People, as a rule, are quite ready and willing to admit themselves as sinners along with others as "we," but very slow to single out themselves from the crowd, and say, "I am a sinner," "I am convicted of sin," "I have done wrong," "I am guilty," and pick out individual sins, and say, "I have done this!”
Yet how important it is that we each see ourselves as individual sinners! not, "Have mercy upon 'us' miserable sinners," but, "God be merciful to 'me' a sinner.”
One of the works of the Holy Spirit is to convince of sin, but to convince me of my sinfulness, and to make me see myself as vile, and to abhor myself, and confess that in me dwelleth no good thing.
Unless the light of God's Spirit shines into our hearts, and shows us the darkness and uncleanness within, we cannot understand the meaning of Christ's words, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance," or, that He is "The Friend of sinners." Luke 7:24; 5:3424And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind? (Luke 7:24)
34And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? (Luke 5:34).