#6 – 13 TERMS OF SALVATION – CONVERSION
CONVERSION (Gr. epistrophe) essentially means a “turning” or “a turning
toward.” The verb is hepistrepho,
rendered in the N.T. “to convert” or “to turn.” When Paul and Barnabas were on
their way to Jerusalem, they passed through towns and villages “….declaring
the conversion of the Gentiles: and
they caused great joy unto all the brethren” Acts 15:3. In other words, the
Gentiles had turned from their sinful ways and, by the power of the Gospel, they
had turned toward God through saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Hb.
terms of the O.T. have a similar significance and usage (Pss. 19:7; 51:13; Jer.
31:18 and Ezek. 33:11). In Psalm 51:13 David, after his horrendous sin with
Bathsheba, confesses the sin and asks God to restore him so he can be useful
again: “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with
thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be
converted unto thee.”
MORE KEY VERSES FOR CONSIDERATION:
1.
The Apostle Paul was commissioned by
God to take the Gospel to the Gentiles: “…to open their eyes, and to
turn them (convert) from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto
God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them
which are sanctified by faith that is in me” (Acts 26:18).
2.
An angel told Zacharias that his ‘soon-to-be-born-son’,
John the Baptist, would have a powerful ministry: “And many of the
children of Israel shall he turn
(convert) to the Lord their God” (Luke 1:16).
3.
The Apostle Peter’s Gospel preaching
included an appeal for conversion: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be
blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the
Lord…” (Acts 3:19).
4.
The Prophet of old, Ezekiel, was to
preach ‘conversion’. God said to tell His people: “As I
live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but
that the wicked turn from his way
and live: turn ye, turn ye from your
evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” (Ezekiel 33:11)
5.
After declaring the power of nature
to turn people back to God (Psalm 19:1-6), David, in v.7, says: “The
law of the Lord is perfect converting
the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.”
6.
Nominal Christians (those who
sometimes are even numbered among the congregation but not truly saved) need to
‘be converted’ or ‘turned back’ by truth to authentic salvation This is not
being saved again, but rather being truly saved, moved from mere profession to
true possession Of Jesus Christ: “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).
R.C.H. Lenski says concerning this difficult passage: “What was
one of the great dangers that threatened his readers? Why, to revert to
Judaism. To be sure, James also includes all mortal sins. But the most damnable
and deadly sin is unbelief. Read what is written to other Jewish Christians who
were thinking of going back to Judaism (Heb. 6:4-8; 10:25-31)….What erring from
the truth means to James is all too apparent from what he says about turning
such an erring one back to the truth; such erring means that a soul is in death
and in a multitude of sins…What a great thing it is to rescue a person from
physical death! This is a greater thing, for spiritual death is far worse than
physical death. James states this in the third person: ‘he that turns back.’ He
thereby makes the statement objective and general for every case of this kind.
How this turning back is accomplished is indicated by the means: the sinner is
turned back to the truth by the truth. There is only one objective means to
save such a sinner, namely the truth; and only one subjective means, repentance
(contrition for sin, faith in the Savior). We translate ‘shall turn back’ and ‘he
that turns back’.”
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Dick
D. Christen
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