Bella Vista Church of Christ
LIFELINES
March 13, 2002 Randall Caselman
Genuine Conversion
Repent you therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
There is a lot of disagreement today as to what constitutes Genuine Conversion. Is it joining a church? Is it having a religious experience? Is it mental assent, acknowledgment of God's existence and belief in Jesus as his son? The answer is yes. But genuine New Testament conversion includes much more than the above suggestions. We must restore the pattern! We must return to a New Testament concept of Christianity. What did "repent and be converted" mean to the primitive church? Conversion means to be transformed, to be changed:
From Guilt To Righteousness.
We trade our guilt for His righteousness. "He hath made him sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5.21) In the sermon on the mount, Jesus said, "I did not come to abolish but to fulfill the law." He did that by keeping it perfectly, thus becoming the author and finisher of our salvation. By his incarnation, Jesus made it possible for us to exchange our sins for his righteousness. Paul told the Galatians, "For all of you who have been united with Christ in baptism have been clothed with Christ." Have we been clothed with Christ? Have we exchanged our sin clothing for the righteous covering of Jesus? Have we been converted?
From Pig Pen To Mansion.
We trade alienation in the far country of sin for a place of service in the Father's house. The prodigal son saw himself as he really was, separated from his father and the blessing to be found in the Father's house, all due to his own sin. He was spiritually bankrupt, and without resources to help himself. "Father I have sinned against God and in your sight," make me a servant. From rejection to acceptance. From pig pen nakedness to sandals, a robe, a ring and a celebration in the Father's house. Folk, there is no conversion until and unless we see ourselves as the sinners we really are. There is a direct Biblical correlation between the acknowledgment of sin and forgiveness. John wrote, "If we confess (acknowledge) our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1.9) Jesus put it this way: "I tell you nay except you repent you will also perish." (Luke 13.3) Have we experienced genuine conversion?
From Death To Life.
"What shall we say then, shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer. Don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death…Just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the father, we too may live a new life…In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." (Romans 6.1-3, 4 & 11) Paul said, "It is no longer me, but Christ living in me." We exchange a life of death in sin, for a life of freedom in Christ. "And if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8.36) Are we dead to sin and alive in Jesus? That's New Testament conversion.
From Weakness To Strength.
Isaiah speaks of the converted: "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Praise God for this promise. Read it. Believe it. Accept it. Claim it!! This promise is ours. Paul knew that; "For when I am weak, then I am made strong." (2 Corinthians 12:10) The promise is His grace will be sufficient. His strength for my weakness, that's what we need, right? "I can do all things through Christ who gives me my strength...For God will supply all your needs by Jesus." (Philippians 4.13 & 19) May God help us to experience genuine New Testament conversion so we can be strengthened and supplied by Him through Christ. Amen?
From Sin To Childlike Purity.
From the lips of Jesus: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." A child's thoughts are pure, wholesome and humble. Children are simple. Children do not have pride. Pride is sin. Pride is taught. Sin is taught. Children are sinless. Children do not gossip, backstab and bicker. Children do not debate foolish religious questions. Last week I read about a debate in the church on whether we should have wooden or Plexiglas pulpits!!! Paul tells us, do not be caught up in--avoid--such foolishness (see I Timothy 1.4 and Titus 3.9). People who deal in, preach, and print such foolishness need to be genuinely converted. We must become simple, like children.
The great epistle of James ends with the statement "conversion saves a soul from death and covers a multitude of sins." That is what we need, salvation and our sins covered. Father, help us all to be genuinely converted people. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Randall Caselman
