Church of the Children of the Lord Jesus Christ

Study: 2                                                               

The Conversion

   There is nothing worse for a person that to make a false show. If actually a person has found God through the knowledge of Jesus Christ, then that person must be baptized in that Name and show forth unto the world that is a Jesus Christ’s follower ; otherwise, that man (or woman) is living a falsehood life.

   In the Holy Scriptures the expression “to be a convert or any other form of it, appears about fourteen times in the New Testament ; and it means plainly “stop and turn back”. This “word” is the base of Peter’s mighty sermon the day of Pentecost, when he warns unto the multitude : “Repent ...”(Acts 2:38).

   The conversion is a willing change in a sinner’s mind, this change shall lead that person both to leave sin and go toward Jesus Christ. In the Bible this stirring change is known as The New Birth (Be Born again) or Regeneration.

   Nobody can to be a convert own self, but by the Grace of God ; because we are too weak to convert ourselves, but we need of Help. It is written in the Bible : “For by Grace are ye Saved Through faith ; and that not of yourselves ; it is the Gift of God : Not of works, that no man should glory” (Ephesians 2:8-9). The Grace belongs God, the faith our’s, but the Freedom whereby we choose : it is a Gift of God.

   The change which God works upon the spirit of a person through the Faith in Jesus Christ, becomes a strange perception of innermost heat and an actual feeling of confidence in our Saviour, and we do receive the full assurance that God forgave our sins and, therefore, we are Saved (delivered) from the Law of sin and death.

   In many cases there is a period of anxiety before to be a convert.

   Our world is dying, our civilization (culture) is both in disorder and confusion, and in danger. The Good Tidding of Jesus Christ’s Gospel offers the unique solution. Because Jesus Christ’s Gospel is the only way to obtain remission of sins. The steps toward the Conversion are the following :

Oneself must confess that is a sinner.

   We may read in the Bible : “For all have sinned, and fall short of the Glory of God” (Romans 3:23). This is hard to accept it. We don’t like to admit that we did wrong (evil). But God requieres of us that both we admit have done wrong and also that we leave our sins. At this point we need of our human will. Perhaps, we are not able to leave sin, however we must put our will to leave it. Then, if we put forth our will God shall Help us.

Oneself must admit that Jesus Christ died and raised again to forgive my sins.

   Jesus Christ’s death was not an accident. It was foreseen in the Work (Plan) of God that He Should shed His Blood on the tree. Thanks God, His resurrection witness us that Jesus Christ overcame both the sin and the death. The tree and the tomb remained empty. Jesus Christ is Living and He’s Almighty to save utterly to whom trust in Him.

God requieres that we through Faith should receive Jesus Christ.

   “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name” (John 1:12). Jesus Christ said : “Verily I say unto you, Except ye be Converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of heaven”. (Matthew 18:3). At the right time in which you do receive to Jesus Christ both through Repentance and Faith, you have begun to be changed into a new person by Him, which change is known as Regeneration. It is written in the Scriptures that old things are passed away ; behold all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Repentance.

There are some wrong ideas about Repentance :

Repentance is not a penitence or a self inflicted punishment.

   For penitence is a willing punishment for sin, which is not necessarily a change of character or manner of proceeding (behaviour). When the “holy man” from India lies upon a bed of nails or creeps himself on the ground, he is doing penitence, but it means not that his sin is taken away (forgiven).

It is not a pang of conscience.

   Judas Iscariot betrayed the Son of God and he felt a pang of conscience, but it didn’t lead him toward the Lord.

It is not to condemm oneself.

   We can hate ourselves due our sinfulness, which can do deepper both the sorrow for sin and the desperation. We must not hate ourselves, but our sins, we must hate our wrong ways, our bad thoughts our lustfulness, our falsehood, our covetousness, our niggardliness. Oneself’s hate leads unto the self - destruction, and it is wrong destroy that which was created unto the image of God.

Conviction.

   It is a warning voice, which is within our heart (conscience), whereunto the Spirit of God and both the conscience and the common sense are gathered together to warn us ; Turn back !, Change your way !, you are walking in a wrong way !.

   This conviction which comes from God is not perceived for all persons, many have their spirits hardened and because of it they cannot perceive the voice of the Holy Spirit.

   Nevertheless, Conviction is not Repentance, but it is a part thereof. Conviction is as it were an alarm, which warns us about our crooked life and the danger thereof.

   If you are wearied due your sins, and the God’s Spirit is talking to you, then let you give thanks God because that is the first step toward the Kingdom of God.

   Nobody is able to reach the Kingdom unless first repent own self for sins, and nobody is able to repent own self if it is not persuaded of the Holy Spirit.

 Contrition.

   God has a Special Promise for them that feel a genuine sorrow (or “Godly sorrow”, 2 Corinthians 7:10) due their passed sins, and do show forth a sincere wish to walk in a New Righteousness Way ; as follows : “For thus saith the High and Lofty One that inabiteth eternity, whose Name is Holy : I dwell in the High and Holy Place, with him also that is of contrite and humble spirit, to receive the spirit of the humble, and to receive the heart of the contrite ones” (Isaiah 57:15).

Change of mind, of attitude, and of way.

   If One is truly sorrow, his will shall lead that person to change mind leaving the way of sin to take an opposed Way, which is Jesus Christ’s Way. When we feel true repentance, then we do put all our capability to serve Jesus Christ, thus our whole spirit and soul and body is under Jesus Christ’s control (1 Thessalonians 5:23). The Lord did command us that should repent, but He didn’t command it for a whim, He has a purpose for us : He wants our welfare and everlasting happiness. When men and women have felt true repentance and assurance of faith, they find that their lives, families, businesses everything is changed.

The New Birth.

 It is not a Good resolution.

   When we do watch the  wonderful things created by God, or when we have borne a sickness (disease), or peradventure we stand before a beloved person’s tomb ; have we not decided ourselves to be better and Godly ?. These periods of Good resolutions are very important experiences but they become to nought if we don’t add to them our firm decision to do a deep change within us.

 It is not to grow sad due sin.

   Most of us can feel resentment due our sins, but we cannot be born again only through resentment.

It is not to join Oneself to a church.

   It is on this wise because the experience, which is changing my own nature, leads to myself to be a member of the True Church rather than them which usually have a name after men or are material buildings.

 Spiritual Birth.

   The Bible says about it : “Which were born, not of blood, not of the will of the flesh, not of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13).

   Our first birth gave us physical life, the New Birth gives us Spiritual Life. The physical life ends with the death, but Spiritual Life is Everlasting.

   After we were born again, we are going into the Abundant Life. There is a enormous difference between to exist and to live. The humanbeing perceives, deep in his heart, that was created for a better, beautiful and more noble life.

   How Glorious it is be born of God !. The Blessings upon the sons of God are the following : God gives us his Divine Power. The Bible does affirm : “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his Name (John 1:12) ; thus we are led by the Spirit of God. The same hour, God takes away our sins “that we may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15). The Bible also says that we are heirs of God : “Wherefore thou are no more a slave, but a son ; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ (Galatians 4:7).

Revolutionary Birth.

   Please, see 2° Corinthians 5:17. Of course, you will suffer not a physical change, you will be yourself, but every one of your works shall be transformed after your New Birth. You will not further need advices from no person about how to behave yourself, but the Spirit of God shall lead you (see Romans 8:14).

   It is true that you must leave many things, but God shall give you something much better rather than those things. For there is nothing worthy to be saved from our old life.

Everlasting Birth.

   We ought to be disposed to receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, and receive Him of whole heart. The end of all things is at hand. A- men.

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