Lesson 19
Conversion
The process of salvation includes three participants: God, man, and Jesus Christ. "For there is
one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Tim. 2:5). Salvation is
a matter between the one God in His holiness and love, and the one human race in its sin. It is
accomplished through the one, wonderful Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Three factors, related to the three participants in salvation, are God's grace, Christ's death,
and man's faith. God's grace is the origin of salvation; Christ's death is the
basis of salvation; man's faith is the condition of salvation. Accordingly, the
Bible teaches that man is saved by God's grace (Eph. 2:8), by Christ's blood (Rev. 5:9), and by
man's faith (Acts 16:31).
I. Origin of Salvation
Salvation originates in God's grace. Planned by His wisdom, prompted by His love, and performed
through His power, salvation begins in the heart of God. Sinners do not deserve to be saved;
they cannot merit salvation. Salvation is a gift of God. Human religions are characterized by
man's search for God; the true Christian religion is revealed as God's search for man.
II. Basis of Salvation
Christ's sacrificial death is the basis of salvation. Through the infinite value of His
sacrifice, Jesus paid sin's penalty. His death removed the barrier created by man's sin in its
relation to God's holiness. It provided a basis whereby God could bestow His blessings of grace
upon sinners without violating His own nature of holiness and justice. Jesus is the only
Saviour; there is no other way to God. If man is to be saved, he must be saved on the basis of
Christ's sacrifice. Apart from His death, there can be no salvation.
III. Condition of Salvation
Man's acceptance of salvation through faith is the condition upon which salvation is bestowed.
Salvation can become a reality only when the sinner meets God's requirements. God has provided
salvation; man must accept salvation through conversion. Man's acceptance is the condition or
instrumental cause of salvation. Man has the responsibility; God receives the glory.
Conversion, including repentance, faith, and baptism, is neither the origin nor the basis of
salvation. Conversion is not the meritorious basis of salvation; it is the means whereby man
accepts God's saving gift.
IV. Conversion Involves Decision
Salvation is dependent upon man's decision to accept God's loving gift. Created in God's image,
man has ability to choose; he has been entrusted with power to make decisions. Man's power of
decision is one of three elements of personality: intellect, sensibilities, and will. These are
three functions of man's mind. Intellect is the mind's ability to know;
sensibilities is the mind's ability to feel; will is the mind's ability to choose
and act. The power of decision, therefore, is a function of man's will.
Man's will is the controlling element of his personality. His will is the spring of all
actions, the governing power of moral nature. Intellect provides the target, sensibilities
pull the trigger, but it is the will which shoots the arrow. Man's will is of major importance
in conversion.
Christian life begins with a decision. The Lost Son decided, "I will arise and go to my father"
(Luk,- 15:18). Rebecca, consenting to marriage with Isaac, announced, "I will go"
(Gen. 24:58). Saul of Tarsus asked, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" (Acts 9:6).
In conversion, the sinner voluntarily surrenders his will to the will of God. He chooses God's
choice. He says "yes" to God for eternity.
Man's choice of God's saving gift must be voluntary. Christ stands at the heart's door and
knocks, but the locked door can be opened only from within. The sinner must lift the latch and
open the door, or the door is never opened. Through infinite love, God inspires the sinner to
open the door, to tear down the barricade, and to lift the black iron curtain so that salvation
can become a reality in his life.
V. Three Elements of Conversion
The three elements of conversion are repentance, faith, and baptism. They are essential to
salvation. Conversion, of course, is not the basis of salvation; it is the
condition of salvation. Man cannot earn salvation. Repentance, faith, and baptism do
not accumulate merit so that God is obligated to give salvation as payment of a debt. Man
cannot experience salvation apart from conversion, but the three elements of conversion in
themselves do not save man. Jesus is Saviour; His sacrificial death provides the merit and
basis of salvation. Repentance, faith, and baptism are essential conditions for salvation. They are required for salvation because they place the sinner in the proper position so that Jesus can perform His saving work. An illustratioia of this truth is that a diseased man's visit to a doctor's office may be required for restored health, but it is not the visit itself, it is the doctor who performs the cure.
