Rebirth - Salvation and Conversion
It seems that many folks do not see the rebirth (by God) experience and event in their lives as ONLY the FIRST spiritual life-changing experience. There is a SECOND experience; it is the necessary conversion process (by the saved one) as true believers in Christ.
Some folks even get this ‘saved’ part wrong. They think they are still BEING SAVED.
They are saved, period! DONE
Whether they realize it or not, they ARE NOW BEING CONVERTED, it is the SECOND event that WE do with God. And it is not all about God’s spirit doing all the work of perfection/ conversion without our say in the matter. We can ‘will’ to allow God to increase our faith as the new seed increases in ‘size’ within us. Or we can stay as immature seeds of Christ and cling on to the spiritual basics al our lives without even crawling or stretching our spiritual legs.
Typically, in short, once one understands Jesus’ work, his words, believed on them genuinely, repentance and baptism occurs with saving faith given by God. God then provides the seed of regeneration in the heart by his spirit. This individual is ‘saved’ and has salvation. They are welded together. THEN the important process of conversion begins.
This process of conversion to Christ continues throughout our lives. Note that salvation to eternal life is not at stake throughout this life-long process. Salvation assurance is not based on our own efforts or desires or meeting some sort of standard as the heathen believe to stay in a relationship with God. We are already saved and therefore the offered free gift has been received and accepted by us.
Yes, there are some scripture that seems to indicate the the gift of salvation being taken back by God, although they all can be explained differently, and in the opposing direction. If these handful of scripture in fact proved or were interpreted correctly that salvation was a relative and fleeting goal, then no human can be sure in confidence of their rebirth and spiritual fate and the conversion process becomes meaningless. Paul and others would never have spoken of the process of maturing or converting to perfection. What would be the point?!
Paul to the Corinthians speaks of this maturing or converting process as a ‘personal’ race (I Corinth 9:24). Paul used this analogy of a race with a single prize to be one by just one person. He is NOT saying this is the case with those that are ‘saved’ that ONLY ONE saved and perfected person will actually be converted and obtain salvation. That would be nonsense and a cruel hoax by God. Paul even says in this non-spiritual race analogy that there is only ONE winner (gaining a corruptible crown) (I Corinth 9:25).
NO, Paul said to ‘run’ LIKE that actual non-spiritual race, as everyone on the track that is now ‘saved’ and it now being converted at different individual stages to spiritual perfection. Each one will be at a specific maturity or conversion level when they die.
It is our own race with ourselves with God as we would want to press forward to maturity and become as Christ. Paul is not speaking of having to win this ‘race’ over others. That would make no sense as I just pointed out.
You see Paul had high standards and expectations for himself in his relationship with God. He realized that it we do not dally around on the (spiritual walk) track we are less likely to stumble and fall, or even wander off the track. We are to be firm with our spiritual goals and stick to them, with conviction. Building up spiritual endurance and staying-power along the way. When Paul speaks of finishing the course or race, it is not the same for everyone. There is NO actual SET spiritual finish line. Paul sees some folks as finishing the race off the track and even wandering off it, although he does not want that to happen as we read into his words. Again, this has nothing to do with losing or regaining eternal life/ salvation or not. That would be another cruel hoax.
Paul sees himself as finishing ‘dead’ on the race track as a mature follower with a strong character as Christ. I would suspect that Paul’s conversion was over 90 % complete in his lifetime. Others maybe be only 10 per cent completed. Mine today maybe 40-50 percent converted to Christ; I’ve had a few stumbles and off-track quests over time that cost me precious time and spiritual energy with some disciplinary actions from my Father along the way.
I and all reborn folks still have the SAME Salvation for the next life and beyond even those some stumble and fall more than others, or some just stay as spiritual infants and stop on the track altogether without moving forward - we are all BEING converted and we all have the SAME salvation from God. We are ALL OVERCOMERS and WINNERS just by being on the track to perfection, in Christ.
Comments of course welcome...
