God completes his work of conversion by regenerating the sinner and so enabling him to turn from his sins and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the special work of the gospel (John 1:17; Rom. 1:16; 1 Pet. 1:23; James 1:18; Eph. 3:8-10). The gospel must be preached (Rom. 10:13-15). The preaching of the gospel is accompanied with a revelation of God's will (John 6:29). "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31). To reject this call makes God a liar because it shows contempt for his love and grace (1 John 5:10; John 3:33).
Christ must be preached crucified (John 3:14, 15; Gal. 3:1; Isa. 55:1-3; 65:1), and seen as the only Saviour of sinners...In preaching, God often causes some special word to fix itself on the mind of the sinner, and by effectual working of the Holy Spirit that word is made the means of bringing the sinner to conversion.
When the Holy Spirit brings a sinner to put his faith in Christ, his heart is also filled by the same Holy Spirit with a holy desire wholeheartedly to obey Christ and turn from all sin.
John Owen, The Holy Spirit
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