Do You Know the Difference Between a True Conversion and a Superficial Conversion?
A self-check to see if we had a true conversion when we first believed is a good practice to follow. A true disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ walks with confidence that no matter what happens in this world, he is safe for eternity. That confidence brings about peace that the world does not have.
When Paul and Silas were asked by the Philippian jailer the question “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” in Acts 16:30, they answered, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your household.” This is a true statement.
But, there is a limitation in the English language that limits the meaning of the words “believe on” to a lesser non-life impacting superficial belief. What Paul and Silas said did not mean is to “believe on” the Lord Jesus as in intellectual ascent but to believe with conviction and in submission so as to apply what you have believed in a way that impacts the way you live life going forward.
If we look at the next verse (v31) it says “Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.” That to me is amplification by Paul and Silas of what believing in Jesus is about.
Remember, the command in the great commission is to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you…” The lack of care to clear this up may lead or has led already in our churches to an inadequacy that can be referred to as superficial conversion.
On the other side of the pendulum, we are also not to muddle the simplicity of the gospel or add an unnecessary burden for a new believer to enter in. The Lord Jesus accused the scribes and experts of the law of His time these:
“Woe to you also, lawyers (scribes)! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you, yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.” Luke 11:46; “Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.” Luke 11:52
With these in mind, let us carefully consider the matter.
Has the Seed Fallen on the Wrong Ground?
In March of 2020, the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, under the direction of George Barna of Barna Research, found that only 6% of American adults have a biblical worldview. The study concluded, we quote: “The fact that fewer than one out of five born-again adults hold a biblical worldview highlights the extensive decline of core Christian principles in America.” This is such a big shift that it is a real cause of concern.
Could this be the “falling away” spoken of by the apostle Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:3? Could the problem be that the seed (Matthew 13:19-23), the word of God, that they first received, fell on the way side or on the rocky soil or on soil with thorns and thistle and could not take root?
This makes us wonder if the profession of faith of those who fell away was genuine and if the “new birth” took place when they first believed. If the new birth has not taken place, the Holy Spirit may not have in-dwelt them, in which case, the Power that is able to change their lives, fight sin and empower them to grow and persevere in their faith was not there.
For example, coming forward to receive Christ in a crusade is a good start for a new believer, but, the Christian walk does not and should not end there. It is not a one-time ascent. After the initial encounter, a follow-up should take place that leads to a firming up of the free-will choice to follow God.
In an interview with the evangelist Billy Graham, when asked what he would have done differently, now that he had the benefit of hindsight, he, (Billy Graham) said “I should have made disciples and not converts.” A disciple is a follower and leaner who has a continuing, loving relationship with his Master to whom he, upon accepting Him, has surrendered his will. He progressively learns the teachings of his Master from the scriptures and obeys them.
A convert is one who by knowledge is convinced with the facts but does not have a relationship and has not fully and willingly submitted to a Master. When a stronger, more influential argument is advanced, he will get converted away from what he first believed.
Beneath the surface, when someone receives Christ as their Lord and Savior, what they are actually doing is yielding themselves, their being, to Christ, which is a supernatural event, a heavenly transaction.
True Conversion is possible only by the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. You yield to Christ and God takes over your life. I liken it to what happened in Exodus 19:5 where God said “If you obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure (My people) to Me.” Although unwritten, I sense in the Lord’s statement the word “surrender”.
As a supernatural event, the person does not have control over it. Only God has. At the point of our profession, it is the Lord’s prerogative how to respond to our act of acceptance of Jesus. Is it willingness, partial willingness, or unwillingness (as when we are pressured or forced to receive Him) or is it ignorance (as when we had no clue as to what we were about to commit to)? Only He is able to discern.
As we yield to Him, He could respond immediately, as when Paul was converted (Acts 9:11-15) or, in many instances, He could respond later. Below is a chart of what takes place when we decide to follow Christ and thereafter. This is not a snapshot of time but a process over time.
| What happens Internally? | What takes place Spiritually? | What is observable by Outsiders? |
| Believe in | Justification | None |
| Receive Jesus | None | |
| Follow Jesus | Sanctification | Change in our behavior |
Our Side of the Transaction
To profess to believe in Jesus, receive Him as Lord and Savior, and follow Him in a True and not-Superficial Conversion must include belief in a set of doctrines that teaches:
- That all have sinned against a Holy God and that there is a coming judgment against us and our sin;
- That God, by grace, provided a way out for us sinners by offering His Son, who did not have a sin of His own, who fulfilled the Law and was an acceptable sacrifice, to die the death we deserve, so that we, by faith, do not have to pay for our own sin;
- That after receiving Jesus, to continue living our lives as it is (in sin) is not God’s plan and desire for us and His church and puts in doubt if our profession is real. Over and over in the scriptures, God said a broken and contrite spirit the Lord does not despise and that He created us for good works, not unto salvation, but to walk in them because we have been saved.
- That we unite ourselves in the likeness of His death and in the likeness of His resurrection by water baptism which is our personal identification with Him.
- That, in order to be able to walk in His ways and be a fruitful disciples, we must get to know Him more and more and learn His plan and desires for us, and by the power of the Holy Spirit obey and glorify Him.
This set of doctrines expands and grows as we walk with Him, as our faith develops.
