John MacArthur wrote, "There can be no repentance or faith until the heart has been re-created. But in the moment of regeneration the Holy Spirit imparts the gift of repentant faith to sinners, bringing them to saving faith in Christ, and enabling them to turn away from sin. The result is a dramatic conversion."
The Holy Spirit enables conversion to Christ. Conversion is through "the gift of repentant faith to sinners." When we are converted, repentance and saving faith come together. Repentance means we turn to God by saving faith in Christ.
The Holy Spirit transforms our hearts, which is the mind, will and emotions. The result is conversion, turning away from the old life by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. That is real conversion, when we are free from the old life of bondage to sin through the power of God in Christ.
The Spirit of God works through the word of God to bring new birth (1 Peter 1:23) MacArthur stated, "The result is a dramatic conversion." Conversion to Christ is enabled by the word of God and the Spirit of God. The gospel comes to us through the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 1:5).
Conversion means we are God's workmanship as a new creation in Christ (Ephesians 2:10). "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
