Converted Unto Good Works

Minister:
Date: AM
Text: Colossians 3; Lord's Day 33
Psalters: 427, 338, 103, 68
  1. Conversion’s character.
    1. Conversion's author is God, not man.
      1. God turns us, both in initial conversion and in continual conversions (Jer. 31:18; Lam. 5:21; Psalm 80:3).
      2. God works by His Spirit through the Word so the heart is turned spiritually towards Him.
    2. Conversion is to be understood in two ways.
      1. Regenerated sinners are turned efficaciously, by the Spirit and Word, from the way of sin to righteousness.
      2. Conversion is continual because of the presence of sin in us (our old man).
    3. Conversion is a spiritual turning from going in a sinful direction to going in a God-glorifying direction.
      1. True conversion is a change in our consciousness of God (to Him and toward His attitude about sin).
      2. The power which consciously motivates conversion is love of God (which is based on His love for us).
  2. Conversion’s activity is that of mortifying the old man and quickening the new man (Col. 3:9,10 and Eph. 4;22-24).
    1. The old man is crucified with Christ (Rom. 6:2), but the ruts or patterns of the old man are still with us.
      1. First and most frequent is the presence of godly sorrow for our own sins and sinfulness.
      2. As a result we strive more and more to give sin less room to operate.
    2. And conversion is a conscious quickening of the life of Christ in us, a sincere rejoicing in our hearts.
  3. Conversion is manifested in the performance of good works. Good works ....
    1. ...are in harmony with God's objective standard, His law (I John 3:4).
    2. ...are rooted in faith (Hebrews 11:6 and Romans 14:23).
    3. ...have the end or goal of the glory of God (I Cor. 10:31; Romans 14:6-8; John 15:8).