Bless you,
APAK
It seems that many folks do not see the rebirth (by God) experience and event in their lives as ONLY the FIRST spiritual life-changing experience. There is a SECOND experience; it is the necessary conversion process (by the saved one) as true believers in Christ.
Some folks even get this ‘saved’ part wrong. They think they are still BEING SAVED.
They are saved, period! DONE
Whether they realize it or not, they ARE NOW BEING CONVERTED, it is the SECOND event that WE do with God. And it is not all about God’s spirit doing all the work of perfection/ conversion without our say in the matter. We can ‘will’ to allow God to increase our faith as the new seed increases in ‘size’ within us. Or we can stay as immature seeds of Christ and cling on to the spiritual basics al our lives without even crawling or stretching our spiritual legs.
Typically, in short, once one understands Jesus’ work, his words, believed on them genuinely, repentance and baptism occurs with saving faith given by God. God then provides the seed of regeneration in the heart by his spirit. This individual is ‘saved’ and has salvation. They are welded together. THEN the important process of conversion begins.
This process of conversion to Christ continues throughout our lives. Note that salvation to eternal life is not at stake throughout this life-long process. Salvation assurance is not based on our own efforts or desires or meeting some sort of standard as the heathen believe to stay in a relationship with God. We are already saved and therefore the offered free gift has been received and accepted by us.
Yes, there are some scripture that seems to indicate the the gift of salvation being taken back by God, although they all can be explained differently, and in the opposing direction. If these handful of scripture in fact proved or were interpreted correctly that salvation was a relative and fleeting goal, then no human can be sure in confidence of their rebirth and spiritual fate and the conversion process becomes meaningless. Paul and others would never have spoken of the process of maturing or converting to perfection. What would be the point?!
Paul to the Corinthians speaks of this maturing or converting process as a ‘personal’ race (I Corinth 9:24). Paul used this analogy of a race with a single prize to be one by just one person. He is NOT saying this is the case with those that are ‘saved’ that ONLY ONE saved and perfected person will actually be converted and obtain salvation. That would be nonsense and a cruel hoax by God. Paul even says in this non-spiritual race analogy that there is only ONE winner (gaining a corruptible crown) (I Corinth 9:25).
NO, Paul said to ‘run’ LIKE that actual non-spiritual race, as everyone on the track that is now ‘saved’ and it now being converted at different individual stages to spiritual perfection. Each one will be at a specific maturity or conversion level when they die.
It is our own race with ourselves with God as we would want to press forward to maturity and become as Christ. Paul is not speaking of having to win this ‘race’ over others. That would make no sense as I just pointed out.
You see Paul had high standards and expectations for himself in his relationship with God. He realized that it we do not dally around on the (spiritual walk) track we are less likely to stumble and fall, or even wander off the track. We are to be firm with our spiritual goals and stick to them, with conviction. Building up spiritual endurance and staying-power along the way. When Paul speaks of finishing the course or race, it is not the same for everyone. There is NO actual SET spiritual finish line. Paul sees some folks as finishing the race off the track and even wandering off it, although he does not want that to happen as we read into his words. Again, this has nothing to do with losing or regaining eternal life/ salvation or not. That would be another cruel hoax.
Paul sees himself as finishing ‘dead’ on the race track as a mature follower with a strong character as Christ. I would suspect that Paul’s conversion was over 90 % complete in his lifetime. Others maybe be only 10 per cent completed. Mine today maybe 40-50 percent converted to Christ; I’ve had a few stumbles and off-track quests over time that cost me precious time and spiritual energy with some disciplinary actions from my Father along the way.
I and all reborn folks still have the SAME Salvation for the next life and beyond even those some stumble and fall more than others, or some just stay as spiritual infants and stop on the track altogether without moving forward - we are all BEING converted and we all have the SAME salvation from God. We are ALL OVERCOMERS and WINNERS just by being on the track to perfection, in Christ.
Comments of course welcome...
Bless you,
APAK