Does that mean they aren't a Christian? I know that the Holy Spirit convicts the world but, I can honestly admit that I've NEVER in my life been convinced
Before. Yet my wife has she's been convicted for hitting me several times before. Does that mean she is more spiritually grown than me?
Convicted of what? Sin .... what is sin? Transgression of the Law ... all have sinned. We all grow in the Lord and are in different places within that growth. He knows where each one of us is at .... and meets each one there.
His law is written in the heart .... all hearts .... therefore all experience conviction .... not just christians.
The law leads us to Christ and then after receiving Him .... by His grace, He sends the power of His Holy Spirit to help us overcome sin (transgression of the law) and this is a earthly live-time process. He works in each in an individual way .... so not one being more ... or less ... spiritual .... we all need help and that help is received by the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:10-16 AMPC
Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit, for the [Holy] Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God [the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man's scrutiny].
For what person perceives (knows and understands) what passes through a man's thoughts except the man's own spirit within him? Just so no one discerns (comes to know and comprehend) the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
Now we have not received the spirit [that belongs to] the world, but the [Holy] Spirit Who is from God, [given to us] that we might realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts [of divine favor and blessing so freely and lavishly] bestowed on us by God. And we are setting these truths forth in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the [Holy] Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual truths with spiritual language [to those who possess the Holy Spirit].
But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated. But the spiritual man tries all things [he examines, investigates, inquires into, questions, and discerns all things], yet is himself to be put on trial and judged by no one [he can read the meaning of everything, but no one can properly discern or appraise or get an insight into him].
For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart. [Isa. 40:13.]
