True Conversion: Mortifying My Old Man

Minister:
Date: AM
Text: Psalm 51; Lord's Day 33
Psalters: 227, 68, 140, 271
  1. The conversion.
    1. Regeneration is what makes conversion possible, for it is God imparting a new life into the hearts of His elect.
    2. Conversion is God's working in the elect, so he becomes active.
      1. God converts, turns, gives repentance and the delight to do His will (Acts 5:31; II Tim. 2:25).
      2. Our activity depends on God's work of converting us (cf. Jer. 31:18,19; Phil. 2:12,13).
    3. Other descriptive thoughts concerning true conversion.
  2. Conversion always has the mortification of the old man, expressed as repentance.
    1. Mortification is the Spirit of Christ convicts, showing us that we are sinning against command and love.
    2. It is the putting to death (Col. 3:5; Rom. 8:13), a putting off (Col. 3:8,9; Eph 4:22) of the believer's old man.
      1. The elect sinner?s mind is changed: he is convinced by God?s word of his natural corruption and of his sins.
      2. It is to be heartily grieved by them, confessing them before God with shame, so I loathe and abhor myself with indignation (Jer. 31:18).
    3. It is to reckon ourselves to be dead unto sin through our crucifixion with Christ (Rom. 6:3-6).
      1. It is the serious efforts to amend oneself by to turn from them to God (Ezek. 18:30,31; Ps. 51:4; Jer. 31:19; Joel 2:12,13).
      2. It includes seeing God?s mercy in Christ to the penitent.
  3. Conclusion.
    1. This repentance is a gift of God and not the work of our own strength.
    2. The fruits of conversion.
    3. It is also to reckon ourselves to be alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
      1. Jesus took away our guilt, killing/destroying our old man's legal right to rule over us.
      2. Our activity of mortifying is Jesus continuing the work He began, moving us to crucify our old man.
      3. There is no sin so great that it can damn those who truly repent.