Theological Term of the Week: Conversion

conversion

“[T]hat act of God whereby He causes the regenerated sinner, in his conscious life, to turn to [God] in repentance and faith.” Also, on the other side, “the resulting conscious act of the regenerated sinner whereby he, through the grace of God, turns to God in repentance and faith.”1 

• From scripture: 

  For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God…. (1 Thessalonians 1:9 ESV) 

• Some characteristics of conversion from Systematic Theology by Louis Berkhof, page 484-5: 

  1. Conversion belongs to the re-creative rather than to the judicial acts of God. It does not alter the state but the condition of man. At the same time it is closely connected with the divine operations in the judicial sphere. In conversion man becomes conscious of the fact that he is worthy of condemnation and is also brought to a recognition of that fact. While this already presupposes faith, it also leads to a greater manifestation of faith in Jesus Christ, a confident trusting in Him for salvation. And this faith, in turn, by appropriating the righteousness of Jesus Christ, is instrumental in the sinner’s justification. In conversion man awakens to the joyous assurance that all his sins are pardoned on the basis of the merits of Jesus Christ. 

   2. As the word metanoia clearly indicates, conversion takes place, not in the subconscious, but in the conscious life of the sinner. This does not mean that it is not rooted in the subconscious life. Being a direct effect of regeneration, it naturally includes a transition in the operations of the new life from the subconscious to the conscious life. In view of this it may be said that conversion begins below consciousness, but that, as a completed act, it certainly falls within the range of the conscious life. This brings out the close connection between regeneration and conversion. A conversion that is not rooted in regeneration is no true conversion. 

   3. Conversion marks the conscious beginning, not only of the putting away of the old man, a fleeing from sin, but also of the putting on of the new man, a striving for holiness of life. In regeneration the sinful principle of the old life is already replaced by the holy principle of the new life. But it is only in conversion that this transition penetrates into the conscious life, turning it into a new and Godward direction. The sinner consciously forsakes the old sinful life and turns to a life in communion with and devoted to God. This does not mean, however, that the struggle between the old and the new is at once ended; it will continue as long as man lives.

Learn more:

1. 9Marks: What is conversion?
2. Louis Berkhof: Conversion
3. Jared C. Wilson: The Beauty of Conversion
4. Tom Schreiner: Conversion in the New Testament

Related terms:

• effectual call
• regeneration
• repentance 

1Systematic Theology by Louis Berkhof, page 483.

Filed under Salvation

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