Conversion: The Response to the Gospel

Facets of the Gospel  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  37:40
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 Conversion: The Response to the Gospel Jn 3:1-21 / Mk 1:15 We've talked about several of the facets (they are inseparable) of the gospel and now we come to the transaction how does it happen? how does one get the Gospel Applied (Redemption Applied) to them? We saw how there is a Gospel Call (Effectual Call- that results in New Birth (Regeneration) this is the Work of the HS, through the Word of God. (Overwhelmed this week that God can use the foolishness of preaching of the Gospel to issue an effectual Gospel call in someone's life. * NHL Goalie, every time you make a mistake a light goes off- all your weirdness and oddities, yet God can use this foolishness to issue a Gospel call) Our Response to that is called Conversion. Conversion is the response to the Gospel offer. What must I do to be saved? How you answer that question is of vital importance. Your eternal destiny hangs on how you answer that question. It truly is a matter of life and death. Body: Basic of - Biblical Conversions. * Gospel Message:. That God has made a way of salvation - for you - not through a people, religion, rituals connections, gender, status, but through a person. It is an ancient message...from the beginning. Jesus is the only way of salvation. Jn 14:6 There is no other name Acts 4:12 The Question: vs 37 "What shall we do?" This brings up the doctrine of conversion. This is a "Basic" One of the 9 marks of a healthy church. Has a biblical understanding of conversion, preaches it, and believes it. Jn 3:1-8 "you must be born again." Conversion is the response to the Gospel offer. "The saving response to the gospel is called conversion." ~ Barrett Conversion is a U-turn in a person's life. It is turning with one's whole person away from sin and to Christ for salvation. From idol worship to God worship. From self-justification to Christ's justification. From self-rule to God's rule. Conversion is what happens when God awakens those who are spiritually dead and enables them to repent of their sins and have faith in Christ. * When Jesus calls us to repent and believe, he's calling us to conversion. It's a radical change in what we believe and do. (Mark 1:15) * When Jesus calls us to take up our crosses and follow him, he's calling us to conversion. (Luke 9:23) * In order for us to repent, God must give us new life, new hearts, and faith (Eph. 2:1, Rom. 6:17, Col. 2:13, Ezek. 36:26, Eph. 2:8, 2 Tim. 2:25). You need to respond to the Gospel Personally: I want to impress upon you the necessity and nature of having a personal saving faith in Christ for Salvation. 2 Tim 1:12 "1" 6x times - 2. Has faith knowledge and trust. 3. Has the object of Jesus. * Conversion is your first step in the Christian life. * "a journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step" * Conversions is the goal. - Not decision, professions, raised hands, etc. or even, Transfers. * Whitefield on Conversions - comeback next year and we'll see. * A new study shows that 30% of church are growing. * The vast majority is from "transfer growth" * You could see that locally. Almost all are from another congregation. Some even market for this. * New research found that around half of US adults who attended church before COVID-19 hit are unlikely to return to church right now even if public health officials deemed it safe. Yet most would be "very" or "somewhat" comfortable dining in restaurants (62%) or going to the mall (67%) at this point. This is a tragedy but I do not believe it's a result of the Pandemic. It was a result of a church that didn't really realize what church was all about. You see church is not about a building but church is about assembling. The very word "church" means "assembly." * We want to see conversion growth not transfer growth. Sinners must meet the terms and conditions of conversion. We come to God on his terms. His conditions. The terms. (the emotions that accompany may vary, but the terms are clear) So, what is conversion? As the word sounds it's a Turning around. A U-Turn in someones life. 1 Thes 1:9 and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, This spiritual "Turn" is from sin, to God. * The turning from is called repentance * The turning to is called faith. There are two components of Conversion in Scripture: Repentance & Faith * Conversion involves Repentance & Faith * Notice Vs. 38 Joke: This verse is good home security. Old lady stopped burglar in his tracks. (axe & 2 38's :) ) * Both Repentence and faith are named in scripture. Two sides of the same coin. * Acts give good illustration. Some passages Repentance, Acts 2, 3:19, 5:31, 11:18 Others Faith. The key: When one is missing the other unnamed is always assumed. Otherwise scripture would be requiring different thigns from different people. * Jesus preached repentance - first word recorded for us "Repent" Mark 1:15 "Repent ye, and believe the gospel." * Faith & Repentance go together. * Faith is often mentioned without repentance as well as repentance without faith. * As DA Carson says, "Both are shorthand expressions that imply the other." * Jesus sums it up when he says, "Repent and Believe the Gospel" These two components make up conversion. One cannot occur before the other they are linked. Doesn't really matter which we discuss first, but. Repentance: * Logically: before turning to something you first turn away from something else. * You cannot look in two directions at the same time. * Repentance is