From the Heart of the Pastor

​Last time we looked at the third mark of a healthy church, a biblical understanding of the good news.  The fourth is very similar, but addressing the issue from a slightly different direction.  The third mark dealt with the message of the gospel.  That God creates, we rebel, Christ saves, we respond.  The fourth mark then answers the logical question; how does that good news impact my life.  The answer very simply is: conversion.  The fourth mark of a healthy church is a biblical understanding of conversion.
            Conversion is a change.  In the same way we might think of converting currency, we should also think about the spiritual reality of conversion.  Conversion is change or a turn around.  That is the nature of conversion.  We turn from our sin in repentance and we trust in Christ as our only hope in faith.  Faith and Repentance are two sides of the coin of conversion.  It is something God accomplishes on our behalf to his own glory.  Acts 11: 18 states, “When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
            Certainly, we actively participate in this response to grace God has granted us, but if we think of our salvation as something we have done on our own, we are mistaken.  A false understanding of the radical, miraculous change God has accomplished in our conversion is a primary reason our land is plagued with false conversions.  Maybe you’ve heard the story of Charles Spurgeon walking on a London street when a drunk approached him.  The conversation went something like this: "Hey, Mr. Spurgeon, I'm one of your converts!" To which Spurgeon responded, "You must be one of mine--you're certainly not one of the Lord's!"
            The reason Spurgeon so readily denied his conversion is because although conversion occurs at the beginning of the Christian life, it is evidenced by the fruit of continued repentance and obedience.  Faith that doesn’t produce fruit is really not faith at all.  If we truly know Christ it will impact our lives in a powerful and ongoing way.  The point Spurgeon was making and Scripture makes abundantly clear is that a genuine conversion will produce genuine fruit.  Praise God for his salvation in Jesus Christ.
 
In Christ,
Blain Craig

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