What Is Conversion?

Millard Erickson wrote, "Conversion is the individual turning to God. ... Jesus spoke specifically of conviction of sin, which is the prerequisite of repentance (John 16:8-11). Without the work of the Holy Spirit, there can be no conversion." 

Conviction comes before conversion. It is conviction by the Holy Spirit. Left to ourselves, we would never turn to God (Romans 3:10-12). The Holy Spirit convicts us of one particular sin above all others, not believing on the Lord Jesus Christ (John 16:8-11). Conviction in itself is not conversion, but it is the Holy Spirit's work before you are converted.

Conversion is repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21). Repentance and faith go together like the two sides of the same door. Repentance is turning away from our sins, in particular the sin of unbelief. Faith is turning to God in Christ Jesus as our Lord. Repentance and faith are one and the same action in conversion. 

Without conviction by the Holy Spirit, no one is converted. The Spirit of God convicts us, before we repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. That's the reason Millard Erickson could say, "Without the work of the Holy Spirit, there can be no conversion."

What Is Saving Grace?

Saving grace comes to you through the Gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16). Grace has all power, because God is gracious. So many look to laws and rules to change people and society. Law may dictate how we should live, what we should do, or not do. Nevertheless, law is powerless to change the hearts and lives of people.

Saving grace is to the praise of God's glory. Grace is far more than a theological term or a religious song. Grace is God Himself. He is the God of all grace. Grace is undeserved favor that you can never earn nor merit (Ephesians 2:8-9). We all fall short of God's law, but grace is God changing you to the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1:6).

Saving grace transforms your heart. The Holy Spirit changes you from within. Grace renews your mind, dismissing the guilt of your conscience, and changes your will to do God's good will. Grace is sufficient for your every need. God's Word tells you what to do; God's grace transforms you with the ability to do it.

Saving grace finds you helpless and gives you hope in Christ. Grace finds you without God and brings you to God in Christ. God's grace cannot be bought, earned, nor deserved. God's grace freely gives you unmerited favor through Jesus Christ. "And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace" (John 1:16). Jesus Christ is the fullness of grace. 

Is God Working in You?

"For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). God's good pleasure is in you, when the Holy Spirit works in your life. The Holy Spirit works in you through the abiding gifts of faith, hope and love (1 Corinthians 13:13). 

God is working in all who truly believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 6:19). God is working in you to do his will. God changes your heart (Romans 2:28-29). That's called regeneration or new birth. He gives you a renewed will with a desire to do his will.

God is working in your mind, will, and emotions. He is doing more in you than you can understand. He is always doing more than you ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). God is working in your heart to bring glory to His name. God gives you the ability to do all that pleases him. That includes your ministry gift and power to witness for Christ (Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 4:10-11).

As a believer, God is working in you through the Holy Spirit. He will never leave you nor forsake you (John 14:16-17). Believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption, at the coming of Christ (Ephesians 1:13, 4:30). God, who began the good work in you, will perform it until the day of Christ (Philippians 1:6; 2:13).

Who Are Anointed?

Martyn Lloyd-Jones taught, "We have been anointed and been set apart; we have received this unction, and it has given us this understanding of truth which enables us to say that 'we have the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16).

"But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you" (1 John 2:27). The anointing of the Holy Spirit is received to abide in us as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. The word Christ means "anointed one." Christ abides in us as believers, through the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

What does it mean to have the mind of Christ? It means the anointing of the Holy Spirit abides in believers to teach us (1 John 2:27). He teaches us according to Holy Scripture, inspired of the Holy Spirit. The mind of Christ is always according to Scripture.

According to the New Testament, believers are taught by God. Jesus said, "It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me" (John 6:45).

Certainly, God uses people to teach us, such as evangelists, pastors, and other teachers. However, we are all dependent upon the anointing of the Holy Spirit to teach us. Both teachers and those who are taught must depend upon the anointing of the Holy Spirit to understand the truth. The anointing of the Spirit abides in every believer.

What Is Conviction?

Conviction by the Holy Spirit focuses on the sin of not believing in the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Holy Spirit convicts and convinces us of our need to believe in Christ. Concerning the Holy Spirit, Jesus said, "He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in me" (John 16:8-9).

