Conversion

General Information
Conversion is the turning of a sinner to God (Acts 15:3). In a general sense the heathen are said to be "converted" when they abandon heathenism and embrace the Christian faith; and in a more special sense men are converted when, by the influence of divine grace in their souls, their whole life is changed, old things pass away, and all things become new (Acts 26:18). Thus we speak of the conversion of the Philippian jailer (16:19-34), of Paul (9:1-22), of the Ethiopian treasurer (8:26-40), of Cornelius (10), of Lydia (16:13-15), and others.

(Easton Illustrated Dictionary)

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Conversion

Advanced Information
Conversion is an integral concept in the Bible, though it does not always appear under this name in English translations. In the OT it is directly related to the Hebrew sub, the twelfth most frequently used verb, which signifies to turn back, go back, come back, or return. It is also associated with the Hebrew niham, which means to be sorry or to regret. In the NT the two principal words indicating "to turn" are episstrepho and metanoeo. The latter and its cognates indicate a renewal of mind and heart, heartfelt repentance. A key passage in the Synoptic Gospels is Matt. 18:3: "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (AV). In the Neb the first part reads, "Unless you turn around...."

In the developing Catholic tradition conversion was more and more associated with the sacraments of baptism, penance, and confirmation. It was said that in baptism one receives the remission of sins, but for sins committed after baptism one must have recourse to the sacrament of penance, which entails confession of sins, absolution by the priest, and acts of penitence, which mitigate the severity of the temporal consequences of sin.

As mysticism penetrated Catholic spirituality, conversion came to be associated with the first stage of the mystical way, purgation, which, it was hoped, would lead to illumination and finally to contemplative union. The beginning of the illuminative way was often marked by what was called a second conversion.

Monastic spirituality, heavily influenced by mysticism, saw a twofold blessing of the Spirit: in baptism and in monastic dedication. The latter was frequently referred to as both a second baptism and a second conversion. It was regarded as a new empowering of the Spirit for vocation. Conversion in this context means retiring from the world, commitment to the religious life.

In Reformation theology conversion was understood as the human response to regeneration, the infusion of new life into the soul. Conversion was held to be dependent on grace; it was seen as an act empowered and directed by divine grace. Calvinism was inclined to portray this grace irresistible, with the result that conversion became a virtually spontaneous turning of the one who was elected to receive grace. Luther believed that conversion could be aborted and that one could fall away from one's conversion. Both Calvin and Luther envisaged the whole Christian life as a life of conversion.

Among the later evangelicals conversion came to be associated with a crisis experience that inaugurates the new life in Christ. In some circles it was regarded as an event involving total transformation. In the Holiness Movement conversion was seen as the initiation of Christian life and entire sanctification as the fulfillment of Christian life.

Karl Barth in the twentieth century has portrayed conversion (Umkehr) as the pivotal event in history, the liberation and renewal of the world in Jesus Christ. The awakenings to the reality of this event can be described as conversion (Bekehrung) in a secondary sense.

In an evangelical theology that seeks to be true to Scripture and the Reformation, conversion has two sides, divine and human. It represents the incursion of divine grace into human life, the resurrection from spiritual death to eternal life. It is commonly said that we are active in conversion just as we are passive in regeneration, but this must not be understood synergistically. We are active only on the basis of grace, only through the power of grace. We do not procure salvation, but we decide for salvation once our inward eyes are opened to its reality. Conversion is the sign but not the condition of our justification, whose sole source is the free, unconditional grace of God.

Conversion is both an event and a process. It signifies the action of the Holy Spirit upon us by which we are moved to respond to Jesus Christ in faith. It also includes the continuing work of the Holy Spirit within us purifying us of discord and contumacy, remolding us in the image of Christ. This work of purification is accomplished as we repent and cling to Christ anew.

Again, conversion is both personal and social. While it basically connotes a change in our relationship with God, it indicates at the same time an alternation in our attitudes toward our fellow human beings. Conversion is a spiritual event with far reaching social implications. It entails accepting Christ not only as Savior from sin but also as Lord of all of life.

Finally, conversion must be seen as the beginning of our ascent to Christian perfection. What is needed is not a second conversion by which such perfection is secured but the continuing and maintaining of a conversion that is never completed in this life. Evangelical theology in the tradition of the Reformation contends that we can make progress toward perfection, but we can never attain it as a realized goal. Even the converted need to repent, even the sanctified need to turn again to Christ and be cleansed anew (cf. Ps. 51:10 - 12; Luke 17:3 - 4; 22:32; Rom. 13:14; Eph. 4:22 - 24; Rev. 2:4 - 5, 16; 3:19).

We cannot be converted through our own power, but we can repent and turn to Christ through the power of his Spirit. We cannot maintain our walk with Christ on the basis of our own resources, but we can maintain this walk with the aid of his Spirit. Conversion entails the promise of sanctification just as it reveals the gift of justification.

D G Bloesch
(Elwell Evangelical Dictionary)

Bibliography
D G Bloesch, The Christian Life and Salvation, The Crisis of Piety, and Essentials of Evangelical Theology, II; J Baillie, Baptism and Conversion; A B Crabtree, The Restored Relationship; K Rahner, The Christian Commitment; B Citron, New Birth; J H Grestner, Steps to Salvation; A Koeberle, The Quest for Holiness; W G T Shedd, Dogmatic Theology, II; H Schmid, The Doctrinal Theology of the Evangelical Lutheran Church; E Routley, The Gift of Conversion; K Barth, Church Dogmatics; J Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion 2. 2.3.14; P S Watson, The Concept of Grace; P T Forsyth, The Work of Christ.

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Convert, Conversion (verb)

Advanced Information
"to turn about, turn towards" (epi, "towards" and No. 1), is used transitively, and so rendered "convert" (of causing a person to turn) in Jas. 5:19-20. Elsewhere, where the KJV translates this verb, either in the middle voice and intransitive use, or the passive, the RV adheres to the middle voice significance, and translates by "turn again," Matt. 13:15; Mark 4:12; Luke 22:32; Acts 3:19; 28:27.

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Convert, Conversion (noun)

Advanced Information
akin to A, No. 2, "a turning about, or round, conversion," is found in Acts 15:3. The word implies "a turning from and a turning to"; corresponding to these are repentance and faith; cf. "turned to God from idols" (1 Thess. 1:9). Divine grace is the efficient cause, human agency the responding effect.

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