Repentance, faith, and baptism are closely related. In the Bible, when one element of
conversion is mentioned, the other two are included or implied in the context.
Hebrews 6:1, 2 |
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Repentance |
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Faith |
|
Baptism |
Mark 1:15 |
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Repent |
|
Believe |
|
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Acts 20:21 |
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Repentance |
|
Faith |
|
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Mark 16:16 |
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---------------- |
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Believeth |
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Baptized |
Acts 2:38 |
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Repent |
|
----------- |
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Baptized |
Acts 16:31, 33 |
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Washed Stripes |
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Believe |
|
Baptized |
Repentance is turning away from sin; faith is turning toward Christ; baptism is entering into
Christ. In one sense, repentance is negative and faith is positive. In repentance, one gets
rid of sin; in faith, he receives Christ. In repentance, he says no to the world; in faith, he
says yes to Christ. In repentance, one is "crucified with Christ" (Gal. 2:20); in baptism, he
is "buried with Christ" (Rom. 6:4) ; through faith, he is "risen with Christ" (Col. 2:12).
VI. Complete Conversion
The sinner's conversion from sin to righteousness and from self to Christ must be complete. It
must involve his total life. If repentance and faith are genuine, they will involve all three
elements of personality: intellect, sensibilities, and will. Conversion involves a change of
thinking, a change of feeling, and a change of purpose in the sinner's life. The relation of repentance and faith to the three elements of personality is pictured in the following chart.
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Repentance |
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Faith |
Intellect: |
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Recognition |
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Belief |
Sensibilities: |
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Regret |
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Confidence |
Will: |
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Renunciation |
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Trust, Surrender |
1. Complete Repentance. True repentance includes recognition of sin, regret for sin, and
renunciation of sin. Recognition of sin is related to man's intellect; regret for sin is
related to his sensibilities or feelings; renunciation of sin is related to his will or power of
decision. Complete repentance, therefore, affects the sinner's total life. The real heart or
essence of repentance is renunciation of sin and amendment of life. It is a matter of the
will. Recognition of personal sin and heart sorrow for sin do not constitute true repentance
unless they lead to the renunciation of sin.
2. Complete Faith. True faith includes belief, confidence, and trust and surrender.
Like repentance, faith is related to the three elements of man's personality. Belief is related
to man's intellect; confidence is related to man's sensibilities; trust and surrender are
related to man's will. Having true faith, the Christian will believe in God, Jesus, and
essential truths of the Bible; he will have complete confidence in God and Jesus; he will
surrender himself to Christ as Lord and will trust in Christ as Saviour. Belief and confidence
must precede trust and surrender. Faith is based upon facts. Alone, however, belief and
confidence do not constitute true faith. True faith results in trust and surrender. One
might know all facts about Christ and salvation, and he might have complete confidence in
Christ's ability to save, but he would not experience that salvation unless he personally
went to Christ and surrendered himself entirely into His hands.
VII. Baptism
Baptism is that outward act whereby the believer reveals his obedience to Christ and his desire
to enter into the benefits of salvation made possible by Christ's sacrifice. Like repentance
and faith, baptism saves us (1 Pet. 3:21) because it brings us into the required position so
that Jesus can save us.
Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water. It symbolizes his belief that Christ has died
for his sins, was buried, and rose again. It indicates that the believer has entered into a
personal, vital relationship with Christ, and that he has appropriated to himself the benefits
of Christ's sacrificial death. Baptism is that symbolic rite wherein the believer pictures the
fact that his old life has been counted as dead and buried, and that he has risen to newness of
life in Christ.
(Adapted from Systematic Theology, by Alva Huffer, published by Church of God General
Conference, Oregon, Illinois 61061, U.S.A.)
© Church of God General Conference. This lesson may be reproduced
without change for non-commercial purposes without prior permission.