Conviction by the Holy Spirit prepares us for repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21). God's grace enables us to repent and believe the gospel of Christ. God's goodness leads us to repent (Romans 2:4). 

The Holy Spirit convicts and convinces us to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance is a change of mind through the renewing of the Holy Spirit transforming your life (Romans 12:2). Faith is an abiding gift of the Holy Spirit. God's preceding grace enables us to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 18:27).

Both conviction and new birth are the work of the Holy Spirit. Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him (1 John 5:1). Both faith to believe and love are gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 13:13). From conviction to new birth, it's the Holy Spirit working within us.

The Messiah Cut Off

Daniel has an amazing prophecy of the crucifixion of Christ. Jesus is the Christ, also known as the Messiah. Both terms mean "the anointed one." Daniel prophesied about "Messiah the Prince" (Daniel 9:25). He prophesied that Messiah shall be cut off but not for Himself (Daniel 9:26). To be cut off speaks of a curse. The word curse means marked for destruction and cut off. The Son of God died for the curse of our sins at the cross (Galatians 3:13).

Christ was crucified to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins (Daniel 9:24). On the cross, Jesus cried out, It is finished (John 19:30). Jesus came as the Messiah to take away the sin of the world. John the Baptist introduced Jesus as The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). 

Jesus the Messiah was crucified to make reconciliation for iniquity (Daniel 9:24). Iniquity is a synonym for our sin. As sinners, we must be reconciled to our holy God. Only the Son of God can reconcile sinners at the cross. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18).

Jesus Christ was crucified and raised from the dead, to bring in everlasting righteousness (Daniel 9:24). This is the good news, known as the gospel of Christ. He not only died to take away all our sin, but believers receive His righteousness. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

What Is Dead Faith?

Dead faith will not obey the word and will of God. Dead faith does not do God's will. Dead faith will not work. God can do anything that He chooses to do without us. However, God has chosen to work through us. Living faith works to do the the will of God. Dead faith does nothing. As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also (James 2:26).

The Bible teaches that we are laborers together with God (1 Corinthians 3:9). It is God's will for faith to work through us. You may put a glove on your hand to do the work before you. The glove does not do the work alone, neither can it. The hand works through the glove. So, it is God who works in you both to will and do of his good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).

Dead faith says, There is nothing that we can do. What will be, will be. Nothing we can do will make any difference. To the contrary, living faith says, I will do the word of God. He has put it in my heart. He is working through me to the praise of his glory. I am a doer of the word. The Bible says, Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves (James 1:22).

Maybe you are in a situation where you are asking God to do something about it. Living faith prays like this: God what would you have me to do? Faith acts on the word of God. Living faith rises up to do something about it. Living faith works.

What Is Salvation?

Salvation is the work of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There is election by the Father, redemption by the Son, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit. The three eternal Persons of the Holy Trinity work in perfect harmony from the beginning to the completion of our salvation.

Water baptism is in the name of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus commanded believers to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). Praise be to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for our salvation. The Triune God saves us as believers, to the praise of His glorious grace (Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14).

God the Father chose to save sinners by grace through faith in his Son Jesus. God the Son came to reveal the fullness of God's grace (John 1:14). That grace was fully revealed at the cross of Jesus. His substitutionary death guarantees the complete salvation for all who believe the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). His glorious resurrection is every believer's justification. Jesus completely saves!

God the Holy Spirit is also known as the Spirit of grace, applying salvation to every believer's heart. The Holy Spirit seals every believer as the guarantee of our complete salvation unto glorification in the day Christ returns (Ephesians 1:13-14).

Will You Hear God?

God speaks to us. "Today if you will hear his voice, do not harden your hearts" (Hebrews 3:15). God speaks today through the Bible. It's God's love letter to us. The Holy Spirit inspired the words of Holy Scripture centuries ago, and still speaks today through it. Hear God today through the Bible.

Hear God with your heart. The heart is your mind, will, and emotions. His word to you is through the Holy Spirit. God's voice has been seldom heard by the ears of men, even in Bible times. God's word in the Bible will speak daily to your heart. 

God speaks to all of his children. God has important things to say to us through the Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16). He is speaking in a personal and intimate way to every believer. God communicates that we may experience his love in our hearts, "because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Romans 5:5).

