A Changed Heart
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Many of us do not remember our conversion to the Christian Faith. Maybe it was as a young child. Maybe as you get further from that time you forget. Maybe you just cannot pinpoint a specific moment. So, how then do you know you have been saved? How can you be assured you are a new creation?
Intro
Intro
Illus: Scrooge - A Christmas Carol
Great story of Ebenezer Scrooge by Charles Dickens. The literary genius between Chapter four and five is a good example of what conversion looks like.
Chapter four ends with Scrooge being converted in his very spirit - going from evil to good.
“Spirit!" he cried, tight clutching at its robe, "hear me! I am not the man I was. I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse. Why show me this, if I am past all hope?"
For the first time the hand appeared to shake.
"Good Spirit," he pursued, as down upon the ground he fell before it: "your nature intercedes for me, and pities me. Assure me that I yet may change these shadows you have shown me by an altered life?"
The kind hand trembled.
"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach. Oh, tell me I may sponge away the writing on this stone!"
In his agony, he caught the spectral hand. It sought to free itself, but he was strong in his entreaty, and detained it. The Spirit, stronger yet, repulsed him.
Holding up his hands in a last prayer to have his fate reversed, he saw an alteration in the Phantom's hood and dress. It shrunk, collapsed, and dwindled down into a bedpost.”
Excerpt From: Charles Dickens. “A Christmas Carol.” Apple Books.
Excerpt From: Charles Dickens. “A Christmas Carol.” Apple Books.
Here is a man left with no hope, looking outside of himself. Looking for someone greater to change his heart.
“hood and dress. It shrunk, collapsed, and dwindled down into a bedpost.”
Excerpt From: Charles Dickens. “A Christmas Carol.” Apple Books.
Excerpt From: Charles Dickens. “A Christmas Carol.” Apple Books.
Conversion What is it?
It is a turning from something toward something else. And we in the church us it to refer to the moment where we become a Christian, a believer in Jesus Christ.
Yet, there is still much confusion as to what this conversion actually is and what it means. So, we will look at this a bit more in depth in this passage.
But, let’s first look at what conversion is:
Illus: Scrooge
“Yes! and the bedpost was his own. The bed was his own, the room was his own. Best and happiest of all, the Time before him was his own, to make amends in!
"I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future!" Scrooge repeated as he scrambled out of bed. "The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. Oh, Jacob Marley! Heaven and the Christmas Time be praised for this! I say it on my knees, old Jacob; on my knees!"
He was so fluttered and so glowing with his good intentions, that his broken voice would scarcely answer to his call. He had been sobbing violently in his conflict with the Spirit, and his face was wet with tears.
"They are not torn down," cried Scrooge, folding one of his bed-curtains in his arms, "they are not torn down, rings and all. They are here—I am here—the shadows of the things that would have been may be dispelled. They will be. I know they will!"
His hands were busy with his garments all this time; turning them inside out, putting them on upside down, tearing them, mislaying them, making them parties to every kind of extravagance.”
Excerpt From: Charles Dickens. “A Christmas Carol.” Apple Books.
“I don't know what to do!" cried Scrooge, laughing and crying in the same breath; and making a perfect Laocoön of himself with his stockings. "I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a school-boy. I am as giddy as a drunken man. A merry Christmas to everybody! A happy New Year to all the world! Hallo here! Whoop! Hallo!"
“I don't know what to do!" cried Scrooge, laughing and crying in the same breath; and making a perfect Laocoön of himself with his stockings. "I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a school-boy. I am as giddy as a drunken man. A merry Christmas to everybody! A happy New Year to all the world! Hallo here! Whoop! Hallo!"
He had frisked into the sitting-room, and was now standing there: perfectly winded.”
He had frisked into the sitting-room, and was now standing there: perfectly winded.”
Excerpt From: Charles Dickens. “A Christmas Carol.” Apple Books.
Excerpt From: Charles Dickens. “A Christmas Carol.” Apple Books.
You know the rest of the story. A true change of heart took place in Scrooge.
Well, the same things happens to the Apostle Paul.
Excerpt From: Charles Dickens. “A Christmas Carol.” Apple Books.
Let’s turn to his story and learn more about conversion:
Context:
Greek - epistrophen - turning around
- used in connection with turning the Gentiles toward faith in Jesus
to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Acts 26:18
As Scrooge had a change of heart, so too does Paul.
Paul:
Paul’s conversion is told in , , & 26
Important aspect of Paul’s life and for the life of any believer. Yet, many of us may not remember this moment or have ever recognized it. So, how do we know we are saved?
Principles of Faith
Principles of Faith
Conversion produces a change of heart (1-5)
Paul is moved from persecuting Jesus to believing in Him
New Heart & New Spirit
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
Ezek 36:26
New Spirit
not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,
Conversion produces a changed heart. A turning from our old heart to the new one.
Conversion requires the work of Jesus (6-10)
Jesus meets Paul on the road in a real way
speaks to him
Paul was converted by the Word of Christ
The spoken word of God is what creates and recretas
God spoke the world into existence.
Calvin calls this the “origin of conversion.”
It starts with the spoken word of Jesus
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
This “good work” begins with the work of Jesus and his recreation of your heart and spirit
The goal:
But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
Acts
Conversion consists of faith and repentance (11-16)
Paul responds with faith and repentance
A changed heart - convicted that he was wrong
turned and followed Jesus in faith
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Paul responds by following in faith
He could not see, led by another
followed in faith in what he could not see
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Repentance - Used in NT as a change of mind
Human activity of responding to the work of Jesus. Jesus converts and we respond in repentance. Jesus makes us aware of our sin and builds faith so we can repent.
baptized and sins washed away (16)
The only response to the work of Jesus in conversion is faith and repentance
faith from God - gift of God
Repentance is our turning
Conversion moves us toward obedience (17-21)
J. C. Ryle warns: “Conversion is not putting a man in an arm-chair and taking him easily to heaven.” - Holiness p.99.
Paul becomes a witness to what Jesus has done for him
goal to be a witness to Jesus to those in Jerusalem
Jews who still do not believe
Gentiles who have not yet heard
He knew he had persecuted these people, yet went in obedience, out of a new heart and spirit.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
How do we know, when we cannot remember our conversion, that we are a Christian?
we know because we have a changed heart.
A heart that puts its faith and trust in Jesus Christ as our savior
His work accomplished for us
A heart that repents of our sin
Sanctification and growth
change when we hear the words of Christ
A heart that desires to obey Jesus Christ
We hear and obey
Have you had this change of heart?
Rest assured you have been converted. Be assured of your salvation.
But, with this new heart seek to continue to grow in faith and obedience.