Dave McHugh — If we are to be—at the core of who we are—undivided and single-minded in our devotion and affection to God, then a healthy dose of conviction is needed.
The Holy Spirit doesn't convict believers of the sin of unbelief. He convicts—illuminates, and convinces of the truth— the believers' righteousness in Christ.
But, here is the reality—when we are convicted of our righteousness in Christ, the gap between righteousness and unrighteousness is exposed. God cares so much about our wholeness and sanctification—He cares so much about the purity of our heart—that the Holy Spirit reminds us —convicts us—of who we truly are. In doing so, the gap between righteousness and unrighteousness is exposed. The conviction of the Holy Spirit is not a pronouncement of guilt, it is a declaration—a convincing and an illumination—of our true identity.