Biblical Conversion - Handout

THE PRACTICE OF THE CHURCH

“Preach the Word”

Message Six: Biblical Conversion

God’s purpose in redemption:

"For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;” (Romans 8:29NASB95)

Five Questions About Biblical Conversion

1. Is change ____________________________?

Change is necessary because…

v We are ___________________ ______________________

v We are not ________________ ______________________

v YOU MAY NOT BE AS BAD AS YOU COULD BE, BUT YOU’RE NOT AS GOOD AS YOU NEED TO BE!

"What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.” “Their throat is an open grave, With their tongues they keep deceiving,” “The poison of asps is under their lips”; “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”; “Their feet are swift to shed blood, Destruction and misery are in their paths, And the path of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin."
(Romans 3:9-20NASB95)

2. Is change really ______________________________________?

v The world relies upon M & M’s

v _________________________ & _________________________

3. What change is _______________________________________?

v Not reaching our _______________________________________

v Not discovering ________________________________________

4. What will this change _________________________________________?

v It is more than _______________________ ___________________

v Two aspects of Biblical Conversion

o Change of heart towards God - _______________________

o Belief and Trust in Christ and His Word - ______________

DON’T BE CONFUSED BY EXTERNAL APPEARANCES AND ACTIONS!

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. “So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. (Matthew 23:27-28, NASB95)

“For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20, NASB95)

v It is more than ______________________ ____________________

v It is TOTAL reliance on ____________________________!

5. How does this change happen?

v We do ______________________________

“And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh," (Ezekiel 11:19NASB95)

v God creates saving faith in us!

"Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3NASB95)

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:6NASB95)

"And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls. " (Joel 2:32ESV)