Pop superstar Kanye West’s conversion to Christ has certainly caught everyone’s attention. Secular media are broadcasting stories about the church services he is holding and of course the religious media is doing the same.

Some, both religious and secular, have questioned the sincerity of Kanye’s faith. But a recent interview with Adam Tyson, a California pastor, on Pure Flix has me increasingly convinced that the Holy Spirit is doing a work in the pop star’s life.

Tyson made contact with Kanye, when the pop star attended the pastor’s Placerita Bible church in Santa Clarita, California, one Sunday morning.

Of course, I immediately suspected Tyson must be one of those mega-pastors with thousands of people attending every Sunday.

It wasn’t.

Tyson’s church has 300 members. But through this initial visit, Tyson developed a relationship with Kanye and is now regularly preaching at Kanye’s services held around the US.

But in his Pure Flix interview, Tyson recalled what Kanye said to him:

“I was just under the weight of my sin, and I was being convicted that I was running from God, and I knew I needed to make things right, so I came to Christ — I came out of darkness and came into the light.”

Kanye West

What caught my attention was how Kanye said he felt convicted of his sin because this is what Jesus said would happen when He sent the Holy Spirit:

⁸ And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;

John 16:8 NASV

So what does it mean to be convicted of sin?

Many would interpret this as meaning feeling guilty of how we have treated others or our bad behavior. But our conscience does that. It can make us feel guilty when we treat others wrong, but it doesn’t necessarily lead us to God.

Being convicted by the Holy Spirit means something different. The word “convict” is the Greek word “elengcho” that carries the idea of a court judgement where a person has been found guilty. It carries the idea of cross examination and exposing of sin and includes the idea of “convincing” the person accused that they are guilty.

The Holy Spirit will convict us of our sin before the righteous Judge of the universe.

True conviction is summed up by King David when he uttered the words:

Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge.

Psalm 51:4 NASV

David wrote this Psalm in the aftermath of his adultery with Bathsheba that resulted in David ordering the death of her husband.

David was utterly convicted of his sin and understood that though he may have hurt others, his action was only against God. It was only against God that David had truly sinned.

That is the difference between feeling guilty about how we have treated others and true conviction of having sinned before a Holy and Righteous God.

And we see a hint of this conviction in Kanye’s words when he adds that he had been “running” from God.

Sources:

• Kanye West’s ‘Sunday Service’ Pastor Takes You Inside Rapper’s Faith: Pure Flix Insider