Converted or Conformed

The Bible says without a vision people perish. Without true salvation it is so easy to be distracted from your vision by looking at your condition. I see many who are distracted today, mainly because they have no vision. In our daily hustle and bustle to get and keep those people busy, we often overlook they are not serving God because they truly do not know God. Oh, there was a time they walked to the altar and spoke a prayer, usually repeated from a pastor or helper. The problem or question is: were you converted or conformed?

In II Corinthians 5:17 the Apostle Paul explains to us how when we believe and come to faith, then we become a new creation in Christ Jesus. The old man has been put away we become new. FORMER THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY--- Our sin debt, GONE -- our sins-- GONE-- Our worries, fears, anxieties, pride, ego, GONE. Too often the first part of this verse is stressed that we are a new creation. However, the new creation is only complete because the old things are passed away and all has become new. It is no longer I that lives but Christ that lives in me. ( Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:) We are no longer under the cloak of the sinful nature we were born under. It has been crucified on the Cross of Jesus so it is GONE. You have shed the former self and become like the personage of Jesus Christ. All things have changed and you have a new mind in Christ.

When you came to the cross of Calvary you see the sacrifice Jesus made for you. You saw how the LORD Jesus Christ paid your sin debt. Now you are convicted that by yourself and in yourself is no good thing. Without Jesus in your life you will never find true happiness, so you repeat a modeled prayer and people shake your hand, or give you hugs. Next thing you know they have you baptized and tell you that is your public display of showing your following of Jesus Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.

The question is have you truly been converted, or have you been conformed? Have you become "like" those around you? You want to be the same, you see them at church on Sundays, you see them going to prayer meetings and see that they have peace. Now you want the same. You feel good about the associations you now have and you have changed a few moral aspects of your life. But, did you truly, undeniably, give your life to Jesus? It is called faith. Our change to a new creation, dropping of old things, ridding ourselves of the old nature, it is not of ourselves. It is accepting Jesus Christ by faith and His Holy Spirit living in us is that changes us.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace our ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast. Verses 8 and 9 from Ephesians 2 chapter, is what we claim as verses to our faith. However we must read verse 10? Have you paid attention to what II Corinthians said about becoming a new creation? Here in Ephesians 2 verse 10 Paul again tells us it is our new creation. That it is not of ourselves, becoming a new creation is only through our faith and the wonders of God loving us so much He gave His only begotten Son Jesus the Chris to die for us in our place. Verse 10 for we are HIS workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath foreordained that we should walk in them.

Yet, there are those that sit in churches today across this country, even in this very church, this very room, that if asked if they died today would they be in Heaven or hell, they would not know. Know this, if you cannot answer the question with all certainty, all knowledge 100% sure then you are CONFORMED and not converted. I John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that you believe on the Son of God that ye may know, that ye have eternal life and ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. Ye may know you may know you have eternal life.

Being saved is costly. If you have a pastor or a friend tell you it won't cost you anything, run. It will cost, it may even cost you your life. It may cost you friends, family, it may cost you your home, your job, everything you have. But was it yours anyway? Was it for you to possess or was it given by God? Would you have had it without the providence of God? So you still do not understand? Look at your life, You dress up on Sunday, you go to church, sometimes to Sunday School. Perhaps you come back for the Sunday evening service, perhaps. When it is not a bother you make an appearance on a Wednesday prayer service. After Sunday services you "feel" a bit better since you were around "church" people. Singing songs lifted your spirits a bit, and oh, you put 10 bucks in the collection plate. The pastor had a sermon that gave you a bit of positive re-inforcement. You feel comfortable believing in God, the hope of eternity, and you are confident in heaven trusting God. Come Monday though you go back to the worldly ways. You rely on anyone except God. You do not let go of matters that bring you down, that cause division and strife. You try to work it all out by thinking you can take care of it all. This is where we need to let it go and realize it is bigger than we are capable of handling!

Do you know what total surrender is? It is that NEW CREATION in you that says before I kept this all in, before I just depended on me, before I tried to do all things.

Listen as the Apostle Paul says in Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Through Jesus Christ we may learn how to surrender. As we mature in the Bible we learn to lay our burdens down at his feet.

Check your faith. Is it real? Are you playing a deadly game? Being a Christian is not a feeling. Being a Christian is a radical life changing event. Has your life changed?