Throughout scriptures, in both the Old and New Testament, it is God who initiated, invited, and continues to invite us to an abundant life.
In Isaiah 1:18, He said, “Come now, let us reason together.” “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be white as wool.”
And, in Matt 11:28, Jesus said “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavily laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
So, those who respond to His invitation are those who want to believe, submit and follow Him. However, there is a yoke and burden to bear in following Jesus. That yoke and burden is the cross that He asks us to bear as we follow Him.
Yes, following Him has a cost and it requires sacrifice, discipline, perseverance, and self-control. But, rather than a burden, a true believer will discover that carrying this cross is a joy he gladly bears. The joy of the Lord is our strength that sees us through the difficulties.
God’s Side of the Transaction
When we respond to His invitation to come to follow Jesus, the Father, who sees the heart, declares us righteous; not guilty.
At this point of the transaction, the shed blood of Jesus is applied to our sin and the Father now sees the righteousness of His Son instead of ours and credits His shed blood to our account.
Stated in another way, the substitutionary death of Jesus is applied to our sin and the offense is reckoned to have been paid for by Jesus, hence, we are declared no longer guilty.
This is our justification. At this point, the guilt we feel is lifted up and the peace of God envelops us.
Now that you have submitted to His Lordship and become His child, you have given Him the permission to do as He pleases in your life – to lead, to guide, to empower, to enable.
Working Together with God
After justification, the Lord does not want us to stay as we are. He wants us to grow and be fruitful in our walk. This is to be accomplished with our will and cooperation. This is a stage after salvation.
We are no longer working for our salvation but working out our salvation to achieve the abundant life that the Lord wants to have. Peter encouraged us to do this in 2 Peter 1:1—8. This is basically what he said.
If these things listed below are yours and abound, you will not be barren and unfruitful. You will have confidence that your call and election are sure and a door, an entrance is supplied to you in the everlasting kingdom (2 Peter 1:10-11).
This stage in our walk with God is called sanctification. Please note that Peter is talking to us, telling us to add to our faith such and such. That means we are to strive, with the help of the Holy Spirit to do what Peter says we should.
- Add to your faith, virtue
- Add to your virtue, knowledge
- Add to your knowledge, self-control
- Add to your self-control, perseverance
- Add to your perseverance, godliness
- Add to your godliness, brotherly kindness
- Add to your brotherly kindness, love
It is very easy to see that Peter understood that initially, we have a limited understanding of the doctrines of God. So, he encourages us to add, as our walk progresses, to the faith we initially have in the beginning.
As we grow in our faith and get closer to the Lord, these things become clear and important to add to our lives.
They are a testimony of the change the Lord is working in us, bringing about the “new man”. We are able to do these by the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. Paul writing to the Galatians (Galatians 5:22), precisely called these same things as the fruit of the Holy Spirit that those crucified in Christ (believers) bear in their lives.
Conclusion
In life, a self-examination is always a good practice to follow. It allows us to correct ourselves instead of waiting for another to correct us. From the above, we can tell if ours is a True or Superficial Conversion. If none of these things that Peter tells us to add in our lives are present in us, we should be concerned. We might have a superficial conversion and must find out why. We do not want death or the rapture, whichever comes first, to come to our doors with our salvation unsure and in jeopardy. Let us ask these diagnostic questions to find out.
- Could it be that our profession is superficial and we accepted Christ intellectually and not truly in our heart?
- Did we want His offer of salvation but are not willing to accept the changes that He wanted us to make in life?
- Did we submit to His lordship?
- Did we yield parts of our lives but not willingly in a total surrender?
Our answers to these questions will tell us what we need to do to turn things around. Remember, repentance is key; repent and turn around and the fruitfulness that Peter talks about will come. Incidentally, to yield to Christ is not a one-time thing. Our submission needs to be active and continuing. Otherwise, we will have a walk with many highs and lows where peace and joy are absent.
On the other hand, if submission is not the issue and some aspects of the fruit of the Spirit are there but some are missing, do not worry. By prayer and with the help of the Holy Spirit, the fruits can manifest as you progress along in your walk. Know which are missing and make effort to cultivate them.
One mistake that some believers make in their walk (no. 2 above) is to continue in the way they lived before their conversion. They want to accept the gift of salvation but would not give up their old ways. It is tantamount to accepting the gift but refusing the Giver. This is a mistake. The call is to make Him Lord of our lives and as Lord, we, like Abraham must go (obey Him) wherever He wanted to take us.
Please note that God expects us to be faithful, to persevere, to overcome.
What do we have to overcome? – our sinful nature that is prone to compromise and the temptation from Satan, who says it is ok to compromise.
The liberty we have as believers should be used not to sin but to choose to take up our cross and follow Him. It requires us to separate ourselves from the world and set ourselves apart for Him.
Paul, in Acts 26:20, summarized the gospel he preached like this “that they (Gentiles) repent, turn to God and do works (live life) befitting repentance”. That means, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we don’t come back to where we used to be before we came to faith. We behave in obedience to His word, not to be saved but because we are His children who are saved.
If we don’t, we will not attain the abundant life (rest) that God wishes for us here on earth to have, our testimony will be lost and our influence over others in the unbelieving world will dissipate. In this case, we will be unsure if we will be counted worthy of the rapture or God forbid, will be left behind.
