“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” 

Acts 3:19

Sadly, churches today are filled with unconverted souls! Lost and dying on the road to a devil’s hell. Living, acting, and talking like the world. No change or repentance of heart or life. God declares in (Acts 17:30 “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:”) Our precious Lord Jesus declared in (John 3:3 “…Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”) To be born again is not turning over a new leaf, my friend. It is not self-reformation where one tries to change or clean themselves up. I will try church, or I will give or I will do this or that. Salvation is not man! Salvation is Christ Jesus our Lord alone: in us, our hope of glory! Amen. Salvation is by His marvelous grace through faith in Jesus Christ. (“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Eph. 2:8-9) A gift is something you just receive. You do not give something for it. You do not labor for it. It is totally a free gift. Yet, it was bought and paid for fully by a great and dear price of our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ. (“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” Rom. 3:24-26) (See: Acts 16:30-31; 20:21) Jesus Paid It All! Glory! Amen!

   Now, God says in our main verse above: “Repent.” Repentance is not for you to do something. Repentance means only changing your mind. Seeing you are a sinner who have violated a holy and benevolent God by your sin. Expressing godly sorrow with deep regret. Then in faith you look to the Saviour Jesus Christ who died for your sins (I Cor. 15:1-4) believing in Him for what He has done for you on Calvary, to wash away your sin with His own precious blood. Amen. (See: Acts 20:21) This is salvation. Then the Lord begins His new work in you, changing you. (“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” Phil. 1:6)

   Be converted. God does the converting after repentance and faith. (Webster 1828 – To turn from a bad life to a good one; to change the heart and moral character, from enmity to God and from vicious habits, to love of God and to a holy life.) This conversion is the proof and the fruit of true repentance (change of mind) to salvation (faith in Christ). You say you have believed and are save; yet, there is no conviction of your sins and no change in your life. (“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” II Cor. 5:17) You still have no desire for church, the Bible, or draw closer to the Saviour. No sorrow, or regret for sin; no desire for church, the Bible or things of God; still living like the world; no fruit of true repentance. Still lost on the road to damnation. Fear the Almighty God, my friend.

 True conversion can be found by three principles in the life of the saint:

1. There will be peace: (“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” Rom. 5:1) This peace is the joy, the calmness and tranquility of the heart and mind in knowing assuredly our Saviour Jesus Christ is our salvation. He is our eternal life, in Him. He paid it all. Amen. (John 19:30) Word of God our resource: (Ps. 119:165)
2. There will be no fear: (“Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” I John 4:17-18) No anxiety, no fretfulness, no pondering of the heart and mind. Knowing assuredly death is swallowed up in victory. (I Cor. 15:55-58) Full assurance of salvation is all in Christ Jesus. (Thank you, dear Lord) Christ Jesus is made unto us our redemption, our sanctification, our righteousness, and our wisdom. (I Cor. 1:30) Boldness our resource: (Acts 4:13,29,31)
   
   The Bible declares the fearful will be cast into the lake of fire. Fearful to believe in Jesus Christ, fearful to speak His name, fearful of losing things (Matt. 16:25), fearful of what others may think, say, or do, fearful of Life itself. (“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Rev. 21:8)
   
   Now, there is a certain fear of the Lord which ought to be in a saint’s life. David stated in (Ps. 86:11 “Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.”) This writer believes a saint will have a certain amount of this fear of the Lord in their lives: as a son to his father. (Also see: Ps. 19:9)
3. There will be a solid assurance: (“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” I John 5:13)
   
   The saint will never doubt that Christ Jesus is the only way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6) He is Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Jesus. (Is. 9:6) Amen! The Lord Jesus is the anchor of his soul. Amen. (Heb. 6:19) Faith our resource: (Heb. 11)
   
   Now, again this writer believes the saint can get back- sleden. Start looking more at himself and his failures. Wondering how in the world, am I truly saved. The answer: look back to the Saviour and to the cross. Remember Peter walking on the water to go to Christ. He began to sink when he took his eyes off Christ and started looking at the storm. (Matt. 14:24-31)

Let us endeavor to always from time to time to examine oneself and prove Christ Jesus liveth in us. Making our election and calling sure. (“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” II Peter 1:10-11) Amen.