Good morning and welcome in everyone. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
Have you ever tried to get somebody to change their mind about something? Maybe your brother was getting involved with something that you knew was really wrong, and you tried to warn and convince him that following through with that kind of activity would bring devastating consequences in his life. Maybe he was thinking about getting a divorce, and you tried to convince him to stick it out for the sake of charity, the children and for Christ.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
As a Christian, we are called to convert others, and try to get them to change their mind about certain behaviors or opinions that they may hold. At times, people might not want to listen, but as a Christian, we must make the initial attempt to turn people from darkness to the light of God’s truth. We must become a part of convincing others to obey the will of God.
James 5 ¹⁹ Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; ²⁰ Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
As a loving parent, sometimes we don’t even think about it, but we do the same thing each day with our own children. When they get involved doing something wrong, we turn them around and guide them in the right direction. Instead of allowing them to participate in bad behavior, we redirect them to what is good and beneficial to both themselves and to the family. We are educating them daily, converting them from wrong to right. Although children can be more easily persuaded because of parental authority, adults can be much more difficult.
As adults, everybody has the freedom to make their own decisions, and we cannot live their lives for them, but as a believer we are to make the attempt to warn and persuade others to do the right thing. This is exactly what the Apostles and the disciples of the Lord were doing, converting sinners. God uses reformed sinners, to convert sinners.
1 Peter 4 ³ For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: ⁴ Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”
— 1 Timothy 1:15 (KJV)
Many people want to do their own thing, or live their lives the way that they want to live, but there is a right way and a wrong way to do things, especially in regards to obtaining eternal life. In our carnal nature, we naturally choose the wrong things in life. Although it may feel like the right thing to do at the time, in the end it’s the wrong path to follow.
“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
— Proverbs 14:12 (KJV)
Interesting enough, this same warning is repeated a few chapters later.
“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
— Proverbs 16:25 (KJV)
Inside each one of us is the carnal nature. It is a deceiver and a liar that tries to convince you to go against the will of God.
Romans 7 ¹⁹ For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. ²⁰ Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
One must always remember that the disciples were trying to convert people, not because they were better than others, but because they wanted them to be saved. God is going to punish sin, and this is why we need to be converted and believe the truth of scripture. We need to repent or perish. Today is the day of salvation. Today is the day to turn away from the way of the world to the way of Christ. Conversion is about changing your mind from one opinion or practice to another. It is turning away from the things that you want to do, to the things that God wants you to do. Scriptures teach us that in order to obtain eternal life, we must be transformed. We need to become new creatures in Christ. We need to become a new man. Conversion is a change that results in becoming used in a different way than we have in our past.
Romans 12 ¹ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. ² And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Sometimes I think of the human mind as putty that has been shaped by the teachings and the ideologies of this world. But as a Christian, we are trying to get people to recognize the error of their way and to change their opinion. We should have a great desire to point them to the truth of holy scripture. God wants us to be something else, something different. He wants us to transform from sinners into his saints. He doesn’t want people to perish, he wants them to repent.
2 Peter 3 ⁸ But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. ⁹ The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Ephesians 4 ²² That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; ²³ And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; ²⁴ And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
To convert somebody else means to cause them to change their opinion. This change can result in a departure from the way that they currently live their lives. Instead of yielding themselves to the carnal nature, they begin to submit themselves to the will of God. They begin to change in their character or their function. Instead of serving the things of this world, they start to serve the things of Christ. Instead of being used for their own purpose, they become used for God’s purpose. The Apostle Paul was attempting to turn people to the truth, so they could obtain eternal life.
Acts 26 ¹⁶ But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; ¹⁷ Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, ¹⁸ To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. ¹⁹ Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: ²⁰ But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
Knowing that people are going to perish should cause you to reach out in an attempt to save and convert them.
Matthew 18:3 “And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
It’s a kind and loving thing to try to help others to see the error of their way. This is what the Apostles and disciples of Christ spent their lives doing, as they helped the church each day, and tried to…..
……Convince Others
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️
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