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CONVERSION:

Salvation is also called…CONVERSION.  This means…to change in CHARACTER and turn from an evil life to a righteous one.  If nothing in your life changes then your CONVERSION is not a heart conversion but a mind conversion and you are no better off than you were before.  You may fool people for a while but you have not fooled God! 

We are going to look at: 

JUDAS was not converted or repentant in his HEART.  In his MIND he understood what Jesus was all about but wanted to use Him for his own purposes.  Jesus knew this when He chose JUDAS as one of His disciples but He had to choose one that would betray Him. (John 6: 70) Jesus says, “Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?”

In my opinion, I think JUDAS thought Jesus would perform a miracle and get him out of all the trouble that his betrayal caused.  Not having known the HEART of Jesus, he did not know that Jesus would forgive him if he had asked.  So when no miracle was performed, JUDAS hung himself.

JUDAS never changed in any way from the time he met Jesus until he died.  That shows me that he never had a HEART CONVERSION.  In his HEART, he never believed, and with his mouth, he never confessed Jesus as his Lord. 

Paul’s CONVERSION was completely different.  His was IMMEDIATE.  If you study (Acts 9) you’ll find Paul (at that time called Saul) was a persecutor of all Christians, especially of the NEW CHURCH, which had started on the DAY of PENTECOST.  PAUL (or Saul)…His name was changed in Acts 13: 9…was going to Damascus and had already gone to the HIGH PRIEST and had gotten letters that allowed him to arrest men, women and children, who were Christians, that he met on the Damascus road and throw them into jail.

BUT SOMETHING WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN! On the way to Damascus, PAUL met Jesus (and just like with us sometimes) the Lord had to do something drastic to get his attention.  He was knocked to the ground and immediately asks, “WHO ART THOU’ LORD?” (Or) which God are you?  The Lord says “I AM JESUS WHOM THOU’ PERSECUTETH.”  At once…IMMEDIATE CONVERSION…PAUL asks “WHAT WILL YOU HAVE ME DO?”…From that time on PAUL served the Lord with his whole HEART. 

PETER, on the other hand, HAD TO BE CONVERTED and then he DELAYED HIS CONVERSION. 

PAY CLOSE ATTENTION!

PETER was already a disciple of Jesus.  He has already said that Jesus is the Christ of God.  He has seen (with his own eyes) miracles and healings and much more.  His mind says this is THE CHRIST but what about his HEART?  (Luke 22: 31 & 32)   Jesus tells PETER, “Satan has desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you that your FAITH does not fail.  And when YOU ARE CONVERTED (or when you have repented) strengthen your brethren.   PETER has a DELAYED CONVERSION. He takes his own sweet time to repent and accept salvation.

In my opinion, and from what I have read, PETER was CONVERTED (AFTER) Jesus was crucified.  Up to the crucifixion, he wanted things his own way.  There was not much of a change in PETER until he had denied Jesus three times.  But then his HEART began to change and his LIFE began to change, and AFTER he was filled with the HOLY SPIRIT on the DAY of PENTECOST, he began to proclaim loudly that Jesus was Lord and Messiah!

CONVERSION…SALVATION…REBORN…BORN AGAIN…whatever you call it, is a very simple procedure.