True Conversion: Mortifying My Old Man
Minister: |
Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: |
6/29/2014 AM
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Text:
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Psalm 51;
Lord's Day 33
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Psalters: |
227, 68, 140, 271 |
- The conversion.
- Regeneration is what makes conversion possible, for it is God imparting a new life into the hearts of His elect.
- Conversion is God's working in the elect, so he becomes active.
- God converts, turns, gives repentance and the delight to do His will (Acts 5:31; II Tim. 2:25).
- Our activity depends on God's work of converting us (cf. Jer. 31:18,19; Phil. 2:12,13).
- Other descriptive thoughts concerning true conversion.
- Conversion always has the mortification of the old man, expressed as repentance.
- Mortification is the Spirit of Christ convicts, showing us that we are sinning against command and love.
- 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.
- The elect sinner?s mind is changed: he is convinced by God?s word of his natural corruption and of his sins.
- 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).
- It is to reckon ourselves to be dead unto sin through our crucifixion with Christ (Rom. 6:3-6).
- 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).
- It includes seeing God?s mercy in Christ to the penitent.
- Conclusion.
- This repentance is a gift of God and not the work of our own strength.
- The fruits of conversion.
- It is also to reckon ourselves to be alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
- Jesus took away our guilt, killing/destroying our old man's legal right to rule over us.
- Our activity of mortifying is Jesus continuing the work He began, moving us to crucify our old man.
- There is no sin so great that it can damn those who truly repent.