Conversion

As we launch into these heart-searching questions, we must recognize our desparate need of the Holy Spirit. Without the softening influence of the Holy Spirit on our hearts, we WILL rise up against the Straight Testimony! God forbid! Let us pray:

Our Heavenly Father, I come to you just now in the name of Jesus, pleading for the Holy Spirit. Tune my heart to resonate with Your truth, so that I will receive Your Word. Save me from myself, my rebellious, unChristlike self. I long to be thoroughly converted, through and through. Speak to me Your precious words of life, so I may live forever! Thank you for hearing my prayer! I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.

Do I understand what is genuine conversion really is?

Conversion is a change of heart, a turning from unrighteousness to righteousness. Relying upon the merits of Christ, exercising true faith in Him, the repentant sinner receives pardon for sin. As he ceases to do evil and learns to do well, he grows in grace and in the knowledge of God. He sees that in order to follow Jesus he must separate from the world, and after counting the cost, he looks upon all as loss if he may but win Christ. He enlists in His army and bravely and cheerfully engages in the warfare, fighting against natural inclinations and selfish desires and bringing the will into subjection to the will of Christ. Daily he seeks the Lord for grace, and he is strengthened and helped. Self once reigned in his heart, and worldly pleasure was his delight. Now self is dethroned, and God reigns supreme. His life reveals the fruit of righteousness. The sins he once loved he now hates. Firmly and resolutely he follows in the path of holiness. This is genuine conversion. . . . {HP 20.3}

True conversion is a change from selfishness to sanctified affection for God and for one another.--1SM 114, 115 (1901). {LDE 191.2}

Real conversion is a decided change of feelings and motives; it is a virtual taking leave of worldly connections, a hastening from their spiritual atmosphere, a withdrawing from the controlling power of their thoughts, opinions, and influences. --5T 82, 83 (1889). {1MCP 349.2}

Many who profess to believe the truth for these last days, will be found wanting. They have neglected the weightier matters. Their conversion is superficial, not deep, earnest, and thorough. {ChS 45.4}

Many young men are sent forth to labor who do not understand the plan of salvation and what true conversion is; in fact, they need to be converted. We need to be enlightened on this point, and the ministers need to be educated to dwell more particularly upon the subjects which explain true conversion. All who are baptized are to give evidence that they have been converted. There is not a point that needs to be dwelt upon more earnestly, repeated more frequently, or established more firmly in the minds of all than the impossibility of fallen man meriting anything by his own best good works. Salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ alone. {FW 18.1}

The Christian church needs to be purged and purified.The neglect and indifference of professed Christians are cast by the world as a reproach upon God. How can we, men and women who have a knowledge of present truth, be so listless and indifferent, so careless in regard to the work which must be done to warn souls perishing in sin? Christians need a clear conviction of duty. The heart needs to be filled with the childlike faith which takes God at His word. Then the deathlike stupor resting upon the church will be removed. The Lord will work upon hearts. The soul-temple will be purified. There will be no fungus growth. Sloth and stupidity will no longer endanger faith. There will be seen spiritual elasticity and vigorous growth. God calls for a decided change in His people. Heart-conversion is needed . The Lord calls upon us to reveal to the world the sanctifying power of the truth. He calls upon us to lay ourselves upon His altar, a living sacrifice, consecrating all that we have and are to His service. {ST, September 18, 1901}

Conversion is a work that most do not appreciate. It is not a small matter to transform an earthly, sin-loving mind and bring it to understand the unspeakable love of Christ, the charms of His grace, and the excellency of God, so that the soul shall be imbued with divine love. {FLB 82.4}

One of the strongest evidences of true conversion is love to God and man. Those who accept Jesus as their Redeemer have a deep, sincere love for others of like precious faith. {AA 262.3}

Every one will be tested, to see whether his conversion is real.The long-expected day of God will soon test every man's work. The pleasure of self-indulgence will perish as stubble, while the gold of steadfast principle, maintained at any cost, will endure forever. {4MR 410.2}

The only safe course to pursue is to search the heart, try the motives by the Word of God, and test the spirit, and see what is the influence of words and actions. Conversion is needed. A transforming influence of the Spirit of God upon the character must be felt and demonstrated in the words and actions.We cannot with safety look away from our Saviour for one moment, for a dart of Satan will be hurled at our weakest points. In the exercise of a living faith in the merits of Christ alone are we safe. The helpless soul of the sinner must hang on Jesus. If he lets go his hold for one moment, he is in imminent peril of hurting his own soul and of imperiling the souls of others. {12MR 288.3}

Conversion is not a half-and-half-work, a serving of God and Mammon, but an entire turning to God. It is the working of the Holy Spirit upon the heart. Those who are truly converted have an understanding of spiritual things, which unites them to God and to one another in Christian love. {RH, February 19, 1901 par. 19}

Am I truly converted?

