CONVERSION by Jos. Clarke

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 20, 1869

CONVERSION.

By Jos. Clarke

The expression of Jesus to Peter, "When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren," proves beyond a doubt that he considered the work of conversion a very thorough work; for Peter had been with him for years, had been commissioned to work miracles, and was his devoted follower, yet was in a sense unconverted.

Peter's experience in his profane denial of Christ, his repentance, his experience at the resurrection of Christ, and his communion with him during his subsequent forty days' stay upon the earth, and the work of God on the day of Pentecost; all these means fully converted Peter, and fitted him to strengthen his brethren.

From this expression about Peter's conversion, we must conclude, that the term conversion, in its best sense, as used by Scripture writers, means a deep and thorough work of grace upon the heart, a complete change of the current of thought, and the uprooting of the evil principle of the carnal mind, and the implanting of the good and holy principles of God, by the special influence of the Holy Spirit.

At the present period of time, some very peculiar ideas have taken possession of the public mind in regard to conversion, which seem totally different from the view taken above, which may be summed up thus:

At a series of meetings for religious purposes, or on some other occasion, perhaps in private reading, the anxious seeker for eternal life is exercised with unusual experience, which is evidence to him that his sins are washed away, and he is reconciled to God. He is happy and satisfied with the evidence he has, and ere long connects himself with some church, and has access to the ordinances of God's house, and settles down into the conviction that he is converted; looks upon himself as a child of God; is so viewed by others; is, perhaps, a tolerable example of morality, such as the age accepts; and having taken up his cross as it is termed, in social, secret, and family prayer, and having secured a pew at church, which is regularly occupied on Sunday, he considers himself a favorite of Heaven, and is as secure of such a position, as the man of the world is of his insurance in case of fire.

Or, in other cases, the convert has had some very striking experience among the more excitable; and has attained very suddenly, perhaps, to complete sanctification; and has aspired to higher attainments than many others. And it may be, such experiences are often genuine, or often spurious, as the case may be; but in both cases, the subject of these experiences settles down into a state of complacent security, which the thunders of Sinai would fail to interrupt, unless the special influences of God's Spirit should tear away the veil of deception, which has become woven about the heart.

We do not say that this is so, in every case; nor do we say that such ideas as these are openly preached. But practically, we affirm that this is as favorable a view of the Protestant churches as we can possibly entertain, although there exist honorable exceptions to this, here and there.

But to the subject: What is this experience of the convert which he calls conversion? To this we answer, It is the first step in conversion (when genuine), as the child's first lesson in his primer, and alphabet, is the first lesson in his education. And as it would be folly for the child to consider himself a man of learning when he has learned a b c, so it is vain to consider such experiences complete conversion. It is necessary to take first steps; but the evil consists in stopping here, and looking back to this as a passport to future bliss. With this view, we may readily infer why so few of those who begin the Christian life ever attain to the goal of their ambition.

This wretched mistake affects not only the nominal churches, but doubtless clings, with a greater or less degree of tenacity, to many of us who have embraced the present truth; having a blighting and withering effect, like an opiate. Though imbibed long ago, it is circulating still in the mental system, deadening and stupefying the moral powers.

To convince a drunken man that he is drunk, to show to a lunatic that he is insane, is not more difficult than to convince such a man that he is still only partially converted, if at all; so that, in fact, he is worse off for his experience; for it has the effect only to delude him; not necessarily so, but Satan has stepped in to comfort and sustain him, which is, in fact, to harden and deceive and ruin the subject of said experience.

For a Christian to stop and rest upon an old experience, is as fatal in one stage of his course as another, but is most likely to take place with those of short experience, and little knowledge of these things. An old experience properly appreciated, is in place. It is the a b c of Christian life; but as the school-boy presses on to higher branches, leaving the rudiments behind, for his juvenile friends, so does the intelligent Christian press on to higher and more varied attainments. Failing to do this, he must be content to see his class leave him behind in the race, while he remains a monument of stupidity, a Lot's wife, a pillar of salt, a warning to passers-by.

What then is conversion? We answer it is a complete turning about from sin to holiness. Anything short of this, is at best, but a beginning, a partial work; but we will not despise small beginnings; no, the evil is, in considering such beginnings as the work of conversion complete.

Jos. CLARKE.