The Benefit of De-Emphasizing Evangelical Conversion
Salvation belongs to the Lord (Ps 3:8; Jon 2:9; Rev 19:1). It does not belong to man. God has not given it over to us, as our work to perform. Paul wrote to Titus, “He saved us (Titus 3:5).” Therefore, we must inquire why churchmen have tried to convince sinners that they are the determiner of their own salvation. Evangelical preachers are particularly guilty of this man-centered re-emphasis.
A sound doctrinal sermon may be utterly negated by the preacher pressing the people to do something. Hearers are encouraged to choose, decide, accept, trust, believe, ask, have faith, etc. The born again, having received the grace of repentance will indeed experience conversion as God grants the elect, redeemed souls the faith to believe the Word of God (Jesus/Bible).
Conversion (repentance/faith) is an act of God in His salvation of His people. It is never a self-generated act of sinners; therefore, pressuring hearers to be the catalyst in their conversion is mere man-centered manipulation. Sinners will repent from sin and to Christ Jesus in faith if God grants them the grace to do so. Thus, repentance and faith are evidence of a work performed exclusively by the Holy Spirit.
Emphasis on conversion, especially when it is not understood that the regeneration by the Spirit of Christ is a necessary pre-requisite to observing the evidence of repentance and faith, displaces the hearers’ focus on Christ and Him crucified. It is an error to refocus the mind of sinners from the Savior and onto themselves and that notorious “something” they must do to be saved.
Conversion-centered Christianity is not the Gospel of God and what He alone is able to do for sinners, in their state of total depravity. Conversion is not a “God has done His part and now you must do your part,” proposition. In reflection, the believer can say with the blind man in John 9, “I was blind but now I see.” Or as Paul wrote, “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins…even when we were in our transgressions (the Spirit) made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).”
Ephesians 2:1, 5 encourage us to see our state of unwillingness and inability to change. It takes an act of God to bring to life a dead soul. The resurrection of the soul is called, “regeneration.” Regeneration is the exclusive work of the Spirit of God.
When the false preacher/teacher preaches man-centered salvation which can only produce false converts, he is stealing glory from God to whom salvation belongs. This is nothing short of the serpent enticing Adam and Eve to make their choice to be like gods (Gen 3:5).
Their “free will decision” brought sin into the world and poisoned their entire posterity with an inheritance of sin, in addition to a sin nature.
It is an intriguing contemplation to survey the stealers of salvation. What compels a preacher to stand before a congregation and insist they can be like God? What is the motivation of the teacher of free will decisionalism and easy-believism?
The man of God lifts up Christ for sinners to see. Who was healed when Moses lifted up the bronze serpent in the wilderness? It was those people who fixed their eyes on the object designed for their healing. In the same way, those who fix their eyes on Jesus (who happens to be the author of their faith), that sinners are saved. So what compels one to see Jesus?
First, the sinner’s eyes must be opened. The Spirit of Christ gives spiritual sight to the blind.
Second, it is the Spirit-filled man of God who directs the people to look at Jesus, high and lifted up on the cross.
Third, when those who have been given eyes to see actually see Jesus for who He is and what He has done, they know He is their Good Shepherd. They know whom they have believed, and they give credit, praise, honor, and glory to Him who granted them faith.
Christian faith, when seen as a gracious work of God — not man — is a fruit of the Spirit. The faithfulness (Gal 5:22) of the believer is actually the faithfulness of God the Spirit who began the good work and who brings it to completion in glorification of the saints on the last day.
May God grant faith to evangelical preachers to de-emphasize conversion so that the people may see Jesus — not themselves — as the catalyst for salvation. After all, He is the Savior.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
July 29, 2021
