True Conversion
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 10/22/2017 AM |
Text: | Colossians 3; Lord's Day 33 |
Psalters: | 227, 338, 7, 271 |
- Its description.
- Conversion presupposes and follows from regeneration.
- Regeneration is God’s work of imparting a new life into the hearts of His elect.
- The brings conflict between our new life and our old man (sin dwelling within, the body of this death, Rom. 7:17b,24).
- Other descriptive thoughts concerning true conversion.
- There is initial conversion and there is on-going, never-ending conversion.
- Conversion mostly takes place WITHIN the believer, and is not visible: “sorrow,” “hate,” “joy.”
- Conversion is God’s working in the elect, so the elect, regenerated sinner becomes active (Canons III,IV-10b,11b,12b).
- God turns us in such a way that the regenerated sinner is active in turning (Canons III,IV-14b).
- God converts, turns, gives repentance and they delight to do His will (Acts 5:31; II Tim. 2:25).
- Conversion presupposes and follows from regeneration.
- Conversion may be differently experienced, but it always has two elements given in the Catechism.
- Conversion always has the mortification of the old man: repenting: godly sorrow and confession of sin and sinfulness.
- Mortification is the putting to death (Col. 3:5; Romans 8:13) or putting off (Col. 3:8,9; Eph. 4:22) of the believer’s old man.
- Mortification is possible because the Spirit of Christ convicts, showing us that we are sinning against command and love.
- The faith which mortifies also quickens (enlivens, put on of the new man) (cf. Romans 6:5; Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:12).
- This takes place by the renewing of our mind (Eph. 4:23) whereby we consider God’s work for us in Christ.
- It is a delight to desire and to do what my Savior wants me to do. It is the desire to live before God in all good works.
- Conversion always has the mortification of the old man: repenting: godly sorrow and confession of sin and sinfulness.
- Are you always converting?
- Are you striving to see your sin and your sinfulness; and see their seriousness because of the Father’s love?
- Is there progress in your conversion: sorrow deepening, less tolerant of sins, more understanding of those overtaken by a sin.