WEDNESDAY February 19, 2025

True Conversions to Christ

Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed....
1 Timothy 1:5-6

A true believer has love and a pure, clean heart––blamelessness. They live a life without condemnation because they have a clean conscience. The Gospel message brought them to conviction, which led them to a true conversion. Evidence of a true conversion will naturally cause a believer to hunger for God’s Word and to live a righteous life (Matthew 5:6).

As previously addressed, you cannot be just a “churchgoer,” someone who goes to church merely to acquire biblical knowledge. There has to be a sincere submission to Jesus Christ. Sadly, there are many people like this in the congregation––people who have not learned to hunger and thirst for righteousness. Listen, if you are just a hearer of the Word, and you are not a doer of God’s Word, then you are wasting your time.

Churches should not preach a social gospel––a feel good gospel that does not preach a message of holiness. The Bible teaches we are to live holy lives, Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). We are called to be holy––set apart; no one will see the Lord without holiness.

You see, the Word of God must bring conviction to our hearts to bring about true change. That is why the Bible also teaches: ... if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). Another Scripture taught by Jesus states: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). We are born again of God’s Spirit, not of knowledge. All these Scriptures are important to know; they are foundational in the Christian faith and are doctrinally correct.

Salvation is the work of God, not the work of men. Religion is the work of men, not the work of God. Seriously, religion is vanity––it is emptiness. May these truths speak to our hearts.

We are dependent on the power of God to convert us and give faith in Jesus Christ and the new nature.
~Jonathan Edwards~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!