What is the “The modus operandi of the Holy Spirit,” or what is “the method of procedure; especially: the distinct pattern or method of operation” of the Holy Spirit in the cases of conviction and conversion in the New Testament? Many in the world of “Christendom” (those who claim to be Christians) regard the work of the Holy Spirit as a mystery. By the word “mystery” is meant: a religious truth that can be known only by revelation but cannot be fully understood; an experience which baffles the mind or that cannot be fully understood by reason and less strictly, to whatever resists or defies explanation. At least this expresses some of what many believe about how the Holy Spirit works in conviction, conversion, and sanctification. It is believed that the Holy Spirit must work directly upon the heart in each of these three areas and that the experience may be different to some degree in each case!
As stated by one writer: “The world is a sinful place, and one of the Holy Spirit’s tasks is to convict the world of its sin. No amount of preaching, pleading, or pointing of fingers will bring about the conviction of sin, unless the Holy Spirit is at work in the sinner’s heart. It is the Spirit’s job to convict.” (Not sure just who wrote these words, but they were taken from: “S. Michael Houdmann, President, GotQuestions.org). Yet, when reading “The Acts of the Apostles” the first thing that is noticed, is the preaching of the gospel, which the Holy Spirit guided the apostle Paul to write: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith” (Rom. 1:16-17). Question, “Is the gospel God’s power unto salvation, or is it not God’s power unto salvation?” The words of Peter, which the Holy Spirit guided him into writing are important here: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you” (1 Pet. 1:23-25). Did you notice, that it is by the incorruptible seed that we are “born again?” Did you notice, that it is “by the word of God,” that we are “born again?” Did you notice, that it is “the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever?” Did you notice, that “this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you?” The “incorruptible seed,” “the word of God,” and “the gospel” are one and the same “which liveth and abideth forever!”
Now, let us read right into chapter two: “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Pet. 2:1-2). You may not have ever read these words, the end of chapter one and the beginning of chapter two, together before. But the Holy Spirit put them together and there they should stay! The new birth is accomplished, “born again,” by means of the “incorruptible,” by mean of “the word of God;” and our spiritual growth is continued by the same word of God! Is the Holy Spirit at work here? Yes, it was by means of the Holy Spirit guiding the apostles into “all truth” that we have the “incorruptible” word by which we are “born again” and by which we grow! The word of God is “The modus operandi of the Holy Spirit” in conviction, conversion, and sanctification!
Let us take the case of when “the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem.” Luke is very brief in recording the event and writes: “And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7). There is not one word about the Holy Spirit, but we would be amiss to conclude that the Holy Spirit was not at work in these convictions and conversions! That there were convictions and conversions, is simply understood in the words, “the number of the disciples multiplied;” for this cannot take place without conviction and conversion! Was the Holy Spirit at work in these convictions and conversion? Yes! For Luke wrote: “the word of God increased;” and it was the work of the Holy Spirit to guide the apostles, and in this case it appears it includes those upon whom the apostles had laid their hands and imparted spiritual gifts, for the seven were required to be “full of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:3). Then, Luke continued to report: “and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, the other six names are then given; therefore, there can be no doubt that these men who were engaged in the word being “increased” were guided by the Holy Spirit and convictions, conversion, and sanctification, followed: “the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly!” Therefore, “The modus operandi of the Holy Spirit” in conviction, conversion, sanctification, stands in the truth preached!
My friends, if you are waiting for a direct work of the Holy Spirit upon your heart/mind, then, you are waiting on the wrong thing! Hear the gospel, God’s power unto salvation, believe it, and obey it!
— Frank R. Williams