THE SCRIPTURAL BASIS OF THE DOCTRINE

By Gary Ray Branscome

Jesus’ words, “I tell you truly, Unless you are converted, and become like little children, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven,” tell us that conversion is not an option (Matthew 18:3). However, that raises two questions. What is conversion? And, why do we need it?

The words, “Repent, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out,” tell us that conversion brings forgiveness (Acts 3:19). The words, “Just as sin entered the world by one man, and death by sin; so death passed upon all men, because all have sinned,” tell us that all men need forgiveness because all have sinned (Romans 5:12). The proof that we have all sinned lies in the fact that we are all going to die. And, the very fact that you can do nothing to prevent your death proves that you can do nothing to save yourself. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). In short, we need to be converted because we are sinners who need forgiveness, and that forgiveness brings with it the promise of eternal life.

The words, “Men are appointed to die once, and after that the judgment,” tell us that death does not end our existence, but after death we will face God’s judgment (Hebrews 9:27). The words, “Men will account for every idle word that they speak, on the day of judgment,” tell us that on that day we must account for everything that we have done (Matthew 12:36). And, because we are all sinners, unless God forgives us we will all be condemned. For God “Is an holy God; He is a jealous God; He will not overlook your transgressions or your sins” (Joshua 24:19).

However, the words, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” tell us that God has provided a way for us be forgiven, namely, through the death of His son (John 3:16). And, a comparison of the words, “Whoever believes in Him will receive forgiveness of sins,” with the words, “Be converted, that your sins may be blotted out,” tell us that being “converted” and “believing in Christ” go hand in hand. Conversion is the change from unbelief to faith, and faith brings forgiveness (Acts 10:43 and Acts 3:19).

The words, “What does a man profit, if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” remind us that nothing we can gain in this world even comes close to the value of our soul (Matthew 16:20). The words, “All who trust in the law are under a curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one who does not continue to do everything that is written in the book of the law,” tell us that the law cannot save us, for it places us under a curse (Galatians 3:10). And, the words, “None of them can by any means redeem his brother, or give God a ransom for him: (For the price to be paid for their soul is too costly, and what they give will never suffice,)” tell us that no mere man could ever atone for his own soul, or the soul of anyone else (Psalm 49:7-8).

The words, “When the time had fully come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, To redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons,” tell us that even though we were in a hopeless mess, and could not save ourselves, God sent Christ into the world to save us (Galatians 4:4-5). The words, “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him; and by His stripes we are healed. Like sheep we have all have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all,” tell us that Christ saved us by taking our sins upon Himself, and suffering the punishment that we deserved (Isaiah 53:5-6). “For God has done what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh. By sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us” (Romans 8:3-4). “And He has made you, who were dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, alive together with Him, having forgiven all of your sins; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross,” (Colossians 2:13-14). Faith is believing that Christ died for your sins, conversion is the beginning of faith, and the words, “All the prophets testify of Him, that through His name whoever believes in Him will receive forgiveness of sins,” tell us that faith brings forgiveness (Acts 10:43). So, to put it briefly, conversion is the instantaneous change from being someone who is not forgiven to being someone who is forgiven.