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The Importance of Conversion
Lesson 18
What is necessary to salvation?
"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." Matt. 18:3.
What is the general sense of the word "conversion?"
"A turning or change from one state to another." Webster.
NOTE.- Water is converted, or changed, into ice; forests and rough places are converted, or changed, into fruitful fields and pleasant habitations; and man, perverted by sin, must be converted, or changed from a state of sin to one of holiness, to be saved at last in the kingdom of God.
What two steps are necessary to make this change?
"And have taught you publicly, and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 20:20-21.
Of what is it necessary to repent?
"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out." Acts 3:19.
What is sin?
"Whosoever committeth sin, transgresseth also the law; for sin is the transgression of the law." 1 John 3:4.
What law does one transgress when he sins?
"But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors." "For He that said [margin, that law which said], Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law." James 2:9-11.
What part does the law act in repentance?
"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin." Rom. 3:20.
When Paul was converted, what first brought conviction to him?
"I had not known sin, but by the law; for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet." Rom. 7:7.
What more than conviction is necessary to true repentance?
"For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of; but the sorrow of the world worketh death." 2 Cor. 7:10.
What does repentance involve?
"Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit." Eze. 18:30, 31.
What does repentance further require?
"Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him." Isa. 55:6, 7.
How will genuine repentance be shown?
"Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance [margin, answerable to amendment of life] ." Matt. 3:8.
What besides repentance is required in conversion?
"Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 20:21.
Who is Christ, that one should believe in Him?
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.
What has Christ done for us that we should be saved through Him?
"Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures." 1 Cor. 15:3.
In order for one to be cleansed from sin, what is required of Him?
"But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:7-9.
What should be one's relation to sin after repentance?
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" Rom. 6:1, 2.
How does one become dead to sin?
"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." Rom. 6:6.
What is done with the "old man" after he dies?
"Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Rom. 6:4.
When truly converted, what does everyone receive?
"Repent, and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Acts 2:38.
NOTE. Therefore every real conversion is a miracle of divine grace.
Can anyone be a Christian without having the Spirit of Christ?
"Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." Rom. 8:9.
What precious relation is sustained when one has the Holy Spirit?
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Rom. 8:14.
Can it be known when this relation exists?
"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." Rom. 8:16.
When one thus stands complete in Christ, what is he?
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Cor. 5:17.
Of what character are the "old things" which are to be put off?
"But now ye also put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds." Col. 3:8, 9.
What will the new man acquire?
"Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering: forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness." Col. 3:12-14.
Where will the affections then be found?
"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." Col. 3:1, 2.
Having done all this, what will be the final result?
"For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory." Col. 3:3, 4.
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