Conversion

Hebrews 2:1-4

Having knowledge of something, and acting on that knowledge are two vastly different things.  Growing up in a Christian home, we were admonished to not neglect Salvation, we were taught, yes, we were educated in the ways of God.  From a very young age I learned and believed Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.” I knew that included me, I also knew and believed, Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Through Jesus, God gave us a way to be saved from our sins. God showed us His love by giving us the potential for life through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ.  You may not believe that I could be so stupid as to understand these truths and not ask Christ into my life, but it goes much farther than that, I understood, Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Folks, I had many of these verses put to memory along with Romans 10:9-10, “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."  I was able to quote Romans 10:13, “For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”  Not only could I quote it I believed it, I believed that it did not require me to do any religious act, I only had to call on the name of the Lord and I would be saved.

My issue is not that different than many others who have been educated in the ways of God, who have attended church services and been active in Sunday school, it’s a surrender of will, an absolute and irrevocable surrender, a bowing of the knee to Jesus Christ, believing He is truth, that He is life, and that He keeps His promises.  I’ve come to this understanding, I had experienced conversion, I knew and I believed, but I had not received remission of my sin.  I was full of self, there was no pressing need to have God interrupt my life.  I joined the Baptist church, I became a Baptist, but I had not received anything from Jesus Christ.  My eyes were open to truth, and that is conversion, but it is not Salvation.  Salvation comes when a person is born again, when a person receives something from God.  I knew that night in Victoria, Texas, in a hotel room that I had received regeneration, I bowed my knee to Jesus Christ, and He came into my life that is what happens in Salvation.  Many in the church are converted, but they have not received the free gift of God, His Son, and yes, Jesus will interrupt what you call life, in fact, once you have received His life, you will be on a great journey.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice