Devotional #88

Question 88. How many aspects does true repentance or conversion have?

Answer: Two: the dying of the old self and rhe birth of the new (a).

(a) Romans 6:1, 4-6: What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?  We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.  For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.  We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
Ephesians 4:22-24: Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Colossians 3:5-10: Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
1 Corinthians 5:7: Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
2 Corinthians 7:10: For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

For your personal reflection:
There is no salvation for the unconverted.
What can sound harsh, narrow and judgmental to one is to another the very melody of life.  Jesus, speaking to Nicodemus (John 3) said that to enter the Kingdom he needed to be “born again.”  This “born again” experience is the experience of conversion.  John Stott described this moment as a “glorious exchange” – my life for Christ’s life.  What is taking place in this moment?  First, I am dying to my self.  I am stepping off the throne of my life.  And, secondly, I recognize Christ as King, as Lord, and He, who was in the beginning calling all things into existence, creates within me a life that did not previously exist.  So decisive and total is His action that the great Apostle, Paul, would say that we are “a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5.17).
Why is it necessary to be converted?  From what are we converted?  What are we converted to?
Is conversion a one time process or is it continual?