ARE YOU CONVERTED?

How would you answer the question, "What is conversion?" Would you perhaps say it's having faith and being baptized? Is this indeed what conversion really is? Is a person really converted when they obey the gospel? The answer is yes and no. Conversion really has two different meanings in the Bible. The first meaning is the one most people think of when they hear the word conversion. It is synonymous with repentance and obeying the gospel. It is illustrated by Acts 3:19, "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out." In this usage conversion means that a person is changed or converted from a sinner into a Christian. We all understand this and use the word this way constantly. But there is another, deeper, meaning of conversion.

Even David hinted at it almost three thousand years ago. "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul." (Psalms 19:7) Here conversion takes place through the law, or word of God. This is similar to Romans 10:17 "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." The word of God can and will convert a person if it is studied. But what was conversion in David's day? It certainly was not repentance and baptism. But I do not even think David is referring to a single event here, but rather a process. As a person continues in a study of God's word their faith grows and they are converted more and more.

Conversion is a growth process. Before becoming a Christian we are very carnal or worldly. A full grown, or mature, Christian is, on the other hand, very spiritual. This change does not take place at the instant of baptism. In fact baptism does nothing to actually convert the heart or mind of a person. When a person obeys the gospel they have been converted to the point at which they are willing to accept Christ and make a commitment to try to live as a Christian. But really the conversion process has just begun.

Do our physical bodies ever stop changing and maturing? Well by the same token our spirits continue to grow and mature all of our Christian lives. Conversion is never complete in this life. The final conversion from carnal to spiritual will only be accomplished when we put off this veil of flesh and take on a spiritual body.

What did James mean by conversion when he said, "Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." (James 5:19-20) He is speaking to the "brethren" about erring from the truth. You can't err FROM the truth if you have never been IN the truth. So obviously James is talking to Christians here. People who have already been converted in the sense that they have obeyed the gospel. What did he mean then when he said "and one convert him?" Clearly James did not restrict conversion to baptism.

Conversion just means change. When a person strays from the truth they need to change and come back to the truth. Not even the best Christian is perfect. We all make mistakes regardless of how hard we try not to. So we all need to experience continual conversion. Since we are not perfect we must continually change in order to try to attain perfection.

David pointed out that it is God's word which is able to accomplish this continued conversion. This is why we must continue to study if we wish to progress further in our spiritual growth. This now brings us to a very important point. Quite often in life we see young people in disagreement with older people. These disagreements frequently are the result of differing levels of maturity. The two age groups view many things in totally different ways. But then as the years roll by and the young people begin to grow older they find themselves on the other side of the argument with the new generation of young people. This process has been repeated over and over throughout history. It's all part of growing up.

All the older generation can do is try to set a good example and let the younger generation learn the lessons of life for themselves. Younger people will never achieve maturity and wisdom if they aren't allowed the freedom to make mistakes and learn from them. What does my social commentary here have to do with conversion? Well, conversion is a continual growing-up process for a Christian. And we need to realize that not everyone in the Church is going to be at the same level of maturity that we are. We have to allow for people to make mistakes that we out grew years ago. But far too often we expect others to see things the same way we do. How long have you been a Christian? How much have you learned during this time? When you first obeyed the gospel did you know everything you know now? I'm Certain most of us learned the majority of what we know now since the time we obeyed the gospel.

Have you ever disagreed with something someone said, only to find out later you were wrong? It happens to all of us. And what we must learn is that someone is not necessarily dumb or insincere if they don't see things the same way we do. Perhaps we are wrong again, or perhaps they just need more time to study and mature as Christians. I have seen people who have studied a certain subject for years. Then when they sit down and try to explain it to someone else they are disappointed and dismayed when they can't get them to understand it. But why should we expect someone else to understand in five minutes what may have taken us five years to learn? We must learn to be patient with one another.

Consider the principle Christ taught when He said, "And I gave her space to repent of her fornication." (Revelation 2:21) What does He mean when He says He gave her "space" to repent? He means He gave her ample time and opportunity to realize her error and do something about it. If our Lord did this, then why shouldn't we? Far too often we are ready to immediately ostracize an individual or even an entire congregation for one mistake. But shouldn't we give them a chance? Now I am not for a moment proposing that we condone error. But as long as we see sincerity, and there is hope for change why should we abandon someone? We do not refuse to teach sinners the truth do we? Then why should we refuse to be patient with, and teach, our erring brethren?

Friends, let us love one another and be patient with one another. We are all being converted daily as we study God's word. When someone makes a mistake, when they take an unscriptural stand, be patient. Give them space to repent. Where would you be today if you were judged by everything you have ever believed? I have been wrong about many things in the past. I'm probably wrong about many things I believe now. I'll probably always be wrong about some things. But I'm going to keep studying and learning and allowing the word of God to convert me into the kind of person I need to be.

Over the past few decades, the Lord's church has seen far too much strife and division. We have been too quick to judge. Too quick to condemn. We were so afraid of being accused of participating in someone else's error that we would immediately sever all ties with them if they made a mistake. Is this the Christian spirit? Fortunately it seems that many today are beginning to awaken to the mistakes of the past. Walls and roadblocks to fellowship which were erected in the past are being torn down today. Old wounds are being healed.

We as Christians are a family. Some of us are aged and mature, while others are young and immature. But we all have a vital contribution to make to the family. What would a family be without children? Or what would a family be without grandparents to share their experiences and wisdom? We all have something to offer the family, and we all have something we need from the family. Let us not thrust aside our young brothers and sisters and our immature congregations. But rather we should try to help them to achieve maturity. We all have a vital part to play in the continuing conversion process of one another. We can't afford to let each other down.