THE INTERNAL MOTIONS IN CONVERSION

By Gary Ray Branscome

The Bible uses the word “repentance” in three ways. When the Bible says that, “Judas… repented, and brought the thirty pieces of silver back to the chief priests and elders,” it is telling us that Judas was sorry for what he had done (Matthew 27:3). However, his repentance was incomplete because it never led him to seek God’s mercy or look to Christ for forgiveness. The words, “Repent of this wickedness, and pray to God, that the thought of your heart may be forgiven you,” again speak of repentance as sorrow for sin (Acts 8:22). However, the words, “There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety and nine just persons, who do not need to repent,” use the word “repent” as a synonym of conversion – of complete repentance consisting of sorrow for sin coupled with faith in Christ (Luke 15:7). Without that faith in Christ there would be nothing for heaven to rejoice over. The words, “Unless you repent, you will all perish,” again speak of conversion as repentance (Luke 13:5). In contrast, the words, “They should repent and turn to God, and live lives consistent with repentance,” speak of a change in behavior that is “consistent with repentance” (Acts 26:20). That change of behavior is a fruit of repentance, not repentance itself. However, sometimes repentance is described by its fruits.

Because the focus of this section is conversion, we want to look at the internal change that leads to faith in Christ. And, the words, “This is the man to whom I will look, even to him who is humble and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at my word,” give us a description of that internal change (Isaiah 66:2). To be “contrite” is to be sorry for sin. Picture a young child who, upon being rebuked for wrongdoing, breaks into tears and cries “I’m sorry,” meaning it from the heart. The words, “Whoever will humble himself like this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven,” tell us that God wants us to come to Him as little children, who are truly sorry and want to do what is right (Matthew 18:4). At the same time God does not want us to take sin lightly as did King Saul, who said “I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and your words… Therefore, I pray, pardon my sin” (1Samuel 15:24-25). Notice that Saul asked Samuel for pardon, not God, and did not indicate any fear of God or desire for God’s forgiveness.

The words, “If you love the LORD, hate evil,” and “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil,” tell us that all who fear and love God will hate evil (Psalm 97:10, Proverbs 8:13). And, all who truly hate evil will not want it in their life. Moreover, the words, “He who covers [excuses] his sins will not prosper: but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy,” tell us that those who truly fear and love God will not excuse their sins, but will confess and forsake them (Proverbs 28:13). In fact, we could say that those who excuse their sins, and try to justify wrongdoing, really love those sins, and that is the opposite of true repentance.

When Ezekiel said, “If the wicked person turns from all the sins that he has committed, and keeps my law, and does that which is lawful and right, he will surely live, he will not die,” he was describing repentance by its fruits (Ezekiel 18:21). What those who pull this verse out of context fail to realize is that God’s law demands “a heart that is humbled and sorry for sin,” not just a heart that just puts on an outward show of righteousness. (Psalm 51:17). Christ condemned such outward show when He said, “You also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness,” (Matthew 23:28). However, that error can be avoided if we interpret those words of Ezekiel in the light of Christ’s parable of the Pharisee and the publican. In fact, the words, “He [Christ] spoke this parable to those who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and looked down on others,” tell us that this parable was directed against those who, like the Pharisees, would twist Ezekiel’s words to support works-righteousness (Luke 18:9).

When “The Pharisee stood up and prayed thus to himself, God, I thank you, that I am not like other men are, extortioners, evil doers, adulterers, or even like this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of everything I possess,” he undoubtedly thought that he had turned from any sins he had committed, and was keeping God’s law (Luke 18:11-12). However, Jesus did not share that opinion, and the reason He did not share it may be summarized in the following words by Dr. Walter A. Maier.

The Pharisee lied when he posed as an example of goodness and obedience. He had harbored unclean, lust-filled, greedy, hate-charged thoughts. His soul, as every man’s, was a source of vicious, destructive evil. Deny it though he did this Bible verdict condemned him: “From within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.” (From the 1947 sermon, "The Prayer God Answers”.)

In contrast, when “the publican, standing afar off, would not even look up to heaven, but beat upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.” He was doing what God’s law required (Luke 18:13). And, the words, “This man went down to his house justified,” tell us that his repentance was coupled with faith (Luke 18:14). For, “A man is not justified by the works of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ… for the works of the law will not make anyone righteous” (Galatians 2:16).

In short, the law prepares our heart for conversion by revealing our sin and need for forgiveness. The internal change that God works in us through the law takes place when we stop excusing our sin and come to God with a humble heart that is sorry for sin and wants to be delivered from it. Conversion then takes place when we believe God’s promise of forgiveness in Christ. For, “Scripture has concluded all under sin, that the promise [of forgiveness] might be given to those who believe, through faith in Jesus Christ” (Galatians 3:22). As it is written, “Repent, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out,” (Acts 3:19). Knowing that “God will not despise a heart that is humbled and sorry for sin” (Psalm 51:17). For “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” and “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us of all sin” (1John 1:7,9).