from conception and under the just wrath and condemnation of God. The very first work the Holy Spirit does in the elect is to bring a heartfelt conviction that they are a hopeless and helpless sinner before God and without His grace and the righteousness of Christ imputed to them through faith, they are liable to eternal damnation. You will hear/read superficial statements concerning people being sinners, aka: they haven't lived up to God's requirements perfectly (at best), or more often, they are "separated from God" but God loves them just the way they are... etc., etc., ad nauseam.

The Lord Christ was very specific about this matter when He said:

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John 16:8 (ASV) "And he, when he is come, will convict the world in respect of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:"

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simul iustus et peccator

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