No compromise with sin can ever be accepted by a pure and holy God. No conversion is genuine which does not radically change the heart, the character, and every line of conduct. "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature." The gift of the Lord Jesus is a new character, a new creature in Christ Jesus. Not a moment should be wasted on a patchwork religion. We must shine as lights in the world.This present life is only our training school; it is to purify us, that we may be without spot, wrinkle, or any such thing--meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. {18MR 277.4}

The converted soul has a hatred of sin; he does not indulge in self-complacency, self-love, self-sufficiency, nor pass on day after day, claiming to be a Christian, and yet bringing dishonor upon Christ by misrepresenting him in character. Those who make this mistake, and pass on filled with self-righteousness, have not in reality made the first step heavenward. The first step toward heaven is conviction of sin, the second is repentance and obedience. True piety never exalts self. {RH, September 17, 1895 par. 4}

None are living Christians unless they have a daily experience in the things of God and daily practice self-denial, cheerfully bearing the cross and following Christ. Every living Christian will advance daily in the divine life. As he advances toward perfection, he experiences a conversion to God every day; and this conversion is not completed until he attains to perfection of Christian character, a full preparation for the finishing touch of immortality. . . . {AG 291.4}

Many profess to be on the Lord's side, but they are not; the weight of all their actions is on Satan's side. By what means shall we determine whose side we are on? Who has the heart? With whom are our thoughts? Upon whom do we love to converse? Who has our warmest affections and our best energies? If we are on the Lord's side, our thoughts are with him, and our sweetest thoughts are of him. We have no friendship with the world; we have consecrated all that we have and are, to him. We long to bear his image, breathe his Spirit, do his will, and please him in all things. {RH, August 16, 1887 par. 1}

I confess that, of myself, I am a lost, helpless, hopeless soul in desperate need of the saving grace of God.

Are you in Christ? Not if you do not acknowledge yourselves erring, helpless, condemned sinners. Not if you are exalting and glorifying self. If there is any good in you, it is wholly attributable to the mercy of a compassionate Saviour....Few receive the grace of Christ with self-abasement, with a deep and permanent sense of their unworthiness. {5T 48, 50}

As the sinner looks to the law, his guilt is made plain to him and pressed home to his conscience, and he is condemned. His only comfort and hope is found in looking to the cross of Calvary. As he ventures upon the promises, taking God at His word, relief and peace come to his soul. He cries, "Lord, Thou hast promised to save all who come unto Thee in the name of Thy Son. I am a lost, helpless, hopeless soul. Lord, save, or I perish." His faith lays hold on Christ, and he is justified before God. {FW 99.3}

I acknowledge that I have nothing to offer to God, but a sin-polluted heart.

The Lord Jesus calls upon me to set these things before believers and unbelievers. Be merciful, even as your Father in heaven is merciful. Think of the great gift God has made you, even the gift of His Son. Think of what he has done to secure your salvation. Your sinful condition demanded a sacrifice. In your spiritual destitution you had nothing to offer. Christ came to this world, and on the cross offered himself as a sacrifice for you. You are not your own; for you have been bought with a price; "therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." He "so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." {RH, May 28, 1901 par. 13}

But what do we give up, when we give all? A sin-polluted heart, for Jesus to purify, to cleanse by His own blood, and to save by His matchless love. And yet men think it hard to give up all! I am ashamed to hear it spoken of, ashamed to write it. {SC 46.1}

I admit that without the indwelling presence of God, I can do no good thing.

Apart from Christ we can do no good thing. How inconsistent, then, it is for human beings to exalt themselves! How strange that any should forget that they must repent, in common with their fellow beings, and that those whom they condemn with severity may stand justified before God, receiving the sympathy of Christ and the angels. {BLJ 218.4}

I consent to bow low before the cross, contemplating Christ's sacrifice for me.

