Gospel

Conversion Is A Necessity 1

by Olawale Ogunsola
12/18/23
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A log of wood is not in its proper form as a furniture item. A lot of beauty in the house. This work will be carried out by different people in different forms a log is changed to before it gets to its perfect state of use in any way it is converted to.

The same thing applies to mankind. No one was in his proper form to be of use in the hands of God as His people. The proper form was lost since man lost his true image and likeness as well as authority in the Garden of Eden. He fell short of the glory of God. Distortion set in; defilement followed.

Since that time, mankind needs to be converted to his original form so that he can receive back what he has lost. This was the case with Jacob.

Jacob and his conversion.

Evil past.
Like any other man, the early part of Jacob's life was filled with "the works of the flesh". He acted according to the instructions of the flesh: the flesh represented by his mother and himself.

He inflicted injuries on his elder brother, Esau. This caused the injured man to lament thus:
"is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?" Genesis 27:36.

This was the initial form Jacob took. Don't forget that it was not his fault, it was in his "blood and flesh" which he inherited from his mother's blood. You can confirm this by the words of Laban, his uncle on the day they met. When he narrated what led to his running away for his dear life into exile, Laban replied, "Surely thou art my bone and my flesh." What Jacob was in the early part of his life was according to the natural way of behavior of her mother's people.

Do not forget that his father was a "late-comer" who was groomed by his parents in the way of righteousness. Rebecca had no such opportunity. She started learning about righteousness from her husband.

The new life in conversion.
When he left all he had in the land of Canaan where his father and his family were pilgrims and sojourners, he saved his life. He left all to face his God. He left his father, her beloved mother who was his counselor, his land of nativity, and other possessions to set the Lord alone always before himself, to put Him on his right hand so that he would not be moved.

His change of environment caused him to change for the better because he had time for God. He was the only "person" who instructed him under harsh and hard conditions.

He was subjected to so much ill-treatment by his mother's brother, Laban. With the help of God, he was able to endure all to bring about the needed conversion in him. He was properly and perfectly reformed to be of the right use in the hands of the Lord.

At a point in time, he was able to say,
"So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: everyone that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me."

When the future came, righteousness spoke on his behalf, the devil had nothing in his domain which he approved. He served diligently and faithfully for all he got in Padan Aran. He paid for losses of what was kept with him in righteousness. He ate nothing that belonged to his master and uncle. He did not eat the food of idleness.

That is the latter end of the converted man. No record of evil was made for the rest of his life. He walked with the Lord his God. He rebuked those who did wrong.

Beloved Pilgrim, have you been genuinely converted? You need to! Do not lay those "attachments", before and after your names, to the heart. They cannot rescue anyone on the day of God's wrath. Please, be sincerely converted and remain with the Lord your God for the rest of your life as you take instructions from Him alone. Stay blessed and prepared for the imminent coming of the Lord.

_Scripture references:_ Genesis 3; 29:14; 30:33, 31:36-39; 49:1-5; Romans 3:23;6:23; Galatians 5:19-21; Proverbs 31:27.