1. A New creation
The
third significant sign of conversion is that of becoming a new creation. We
have been admonished in no uncertain terms saying; “Therefore, from now on, we
regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ
according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if
anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold,
all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:16-17).
This
new creation requires that; “We no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles
walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being
alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them,
because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given
themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.’
“But
we have not so learned Christ, if indeed we have heard Him and have been taught
by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that we put off, concerning our former
conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and
be renewed in the spirit of our mind, and that we put on the new man which was
created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.’
We
also are to, put away lying, "Let each one of us speak truth with our
neighbor," for we are members of one another. "Be angry, and do not
sin": do not let the sun go down on our wrath, nor give place to the
devil. Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working
with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has
need. Let no corrupt word proceed out of our mouth, but what is good for
necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not
grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom we were sealed for the day of
redemption.
Let
all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from us,
with all malice: And let us be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving
one another, even as God in Christ forgave us” (Ephesians
4:17-32).
The
irony of truth is, “We were once darkness, but now we are light in the Lord, we
therefore are to walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in
all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the
Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather
expose them: For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by
them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light,
for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: "Awake, you who
sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light" (Ephesians
5:8-14).
So
what can we say to these things! The conclusion is, conversion is real and
literal, it is not simply a change from one belief to another or from lack of
belief to having faith, but a literal conversion from loftiness and pride to
humility, from serving idols to serving the One and only true God, from being slaves
of sin to becoming slaves of righteousness, from having a natural/carnal mind
to having a spiritual mind, from being citizens of the kingdom of darkness to becoming
citizens of the kingdom of light, from having a spirit of fear, to having the
Spirit of power, love and sound mind, and ultimately, from mortal/corruptible
to immortal and incorruptible.
“Truly,
these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to
repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in
righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this
to all by raising Him from the dead" (Acts 17:30-31).
Copyright
© 2018 by Lucius Joseph
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