If you will only do your part and bow at the cross of Calvary, you will receive the blessing of God. God loves you. He does not wish to draw you nigh to him to hurt you, oh, no; but to comfort you, to pour in the oil of rejoicing, to heal the wounds that sin has made, to bind up where Satan has bruised. He wants to give you the garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Will you let Jesus in ? Will you fall on the Rock and be broken? Will you bow low at the foot of the cross? Jesus will place his arms around you, and comfort you. Will you do this without further delay? God grant that you may move with his providence and be prepared for the Lord's coming. {RH, March 4, 1890 par. 10}

I acknowledge that I need a genuine conversion experience, not just once, but every day.

To follow Jesus requires wholehearted conversion at the start, and a repetition of this conversion every day. {PH068 26.2}

If you will seek the Lord and be converted every day; if you will of your own spiritual choice be free and joyous in God; if with gladsome consent of heart to His gracious call you come wearing the yoke of Christ,--the yoke of obedience and service,--all your murmurings will be stilled, all your difficulties will be removed, all the perplexing problems that now confront you will be solved. {MB 101.3}

I choose to give my heart unreservedly to God, with nothing held back.

Keep yourselves where the three great powers of heaven, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, can be your efficiency. These powers work with the man who gives himself unreservedly to God, heart and soul and mind and strength. "If a man love Me," Christ says, "He will keep My words; and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him." The power that comes with Christ's abiding presence is at the command of His believing ones. The man who makes God his trust is barricaded by an impregnable wall. {ST, May 10, 1905 par. 8}

I admit the I must be filled with the Holy Spirit in order to be a genuine Christian.

The Holy Spirit is our efficiency in the work of character building, in forming characters after the divine similitude. When we think ourselves capable of molding our own experience, we make a great mistake. We can never of ourselves obtain the victory over temptation. But those who have genuine faith in Christ will be worked by the Holy Spirit. The soul in whose heart faith abides will grow into a beautiful temple for the Lord. He is directed by the grace of Christ. Just in proportion as he depends on the Holy Spirit's teaching he will grow. {OFC 119.1}

The Holy Spirit comes to convince of sin, and to soften hearts hardened by estrangement from God. It comes to reveal the love wherewith God loves us, and the possibilities that open before every believing child of God. But are not some afraid of this heavenly guest? At times it comes with an all-pervading influence, but is it received? Do those to whom it comes bow before God with contrite hearts, pleading that they may be prepared to receive the blessings he is presenting to them? I entreat of all to receive this heavenly visitant as an abiding guest; for it will guide you into all truth, and give you joy and peace in the Lord. {ST, November 5, 1896 par. 10}

I repent of my sins, and turn wholeheartedly away from them.

Repentance is as much the gift of Christ as is forgiveness, and it cannot be found in the heart where Jesus has not been at work. We can no more repent without the Spirit of Christ to awaken the conscience, than we can be pardoned without Christ. Christ draws the sinner by the exhibition of his love upon the cross, and this softens the heart, impresses the mind, and inspires contrition and repentance in the soul. {RH, April 1, 1890 par. 3}

But those who sincerely repent and turn to the Lord, will find in him a personal Saviour. He is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him. He will save you from yourself, from every defilement, from all your foolishness. You are to believe in him, to "trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe." When you love Jesus, you will not grieve him by indulging sin in yourself; for you will realize that he came not to save you in your sins, but from your sins. John says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." {RH, April 5, 1892 par. 5}

I accept the robe of Christ's righteousness, and choose to live His life.

When we submit ourselves to Christ, the heart is united with His heart, the will is merged in His will, the mind becomes one with His mind, the thoughts are brought into captivity to Him; we live His life. This is what it means to be clothed with the garment of His righteousness. Then as the Lord looks upon us He sees, not the fig-leaf garment, not the nakedness and deformity of sin, but His own robe of righteousness, which is perfect obedience to the law of Jehovah. {COL 311.4}

I invite Christ into my heart to take total control.

Come to the cross and there renounce self, the world, and every idol. Take Jesus into your heart fully.. Make an entire surrender to God; yield up everything unreservedly, and thus seek for that peace which passes understanding. {2T 263}

I choose to become a partaker of the divine nature.

"Partakers of the divine nature." Is this possible? Of ourselves we can do no good thing. How, then, can we be partakers of the divine nature? By coming to Christ just as we are, needy, helpless, dependent. He died to make it possible for us to be partakers of the divine nature. He took humanity upon Himself that He might reach humanity. With the golden chain of His matchless love He has bound us to the throne of God. We are to have power to overcome as He overcame. {HP 59.2}

 

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