The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
February 16, 2003
In
This Issue:
Has
Your Reality Check Bounce?
By
Steve Klein
Conversion
By
LIndsay Allen
Has Your Reality Check Bounced?
"Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? - unless indeed you are disqualified." --2 Corinthians 13:5
Sometimes we all need a reality check. We all have a tendency to see ourselves inaccurately. This is certainly the case when it comes to the way we perceive our own goodness or righteousness. Like the Corinthians, we need to test ourselves to see whether or not we are truly "in the faith "-- to see if the way we perceive things is in fact the way things are.
Jesus often helped people face reality. For instance, He pointed out to some that the religious traditions which they thought would bring them closer to God, were actually causing them to transgress God's law (Mark 7:1-13). He also helped people see the inconsistency of strictly following the little rules (like tithing) while leaving much more important things undone (Matthew 23:23-24). And, He showed people how foolish it was to pick at the small faults of others while failing to address their own glaring errors (Matthew 7:5).
Facing reality can be an unpleasant experience. In the clear light of actual factual truth, few of us appear as clean or right or good as we had seemed to be under the soothing illumination of rationalization, convenience and self-justification. Yet, despite the unpleasantness of it, the Lord has shown us that we are all better off facing reality.
Here are a few questions we can each ask ourselves that might help us see reality and ourselves more clearly:
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Am I quick to recognize the religious errors of others, but slow to discuss the truth with them?
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Do I complain about prayer being taken out of schools, but seldom take the time to pray myself?
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Do I say I believe the Bible is God's word, but seldom get my Bible class lesson at home, or study the Bible on my own?
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Do I claim that I am in a relationship with Christ, but have never been "baptized into Christ"?
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Do I believe that Christ built His one church. but leave the impression with others that I think that one church is as good as another?
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Do I claim to be disgusted with the immorality of our society, but allow myself to be "entertained" by shows and music that depict such immorality in a positive light?
Many other similar questions could be asked. Maybe you can think of some that would help you examine yourself, as to whether you are in the faith.
- by Steve Klein
It is evident, even to the most casual observer, that there is a great deal of confusion in the religious world relative to conversion. It is not our purpose here to add to that confusion, but rather to make the matter plain by presenting exactly what the Bible teaches on the subject. We begin our discussion by inquiring as to the:
Importance Of Conversion
The supreme importance of conversion may be readily learned from the following scriptures. "And Jesus called a little child unto him and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted; and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Mat-thew 18:23). Again: "Repent ye therefore, and be converted that your sins may be blotted out ..." (Acts 3:19). It should be clearly understood from these passages that entrance into the kingdom of heaven and remission of sins are conditioned on one's being converted. Whatever else one may obtain in this life, only conversion can bring these blessings. Now let us ask:
What Is Conversion?
Many are confused about conver-sion because they do not understand what it means. Much of this misunderstanding can be attributed to denominational preachers whose business it is to keep the mind confused. Let us remember that God will not accept a false or a counterfeit conversion any more than our government will accept a counterfeit coin. Let us, therefore, look for the genuine. The word "convert" means to turn, change or transform. It has this meaning wherever used. The kind of turning or changing must be obtained from the context and the subject under discussion. When found in the Bible "convert" and "conversion" mean a turning away from sin and unrighteousness and turning unto God. This is made clearer by the Amer-ican Revision which renders the word "turn" instead of convert. This suggests too, and in harmony with all other Bible teaching on man's salvation, that man is active in his conversion. God furnishes the means and the motives for one's conversion, but it is man that turns. Now we are ready for this question:
What produces Conversion?
What influences man to turn from sin to God? Does God work on him directly by some miraculous, mysteri-ous power that produces a feeling that is better felt than told? Must man wait for God in his own good time and his own way to send the Holy Spirit to speak peace to his soul? If so, then man is not a free moral agent having the free exercise of his own will. He becomes a machine in the hands of an all-powerful being. Should God fail to act on man to save him, he could not rightly condemn him at the judg-ment. It is important, then, that we know the Bible teaching on this point. We now let the Bible speak. "The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul" (Psalm 19:7). Again, "Then will I teach transgressors thy ways and sinners shall be converted unto thee" (Psalm 51:13). Jesus says in Matthew 13:15 that men must "hear with their ears and see with their eyes and understand with their hearts, before they can be converted. Teaching and learning then is the divinely appointed means of conversion. No one can be intelligently and scripturally converted without an "understanding heart," and this is brought about only by teaching. This divine order is plainly stated in John 6:44-45 as follows: l) Teaching, (2) Hearing, (3), Learning, (4) Coming. Teaching the word of the Lord is the only means to enlighten the soul, drive out ignorance and produce an understanding heart (Matthew 28:18-20).
The Process Of Conversion
Let it be clearly understood that no one is completely converted until he is turned toward God in all ways that he was turned away from God. A par-tial conversion is not a scriptural conversion and cannot bring the bless-ings connected with conversion. First, there must be a change of heart; secondly, a change of life; thirdly, a change of state or relationship. Let us now see how these are brought about. God has appointed faith to bring about a change of heart. "And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith" (Acts 15:9). The word of God produces faith (Romans 10:17), and by such faith one is led to a change of life and affections. He then has a change of heart, but is not saved or completely converted, for faith alone will not save anyone (James 2:24). Moreover, faith alone will not bring one into the kingdom of God and remission of sins. There must be a change of life, habits and conduct. God has appointed repentance to produce this change. Repentance, produced by a godly sorrow, will lead one to change his manner of living. "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish (Luke 13:3). See also Acts 2:38; 17:30. For the change of state, God has appointed baptism, for it is this final act of conversion that translates one from the kingdom of darkness and brings him into the kingdom of God. "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3:27). With a change of heart produced by faith, a change of life produced by repentance, and having publicly confessed Jesus to be the Christ, by baptism one is brought into Christ, which is his body. Now, he has access to "all spiritual blessings" (Ephesians 1:3). "He is a new creature, old things have passed away and all things are new... (2 Corinthians 5:17). Dear reader, if you have not turned to God, let me exhort you to do so now while both time and opportunity are yours that you may rest with God in the sweet by and by.
--By Lindsay Allen,
via Gospel Guide, Volume 33