What does it mean to be Converted?
On one occasion, Jesus spoke to the Apostle Peter and said :(Luke 22:32) "When you are converted, strengthen your brethren." According to the chronology of the scriptures, Jesus said this to Peter on the day before He was crucified. Jesus said that Peter had not as yet been converted after having walked with Jesus for about three and one half years, witnessed all the miracles that Jesus had performed and with his own mouth had confessed that he believed that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. If Peter was a true believer and it appears that he was, but had not been converted, then maybe we don=t understand just what it means to be converted. What is the conversion process, what does a person have to do to become converted, when does conversion take place?
To be converted means to change ones actions or way of thinking, or to reverse your opinion concerning some subject. In the case of Peter, it seems to say that Peter may have been confessing his belief in who Jesus was, but really did not completely believe it in his heart. Which would make what Jesus said, Peter, when you finally remove all doubt from your mind about me and become converted from an unbeliever to a true believer, then help your brethern to also understand and believe and be converted. If just one day before Jesus was crucified Peter had not been converted, then when did it happen?
The Prophet Isaiah spoke of being converted when he, speaking for God, said, if the people could see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, then they would be converted and I would heal them.
Isa 6:10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
This passage in Isaiah was quoted by Jesus in Matthew and Mark, By John in his Gospel and by the Apostle Paul in the book of Acts. It completely relates to the believing process, believing that the Word of God is absolutely true and everything He said will come to pass. Isaiah spoke of seeing with your eyes, taking the blinders off, that have been put there by the teaching of theological principles resulting from their own interpretation of what the scripture actually means, and opening your eyes to the truth of God=s Word as it was initially given to His servants, the Prophets and the Lord=s Apostles. He spoke of unstopping your ears and listening to what God is saying to us today, by way of His written Word and any bible teacher that might be sent to us by Him. He spoke also of understanding with our heart, the kind of understanding one has when they are totally committed to believing God=s Word to be true.
Mat 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Mark 4:12 that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
John 12:40 He has blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
Acts 28:27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Then God said: when the people finally understand with their heart and are converted, he would heal them and forgive them of their sin. But you might ask, what is He going to heal them of? What if they are not sick? The healing that God will perform is the healing or the curing of the eminent spiritual death they are facing because of unbelief and the healing process imparts to them eternal life.
In the case of Peter being converted, it occurred sometime after Jesus was crucified and before he received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. For when he received the Holy Spirit, he received the healing that God spoke of. When you receive the Spirit of God in your body, you are receiving the eternal life that comes with that Spirit. Just as Peter said in Acts 3:19: when you repent of your sin of disbelief, you have been converted and your sin of formally not believing has been forgiven and blotted out.
Acts 3:19 Repent you therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
One other thing that needs to be said about being converted is this. Jesus made the statement that unless you are converted and become like little children, you will not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven
Mat 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
What does Jesus mean to become like little children? He means that we should unconditionally believe His Word without question or doubting, just like little children believe the word of their parents. God expects us to humble ourselves as a little child and not only say that we believe that what He says is the absolute truth, but fully expect that whatever He has said will come to pass.
There are many that have repented of their sin of unbelief and believe that they have been converted, but have not fully accepted the whole of God=s Word as being perfectly true. If a person believes with their head, confesses with their mouth, but does not believe in their spiritual heart, without doubting His Word to be absolutely true, they have not been converted. Your conversion from unbelief to total unconditional belief is necessary for you to be saved.
No comments:
Post a Comment