This destruction of the carnal nature and the restoration of the original nature is accomplished by the Holy Spirit at the moment of his reception as an indwelling Comforter. Peter teaches this truth when he says: “God, which knoweth the hearts [or nature], bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us [at Pentecost]; and put no difference between us and them [Gentiles], purifying their hearts by faith.” Acts 15:8, 9. Purifying the heart is the purification of man’s affections, or nature. This is accomplished at the time of the giving of the Holy Ghost as declared in the last text; and this purifying of the hearts of the Gentiles at the giving of the Holy Ghost, is just what was done for the apostles at Pentecost. This is a plain, undeniable fact taught in this text. To turn to philosophizing upon how we can be conceived with a carnal nature, or how we can be converted and yet be depraved in nature is to soon become spoiled through vain deceit after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ. Col. 2:8. In the very nature of things, and according to the Word of God, pardon of sins necessarily precedes the destruction of the carnal, depraved nature by the Holy Spirit. In the fall of man there was the act of transgression and also a change in man’s moral image. In his restoration there must be a pardon of transgression and subsequently a change in nature. It is a law of God that the redemption of man be accomplished through faith, by his grace. Our faith can not reach beyond our knowledge. By knowledge we mean a real soul-consciousness or conviction and not an intellectual knowledge. At this point many a dear soul has erred from the truth. They have endeavored to bring their faith up to their intellectual knowledge, which ends in presumption. True Bible faith is grounded in the soul. It results from a soul-knowledge, or conviction. To accept pardon of sins or healing of the body with only an intellectual knowledge of these blessings and not a real heart-conviction is mere presumption, and ends in failure and disgrace. To follow the comprehensions of the intellect, and not the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit upon the soul, concerning the mysteries of God’s salvation is to be led into error, because the intellect can not fathom the things of God. We do now emphatically say, according to God’s established law, that no unregenerated heart can have a comprehension or conviction of a corrupt moral nature and its purification. Why? Because transgression stands between it and purity. The awakened guilty soul knows nothing but its guilt, and for forgiveness only does it plead. After being pardoned, the soul gains a knowledge of carnality, and it is then convicted for the second cleansing.