Those who believe that salvation is offered during this life are led astray by several false “truths,” one of which involves a perverted concept of conversion, which church people mistakenly call “the salvation experience” or “the born again experience,” neither of which is Biblical. The series titled Hope and Salvation and Born Again (key words–Hope and born respectively) explain the differences in detail. In this posting we will examine the subject of CONVERSION in order to prove that, following conviction, repentance and justification, CONVERSION is yet another step on one’s way to salvation that will be awarded upon the return of Jesus Christ to earth.

That which is routinely taught in the Institutional Church as “God’s word” is in fact church doctrine–man’s “perverted” version of God’s Gospel which the Apostle Paul warned about in Galatians 1:6-9. The “truths” found within the false gospels offered by the various churches, faiths, denominations, etc. are the mental surmisings of each group’s false Jesus. Paul warned the people in the church at Corinth about counterfeit christs, telling them that if someone came to them offering “another Jesus” they would embrace him (2 Cor. 11:4). Church history proves that he was right. As Paul said, there are gods many and lords many (1 Cor. 8:5). Over the past 2000 years literally hundreds of false prophets have come into “the church” offering hundreds of “other Jesuses,” each one having a “new and improved” version of the Holy Scriptures. Hearing what they wanted to hear, people gravitated to them, thereby forming the denominational system today known as “the church,” “Christianity,” “Christendom,” etc., each one of which is an abomination in the eyes of God.

This phenomenon began early on following the death of Jesus Christ. Within a generation of the establishment of the New Covenant Church in 31 A.D., Satan’s false prophets had already led many within the church away from God’s Gospel–the good news about the coming earthly kingdom of God (Mk. 1:14). To learn how church heresy (doctrine) replaced “Bible truth,” read Simon of Samaria: the Legacy. Key word–Simon. One of the many errors that replaced God’s Truth involved CONVERSION. Therefore, It is imperative that the salvation seeker understands the true meaning of the process as it relates to the life one must live in order to receive salvation and rebirth upon the Lord’s return to earth. At that time He (the Nobleman–Lk. 19:12-27) will officially take possession of His inheritance which He will share with His converted saints (Rom. 8:17) who are heirs of salvation (Heb. 1:14) as well as other promises of God. To learn more about the future inheritance of Jesus Christ and His true saints, read God’s Very Elect: Future Caretakers of the Universe. Key word–Caretakers.

One fact that the future salvation recipient must know and react to is that in order to “come to Jesus” one must be CALLED to do so by God. This is brought out in John 6:44: “No man can come to Me except the Father which has sent me draw him.” Jesus will not present sinners to His Father when He (the Father) comes to earth along with New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:2,10,22; 22:3,5). In order for Jesus to present the saint to the Father he (the saint) must be rid of sin. The cleansing process which prepares the saint for his future presentation to the Father takes place during the conversion process by “the (continuous) washing by the water which is the Word” of God (Eph. 5:26/ Titus 3:5). Once cleansed, the saint must remain in that condition until the end of his life, at which time he will be saved (Mat. 10:22). By keeping sin out of his life, the converted believer is ready to meet the Father.

Jesus’ statement: “sin no more” (Jn. 5:14; 8:11) was not a suggestion, but rather a command. John tells us that IF, during the conversion process, one sins, Jesus intervenes on behalf of the penitent (1 Jn. 2:1). Notice two things in John’s statement: 1) Children of God are told to “SIN NOT,” 2) but “IF” one sins, Jesus will intervene on his behalf. Obviously, sin is neither an expected nor an accepted act on the part of the saint. Repeated sins makes one a SINNER. Enter Jesus of cross fame. Sinners saved by grace change John’s statement to “WHEN one sins” which, combined with the Lord’s supposed carte blanche forgiveness, nullifies God’s statements relative to obedience to His Law.

