THE NATURE OF CONVERSION

THE NATURE OF CONVERSION

            Conversion is a "turning" with two distinct aspects:

                        Away from sin - Acts 3:26 "In turning away every one of you from his  iniquities."
                        Toward God - Acts 9:35 "and turned to the Lord."
                            -           Both in Acts 14:15 - Epistrepho with apo and epi
                            -           cf. also Acts 26:18  "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."
                             -            cf. also 1 Thess. 1:9  "For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God."
                            -           Assumption of the doctrine of conversion is that man by nature and practice is going away from God toward evil and needs to turn back.

            Conversion appears in Bible both as man's act and God's work

                        Man is commanded to "turn" - Ezek. 33:11 "turn ye, turn ye."
                       God "turns" man - Luke 1:16 "And many...shall he turn to the Lord their  God."
                        cf. Jer. 31:18-19 "Turn thou me, and I shall be turned."

            Conversion in Bible describes two types of Christian experience

                        The initial experience of the sinner turning to God for salvation.
                                    Acts 3:19 "Repent ye therefore, and be converted."
                                    Acts 11:21 "And a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord."

                                  The experience of the wandering Christian who turns from his sin back to his  Father.

                                    Luke 22:31-32 "And when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."

                        Notes: a. The first experience never repeated. The second may be many times.

                                    b. In popular speech, "Conversion" generally refers to the first.