CONTINUED CONVERSION

By Gary Ray Branscome

When we speak of continued conversion we are not saying that people need to be converted over and over again, but that the change that comes over us when we come to faith in Christ will continue throughout our life. As it is written “If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2Corinthians 5:17).

Because repentance lays the groundwork for faith, a repentant heart, “a heart that is humbled and sorry for sin,” will continue throughout our life (Psalm 51:17). Moreover, because the Holy Spirit comes into our heart “through faith” in Christ, once we come to faith the Holy Spirit will be at work in us (Galatians 3:14). That does not mean that there will not be a struggle. Our flesh will lust “against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh (Galatians 5:17). But, because we are sorry for our sins we will not want to do evil and will fight against it. Those who are truly repentant do not want to be sinners. That is not to say that we never fall short. We all have unclean, lust-filled, greedy, and hate-charged thoughts. When we are angry it is easy to utter hateful and hurtful words, words that we are later sorry for. However, when that happens, instead of ignoring or excusing our sins like we did before we came to faith, we should confess them to God, looking to Christ for forgiveness. And, since that is what happened when we came to faith in Christ, that is what I am calling “continued conversion”. Here again, I am not saying that we need to be converted again every time we sin, but that being sorry for sin and looking to Christ for forgiveness is an attitude that should continue throughout our life.

The words, “Put on the new nature, which after the image of God is created in righteousness and true holiness,” call upon us to conduct ourselves in a way that is in accord with the image of God (Ephesians 4:24). The words. “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily entangles us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,” urge us to avoid sin (Hebrews 12:1). The words, “Just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, even so we should also walk in newness of life,” urge us to conduct ourselves as we would if we had no sinful desires (Romans 6:4). And, the words, “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, so that we would no longer serve sin,” tell us that we should no longer serve sin (Romans 6:6).

The words, “The flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and they are opposed to each other,” tell us that as we seek to do right there will be an inner struggle against the flesh (Galatians 5:17). And, the words, “When I want to do good, evil is present with me,” // “I buffet my body, and bring it under my control: lest there be any way that I, after having preached to others, might be rejected,” tell us that even the Apostle Paul had a struggle with sin (Romans 7:21, 1Corinthians 9:27).

The words, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to your loving-kindness: blot out my transgressions according to the multitude of your tender mercies. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me,” reveal that David was truly sorry for his sin, and looked to God for forgiveness (Psalm 51:1-3). And, while we should never sin willfully as David did, like David we should all be sorry when we sin, instead of trying to excuse our sin.

Let me make it clear that I am not saying that our salvation depends upon confessing every sin. It is not through confession but through faith in Christ that we receive forgiveness. And, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us of all sin,” not just some sins (1John 1:7). As Horatio Spafford put it, “My sin not in part but the whole, is nailed to His cross and I bear it no more” (From the Hymn, “It is Well With My Soul).

Just as the words “faith comes by hearing” tell us that the Holy Spirit plants faith in our hearts through His Word: as we continue to humbly look at our sin, taking comfort daily in God’s promise of forgiveness in Christ, the words, “I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase,” tell us that Holy Spirit continues to work through His Word to nurture and strengthen [water] our faith (Romans 10:17, 1Corinthians 3:6).