I'm receiving some great thoughts and comments on the subject of conversion. I recommend that you read the comments attached to my last blog post. I think my friend David's comments about conversion as a change in measurement are powerful. "Swimmin' upstream" is exactly right that the hardest thing to convey is that conversion is free. And "Odaat" is on the money in identifying reactions that come from those living apart from the Body of Christ and a relationship with Jesus. I'm eager for more input on this.
In the Christian Bible, the Hebrew and Greek words which we relate to the concept of conversion have a very concrete reference, that has no innate religious meaning. Specifically, they are directional terms. They refer to going in one particular direction, then turning and going in a different direction. So, as we try to understand conversion, and as we convey it to post-modern, non-Christendom age, how do we do that? What are we turning from? What are we turning toward? Are we the agents of the turning, or has someone else put up signposts, blazed the new pathway, given us a push, or whatever? Avoiding "religionese" language, and saying it as succinctly as possible, what is conversion?
More on conversion in the next post, depending on your comments...Also, some specific words on conversion as deliverance from pathways that lead nowhere. This is a great stretch of the river, and I think we're near the mainstream. I'll see you around the next bend.
Raking Leaves
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Fall is here. The sun is moving towards the edge of the frame where, in
just a few weeks it will hit the bumper rail and start back towards the
other side...
2 years ago
1 comment:
“…..What are we turning from? What are we turning toward? Are we the agents of the turning, or has someone else put up signposts, blazed the new pathway, given us a push, or whatever? Avoiding "religionese" language, and saying it as succinctly as possible, what is conversion?.....”
In my opinion conversion means that we are turning from those things that no longer have power over us. Conversion gives us new eyes to see those old habits, sins, possessions, whatever, and recognize their inability to satisfy. We then turn inward, longing for something more and we find what was there all along. We find the "peace that passes all understanding". It can happen to anyone at any time but not necessarily in church. I would hope that the church would “put up signposts”, “give a push,” or “blaze a new pathway” but sadly this is not always the case.
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