The Holy Spirit, who inspired the Holy Scripture, speaks to the hearts of all God's children. God shares His thoughts with us. They are eternal thoughts found in the Bible from the Father above. God speaks to encourage us, console and comfort us. He speaks to strengthen our faith and assure us. "God is love" (1 John 4:8). God speaks to us with love.

Who Are Righteous?

Believers are righteous through faith in Christ (Romans 3:21-22). Believers are justified and accounted righteous before God. It is never self-righteousness, but the righteousness of God in Christ. Righteousness is God's gift to believers in Christ.

Believers are righteous in Christ alone. The apostle Paul speaks of the righteousness of Christ imputed to believers in 2 Corinthians 5:21. "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." Martin Luther called it the great exchange. Christ takes away your sins and gives you His righteousness.

Believers are righteous by faith alone in Christ. The Christian life can never be based upon your self-righteousness, which is as filthy rags before God (Isaiah 64:6). You give up all hope in self-righteousness and become righteous before God in Christ alone. Only faith in our Lord Jesus Christ can impute perfect righteousness to you before God. Simply stated, you are accounted righteous by faith in Christ.

Believers are righteous by God's grace alone in Christ. Your sins were imputed or accounted to Christ at the cross. His righteousness is imputed or accounted to you by grace alone through faith alone. There is only one way you can receive the righteousness of God. That's by grace alone through faith in Christ.

What Is Reprobation?

C. H. Spurgeon wrote, "Election does not involve reprobation. There may be some who hold unconditional reprobation. I stand not here as their defender, let them defend themselves as best they can. ... If he be lost, damnation is all of man; but, if he be saved, still salvation is all of God."

Reprobation is a personal choice described in Romans 1:28. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting. Reprobation is not God's choice. Those who are reprobates have made their own choice. 

God gives people over to their own choice who reject the love and grace in Christ. Therefore, God gives the reprobate over to his own depravity. God is passive in reprobation, allowing those who are lost to go on in their sin and unbelief. The lost are responsible for their own condemnation.

Election is God's choice; reprobation is the choice of those who are lost. God chose to save people in Christ before the world began (Ephesians 1:4-6). Those who are lost make an obstinate choice to reject God and His Son Jesus Christ. As Spurgeon stated, "If he be lost, damnation is all of man."

Christ at Whose Door?

Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20). 

While some Bible teachers say the words of our Lord in Revelation 3:20 were only to the church as a whole and not to individuals, Charles Spurgeon had another opinion. He was quite convinced that it was a personal invitation to anyone. That's Christ at the door.

Spurgeon pleaded, "Dear reader, hearken to His invitation, and let His good words sink into your soul. As you do so, your life will begin anew and you will be on your way to Heaven." 

Spurgeon exhorted his readers with Revelation 3:20, writing, "Therefore, I urge you not to refuse the Lord Jesus who is knocking at the door of your heart. Remember that He knocks with a hand that was nailed to the cross for you. Your good is His object, so incline your ear to Him and let Him come in."

This personal invitation is issued to you by the Lord Jesus Christ and to anyone who will hear His voice. The Lord's voice comes to us through these very words of the Bible. His promise is sure to you and all who open the door. Jesus Christ says, "I will come in to him." 

Do You Fear God?

Godly fear is the highest reverence for God. To the contrary, tormenting fear is not from God. It is never good, and always evil. It doesn't come from God (2 Timothy 1:7). Yet, godly fear motivates us through faith in God. "By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark" (Hebrews 11:7).

"And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good, but I will put My fear in their hearts, so that they will not depart from Me" (Jeremiah 32:40).

Those who fear God are saved according to the everlasting covenant of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jeremiah prophesied the everlasting covenant. It is confirmation to us as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 13:20-21). It means God is working in us what pleases Him. He puts His fear in our hearts.

Those who fear God have evidence of their salvation in Christ. Fearing God is designed for our good and gives us assurance that we will not depart from Him. Godly fear is evidence that God is at work in us. God says, "I will put My fear in their hearts, so that they will not depart from Me" (Jeremiah 32:40).

Do you fear God? Those who don't fear God are lost without a saving relationship with God. "There is no fear of God before their eyes" (Romans 3:18). However, those who fear God should thank Him for putting it in their hearts.