Gospel

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"WHEN THOU ART CONVERTED"

Peter had left his family, his job and his home to be with Jesus and to learn from the great Teacher, yet Christ said he wasn’t yet converted. “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.” Luke 23:31-33 KJV. Oh, Peter was converted to Jesus all right, he loved the compassion, the wisdom and the purity of Christ. All the disciples cherished Jesus.

What they had trouble with was the methods and principles of Jesus. His command to take up their cross and follow Him was irritating. The instruction to bless their adversaries and to forgive their enemies was very difficult. His refusal to accept the honor or adoration of the crowds frustrated them. They did not like the ways of heaven.

When thou art converted… Jesus said the people of His day, “Draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.” Matt 15:8 NKJV. It doesn’t look like much has changed in our day. People sing praises in church and have the attitude of the world throughout the week – they are not converted! Believers love Jesus but they do not trust His principles and methods. They don’t want to be like Christ, they just want to praise Him and hope that is enough. We are glad Jesus is compassionate, humble and forgiving, but we don’t want to be humble and forgiving ourselves. The resurrection converted the disciples to the methods and principles of heaven. When they saw the wonderful purposes of God fulfilled in the death of Christ and comprehended the victory that came through the apparent defeat at Calvary, they had a change of heart. Then Pentecost filled them with God’s power. They were willing to trust the divine ways and methods.

What about us - do we merely love the Lord or are we converted to His ways and methods? Do we daily take up our cross and surrender to His methods? Do we bless and forgive our enemies, as He did? Being truly converted allows us to be used by God to strengthen the church and confound the enemy.

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