A major factor in the conversion process is REPENTANCE. Many interpret repentance to mean “sorrow.” Though “godly sorrow” (2 Cor. 7:10) is part of repentance, Paul says, leads the penitent soul to salvation if, that is, total CHANGE is the outcome. In fact, repentance means changing one’s way of living from disobedience to God’s Law to obedience to His Law. Repentance involves a total change of heart (mind) and direction of life. Webster’s Dictionary defines “repentance” as: “to TURN FROM SIN.” Sin is the breaking of God’s Law (1 Jn. 2:6). True godly repentance involves OBEYING GOD’S LAW–the same Law that was supposedly “nailed to the cross.” That the repentant convert stops sinning is brought out in Romans 5:8 where Paul writes: “But God commended His love toward us, in that, while we WERE STILL SINNERS, Christ died for us”–emphasis on the word “were.”

True repentance means to repent for not only what we did, said and thought in the past, but to repent for WHAT WE WERE. Our life’s walk demonstrates what we ARE. Repentance demonstrates a total change of heart/mind and way of life. It involves turning from Satan, darkness and death to God, light and life. The life God requires of us is the life of Jesus being duplicated in us–“walking as Jesus walked” and “overcoming as I (Jesus) overcame” (1 Jn. 2:6/ Rev. 3:21). There are no options, no short-cuts, no substitutes. There is only one template, one example, one standard–Jesus of Nazareth. Those who emulate His example will rise in the first resurrection and will spend eternity in the Holy City–New Jerusalem. Read The Kingdom of God. Key word–Kingdom to see what life will be like for those who walk as Jesus walked and overcome as He overcame in this life.

An event that takes place prior to the beginning of the conversion process is of utmost importance for it provides the penitent with the power to walk in the spiritual footsteps of Jesus of Nazareth. This event empowers the penitent to resist the temptations to sin that the salvation seeker will face as he does battle with Satan and his fallen angels as did his Forerunner–Jesus.

On the Day of Pentecost when the New Covenant Church came into being, the people asked Peter what they must do in order to be part of the church (Acts 2:37). He told them they must “REPENT, and be BAPTIZED” for the remission (removal) of their PAST sins (known as “justification”). At that time they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit–the power of God with which to live as they would have to live in order to be saved. Notice that two acts must take place in order to receive the gift of God’s power: REPENTANCE AND BAPTISM.

Receiving the Holy Spirit is essential to becoming a child of God. Notice what Paul wrote concerning this Truth in Romans 8:9: “But you are not in the flesh, but in the (Holy) Spirit, if the Spirit of God DWELLS IN YOU. Now if any man does not have the Spirit of God (within him), he is not a son of God.” In verse 14 Paul confirms this Truth, saying: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, (only) they are the sons of God.” Contrary to the belief of sinners saved by grace, the Holy Spirit does not lead one to sin, but rather to holiness–obedience to God’s Ten Commandment Law, including commandment #4. The Apostle James tells us that to break one commandment of the Law is to break the entire Law (2:10). This makes one a “worker of iniquity” (Lawlessness) whom Jesus said He would reject on the Day of Judgment (Mat. 7:23) because their worship of Him will have been “in vain” (Mat. 15:9). These deceived souls will have obeyed church doctrine rather than His Gospel. To them Jesus will say: “I never knew you.” More devastating Words do not exist. After years of church-going, Bible study, prayer, tithing, etc. one hears those four soul-destroying Words–unimaginable.

That a man must obey God’s Law which renders him holy and righteous, thereby qualifying him for salvation, is born out in Romans 5:21 and 6:22. The Truth that holiness and righteousness (godliness) is required in order to be God’s true saints is also born out in John 8:31; 14:15,23; 15:10 and First John 2:5 and 3:1-10. In spite of these and other Scriptural proofs that obedience to God’s Law is commanded by Him, the church masses still gather to worship the sun god on his (sun) day each week. I am sure that Satan smiles as his disciples march lock-step into his citadels of sin clutching the Book whose Author they refuse to believe and obey. I must give credit where it is due. SATAN IS GOOD AT WHAT HE DOES. As Jesus said, HE HAS DECEIVED THE WHOLE WORLD (Rev. 12:9). L.J.