a prerequisite for salvation. * It's in the Bible: Preached in OT * There's a fairly recent trend in Evangelical Cirlcles that repentance and accepting the Lordship of Jesus is not necessary for salvation. * That repentance is for discipleship, and not salvation. "Easy Beleivism" * Let me be clear: Repentance is necessary for salvation. * John the Baptist preached a message of Repentance * Jesus preached Repentance Priminently. Matt 4:17 "From that time on Jesus began to preach, "repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" * Luke 24 christ suffer and that repentance and forgivness of sins will be preached to all nations. * Paul@ Mars hill Acts 17:30 in the past God overlook such ignorances, but noe he commandall people everywhere to repent" * Jesus commands us to go and "make disciples" * Millard Erickson, " Any attempt to increase the number of disciples by making discipleship as easy as possible end up diluting the quality of the discipleship instead." What is repentance? * Heartfelt sorrow, renouncing of sin, * Repentance & Faith both hit the mind, emotions, and will * Achnowledging - intellectually the teaching on sin * Felling that * Personal decision to turn from it. * Repentance is a turning away. * Change of mind - result in change of action (but not simply a change of mind) * It's facing a new direction- and having movement in a new direction. * A "Lifestyle" of repentance. * The London Baptist Confession in describing repentance says it is something, "to be continued through the whole course of our lives." * A new direction, a new journey, not just a turning in a crisis moment. * Repentance in Mind, Emotion & Will * Mind: * Psalm 130 "if thouh, Lord should mark iniquities, O Lord who shall stand? But there is forgivenss with thee, that htough mayest be feared... * The incentive to repent in Joel is the knowledge theat God is "Gracious and merciful, slow to aner, and of greatk kindness, and repenteth himof the evil." Joel 2:13 * Emotion: * There will be a hatred, grief, and sorrow over sin. * Are you sorry for your sin or do you boast in it? * "until sin is felt and freely confessed, genuine conversion cannot ensue" * Ezekiel describes regenerated people as loathing their sin and iniquities. * Will * Repentance involves forsaking old ways and seeking the Lord. * Is 55:6-7 "Seek ye the Lord whil he may be found, call upon him while he is near; Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrightous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord and he ill have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. App: human religion never affords certainty on how men can get to God and achieve salvation. The Bible however, declares a God who has not only accomplished al that is necessary for salvation through His son, but also offers it available to you if you will repent and believe. What is Faith? * "Believeth" Rely, Rest & Remain. Where? In your heart. * Intelectually: * Have some knowledge of what God has done. Rom 10:14 "how can they believe on Him whom they've never heard." * The devils believe and tremble * Emotional - Approval or agree to this, * But this isn't enough. Nic we know you are a teaching come from God. * Will - You/I must decide to Depend on Jesus to save you/me personally. * Personal trust. Salvation requires a conscious and willful decision to choose Christ. The effectual means of salvation. - Faith is not the meritorious cause - that is the object of faith. * Enough faith? The object determines value. * The Terms of the Gospel are the same for all the World. The terms do not change depending on the social status or race. * Romans 10:13 * Romans 10:11 whoever beleiveth on him shall not be ashamed Confessing the life of Jesus while believing the Gospel in heart is the saving response to the Gospel. It is basic to understanding and enjoying in the Gospel. Is this settled for you? * Faith is the grace that leads us to Christ, Repentance is the grace that leads us away from sin by turning us around to see and follow after Christ. God's Initiative. Conversion is what happens when God awakens those who are spiritually dead and enables them to repent of their sins and have faith in Christ. Repentence and Faith are gifts from God. - To give repentence Acts 5:30-31 - Acts 11:18 "then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life" - Acts 16:14 opened Lydia's heart - Saints in Achai "believed through hgrace" Acts 18:27 - We are to Eph 1 "believe according to the working of his mighty power" - Eph 2:8 For by grace are you saved by faith, and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God. - Phil 1:29 for unto you it is given in the behalf of Chrits, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. - 2 Ti 2:25 "in meekness instructing those who oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance..." Illustration: Hymn sums it up well. " I know not who this saving faith to me He did impart, nor how believing in His word wrought peace within my heart... I know not how the Spirit moves convincing men of sin, revealing Jesus through the Word, creating faith in Him." Theological Note: Technically regeneration precedes faith, but conversion is the first conscious act of a believer. * The Gospel offer is a bona fide guarantee that any sinner who comes to Jessu will be saved. Jesus saves all who will repent. I point God's initiative out to show that conversion is not dependent on will power, but on Grace. Grace is better than will power. Note: don't lean on this undermine evangelism. Barrett, "Any understanding of the Gospel that prevents the free offer to sinners manifests a gross misunderstanding." App: * Shorter Catechism, "Faith in Jesus is a saving grace, where by we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered in the Gospel." 