In relation to Christianity, what does "convicted" mean?

Question

I see this phrase around a lot, and have no clue what it really means...

So, from the answers, it seems to be implied that only Christians have a conscience. Interesting.

I understand what it means in a legal sense.

Answer 1

It means that the Holy Spirit is showing us we have sin in our lives... Jim

Answer 2

The Holy Spirit speaks to your heart and concience and makes you aware of when you fall short of God's will. It's not a condemnation or alert that you are "bad", but rather a recognition that you are out of order and need to check yourself. Example: You are confronted by someone and to get yourself out of trouble, you lie. A Christian who is trying to live a Christ-filled life will be convicted. They will have negative feelings for the lie and take some action, i.e. confess the lie to the Lord and seek forgiveness. They may even approach the person to whom they lied. In any event they realize their wrongdoing, feel badly about it, and want to cease from those actions. It's a journey though. Just because you are convicted about your actions, doesn't mean you make immediate changes across every aspect of your life. It takes time. As an unsaved person, you may know things are wrong (or out of order), but don't care enough to change.

PS: You mention that only Christians are convicted. That's not true. We are convicted by our upbringing, other faith teachings and the law. You asked for the meaning of convicted from a Christian perspective.

Answer 3

In Christianity, it means to be placed under conviction of your sins by the Holy Spirit.
If you have not recognized that you are a sinner than needs salvation, you have not been placed under conviction by the Holy Spirit.

Once the Holy Spirit places you under His conviction that you are a sinner and you are not fit to enter heaven, he places His Spirit in you and your life will change for the better. It always does.

bettierage,
This is not just your conscience, we all have a conscience, but this is the Holy Spirit convicting your conscience that you are a sinner. That is different from what your conscience normally does for you.

grace2u

Answer 4

It means that the Holy Spirit is making you "think" about something. It's really the same meaning as it would apply to any thing else that you feel strongly one way or another about. I currently am doing something that I know in my heart is outside of his will and I am convicted about it. I know I need to change the action and I am going to but I have been fighting doing what I know is the right thing to do what I want. Hope that makes sense and clears it up for you.

Answer 5

Conviction comes through multiple means - in our society, a judge or jury can convict. Being a christian, the Holy Spirit convicts us (John 16:8) in our own time of unrighteousness - or missing the mark. It's an internal reasoning of what or where we have failed to live up to the standards that Christ instructed. When we internally are convicted, we are asked to confess.

Answer 6

It means the Holy Spirit has put the conviction in your heart that you are not right with God. You feel convicted. Your response should be to fall on your knees and thank God for loving you enough to show you that you need a closer realtionship with Him. Confess that you know you are a sinner, and accept the sacrifice Christ made on your behalf on the cross. Ask Jesus to come into your heart and forgive you of all of your sins. Then start living for Him instead of for self.

Answer 7

"Convicted" is a word often used in distinction from "Condemnation".

The Law of God has the prime purpose of condemnation. It tells the will of God and shows people that they are not as righteous as they often think they are. It points out that we cannot (do not have the ability to be perfect and therefore cannot be with God, who IS perfect, in heaven.

Rom 3:19-20

19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
(from New International Version)

But for those who have been born again into God's kingdom and have received the perfect righteousness of Christ, the Law CANNOT condemn us.

Rom 8:1-3
8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.
(from New International Version)

The Law is still the will of God. But we, living by the Spirit of God, do not have to fear it or try to justify ourselves by it. We now have the Law as guideline in this sinful world. It shows us when we stray from the will of God and causes us to repent of the wrong we are doing and get back on the path of walking with God. THIS is what some teachers call "conviction".

Answer 8

You may hear of Christians saying they have "convictions" because the indwelling Holy Spirit "convicts" them whenever the commit a sin. In that case they should repent and move on in hopes of learning from there mistakes.

Answer 9

Being Convicted means to know that the Holy spirit is working on you. Lets say you are saved and are a christian and you do something you know your not suppose to do and you start to feel guilty about it that is the Holy spirit convicting you because you know it is wrong.

Answer 10

When you become a christian the holy spirit resides in you and when he convicts you of something you know it. Example..my husband has always been a drinker, 2 yrs ago he was convicted that he didn't need alcohol any longer completely lost the taste for it.

Answer 11

Usually it is in the context of a crime. Such as Kent Hovind was convicted of Tax fraud. Or the Catholic Priest down the road was convicted of pedophilia. Or The TV Evangelist was convicted of operating a real estate scam.