1. Receive Christ * Jn 1:12 , Colossians believers "Received Christ Jesis the Lord 2:6. * Receiving is a passive - Receive a gift. * Receiving implies accepting the terms - forgoing any negotiations. * Not picking and choosing what part of the Gospel to believe or not believe. * Receive Him as the only mediator. * Receive Him as Lord, the absolute sovereign. * Not that we're perfect subjects, but we acknowledge that He is King. 2. Rest in Christ * Means that we've ceased any self-effort. * Come to realize that nothing else can save. * This part brings the most enjoyment of the Gospel - Christian. * Most Christians don't enjoy the Gospel because they're not resting. * Illustration: Relaxing while Jamie drives. Don't rest = don't enjoy - to enjoy I need to "let down" * In Christ there's nothing I can do to make him love me more or less. * His presence and approval are all I need 3. Remain * Savng faith isn't just a moment, historic cricis decision. * It continues to believe. * Jn 1:12 is the inception of the faith. * When faith is defined as a historic decision, doubt can develop. * You're always racking your brain to remember the historic event. * The proof of the reality isn't the memory, bu t the continuing faith in Christ. * Are you believing the Gospel? Even if all the details of the initial reception is not remembered. Christ is the answer. * Prayer....Lord, I believe, Help thou mine unbelief" Conclusion: I want to impress upon you the necessity and nature of having a personal saving faith in Christ for Salvation. 2 Tim 1:12 "1" 6x times - 2. Has faith knowlectes and trust. 3. Has the objet of Jesus. Main Point: (Proposition| Big Idea) * Are you Born Again? * Have you Been Converted? * Have you received the New Birth? > Romans 10:9-10 Believe in heart - confess with mouth. * Embers to Flames Story: I'm reading a book right now on church revitalization. The author tells the story of a revitalizer who took a church in Florida and his first sermon preached on the importance of personal conversion. Add here. * There may be some here like that at LCC some who have been around the church for years but have never truly been converted. Would today be the day you give up the struggle and doubts and trust Christ? * How about you? You might say, "I'm so far away, I cannot be saved" * Vs. 39 this promise is for you, for all who are far off" * There is no one who is so far removed from God that he cannot redeem. Argument: (aside) I'm not trying to make any saved person doubt their salvation. [you're looking at someone who doubted, and struggled with doubt of their salvation for years] But I am trying to warn those that profess salvation but to not possess regeneration of true acceptance of Christ. Memorable Statement: Conversion is the response to the Gospel: Conversion meet the terms: 1. Repentance 2. Faith. * CA: Pray for rebirth. When was the last time LCC? * Invite your one. Conversion is evidenced in Baptism & Church membership. Lehman - If your doctrine of conversion is missing the corporate element, it's missing an essential piece of the whole. A covenant head comes with a covenant people. Not much time to develop this but, but let me be sure to make something clear. * The water does not save. Does not mean that the waters save. * We are saved "by grace through faith" Eph 2:89 * Yet Jesus commands baptism as an outward expression of what the Spirit has accomplished. * It's a display of repentance. Being willing to publicly yield allegiance to Jesus Christ. * The public seal of this promise of God to his people. * 3 Errors that emerge from not seeing Baptism as the Visible sign of Repentance & Faith. (note that this is why it's important to compare scripture with scripture) * Some groups teach that Baptism is essential to salvation. Most notably followers of Cambelites: (Church of Christ) Baptismal regeneration. * Paul made a distinction between the two, "Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the Gospel" 1 cor 1:17. The Gospel is the "message of the cross." * Oneness Pentecostals: Apostolic believe one person that manifests itself in 3 ways. * Form of modalism a heresty concdemned in ad 200 * Decisionism from the "new measures" of Revivalism. * Little story: Awakenings and revivals the gospel preached and conversions were measured by baptisms. * Remember baptism is the visible sign of repentance and faith. * But in the 1800's a movement had emerged that sought to create revival and stir it up with what was known as "New Measures" * Much of the worship service styles we know from the last century find their roots in this time. (Notice that this is not ancient faith but something worked up. * Finney taught that man needed converted from his will not his nature. * That revival wasn't a miracle, but something "the philosophical result of the right use of constituted means" so his "new measures included an "anxious bench" or a "seat of decision." Finney said that, "the object of measures is to gain attention" and to do that "you must have something new" * "Added to the church" What does it mean to be "added to the church" * vs. 41 is in passive voice. * A few verses later vs 47 the subject of the sentence is given. "The Lord added to the church" * It was Jesus who promised, Matt 16:18 "I will build my church" Thursday, August 13, 2020 8/13/2020 Communion - Be Brief Page 2 of 2
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