Vital Godliness: A Treatise on
Experimental and Practical Piety
CHAPTER 6
Conviction and Conversion
1.
CONVICTION. Attention has been directed to the earlier stages of religious
concern the first thoughts, purposes, temptations, failures, relentings,
burdens, sorrows, and struggles of a soul in its attempts to flee from the wrath
of God. It may be proper here to make a few general remarks, explanatory of what
is often the state of a sinner’s mind immediately before conversion. He
discovers that the Bible is a revealer of the secrets of his soul, a discerner
of the thoughts and intents of his heart. He is ready to say, “Come see a book
which has told me all things that ever I did.” At such times God’s word is as a
mirror, in which a man beholds his natural face. It reflects his image, and
shows him his sad deficiencies and his great deformity. He finds his heart to be
exceedingly depraved. He is convinced that the imaginations of the thoughts of
his heart are only evil continually.
In this state of mind David compared his pains to “broken
bones.” If you have ever had a broken bone, you may have an idea of his meaning.
Thoughts of it occupy the mind day and night. For a moment company may seem to
create a diversion of the thoughts, but soon they revert to the fractured limb.
Such a one awaking at a dead hour of the night, immediately thinks of the
injured part. All attempts to shake off reflection concerning it are fruitless.
In another place David says, “My sin is ever before me.” His mind dwelt upon his
transgressions. Like a vast army of men, they were continually passing in solemn
review. In this state of mind, one feels that God has a right to have mercy on
whom he will have mercy, and to have compassion on whom he will have compassion.
Whatever may be his theory on the subject, his heartfelt conviction is, that
without wrong to him, God may withhold all the blessings of salvation. Yes, he
feels that God would be justified in condemning him forever, and be clear in
driving him to outer darkness! He says,
“Should sudden vengeance seize my breath,
I must pronounce you just in death.
And if my soul were sent to hell,
Your righteous law approves it well.”
Sometimes one in this state is greatly annoyed with wicked
and even blasphemous thoughts. The object of the tempter seems to be, to banish
all hope of reconciliation with God. It sometimes happens to such a soul as to
that young man of whom we read, “And as he was coming, the devil threw him down
and tore him,” (Luke 9:42). When his prey is about to be taken from him, the old
lion is greatly enraged. He cannot bear to witness the escape of a single soul.
One thus exercised will discover that the belief which he has hitherto had of
the Bible is unavailing. It has been merely historical, theoretical, cold, and
powerless. Or it has been the faith of devils, and has merely filled his soul
with terrors. He now feels the need of a faith which is “of the operation of
God.” And even in the surrender which he is about to make, there is so much
timidity and such a sense of unworthiness, that commonly the most he can say is,
“Lord, I believe—help my unbelief.”
Boldness in coming to the throne of
grace is seldom enjoyed even by young converts. One who has advanced thus far
will probably be more than ever beset by the evil one. The Hebrews never fared
so hard as just before they left
He is sadly disappointed that the measures he has adopted for
relief have but sunk him the deeper in misery. Like that woman in the gospel,
she has spent all her substance on physicians, and is no better, but worse.
Prayer, hearing the word, reading, inquiring, and resolutions have all been
found ineffectual, and even worse; they have brought more wrath on the soul,
because of the sin attending them. In this state one might adopt the language of
the psalmist: “My soul is full of troubles... I am as a man who has no
strength... You have laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deep. Your
wrath lies hard upon me, and you have afflicted me with all your waves... I am
shut up, and I cannot come forth... My eye mourns by reason of affliction. Lord,
why do you cast off my soul? Why do you hide your face from me? Your terrors
have cut me off,” (Ps. 88).
He feels that God must help him, or he must die in his sins.
Like Peter sinking, he says, “Lord, save me.” Or like Hezekiah he exclaims, “My
eyes fail with looking upward. O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me,” (Isa.
38:14). Such a man will grieve because he cannot grieve, and mourn because he
cannot mourn, and weep because he cannot weep. He is astonished at his guilt and
at his hardness of heart. He is convinced that an entire change of heart is in
his case necessary—for happiness here and hereafter. He also sees that if he
shall ever be saved, it must be by an act of free, rich, sovereign grace. His
boasted ability is found to be nothing. His strength is utter weakness. His
merits are now not named. He feels that he deserves no good thing. His
righteousness are as filthy rags. He is ready to come before the Lord with the
language of self-condemnation. He feels like Benhadad’s servants, when they put
sackcloth on their loins and ropes upon their heads, and went to the king of
Israel, thus confessing that their lives were in his hands and at his mercy, (1
Kings 20:31).
This state of mind is
Conviction,
which involves always a sense of five things: sinfulness, guilt, ignorance,
helplessness, and misery. This conviction is of course not alike pungent and
painful in all cases; nor is it necessarily accompanied with extreme agitations
or terrors. But it is a clear view of one’s state as demanding the remedy
provided in the gospel. If the work of conviction should proceed, and hope never
comes to the relief of the soul, the result would be the impenetrable gloom of
despair—as in the case of the damned. Let a man see his lost estate, and not see
the Savior as he is freely offered, and he will be in a desperate situation.
Often the sinner desires that his convictions may proceed,
because he looks upon them as punishments for sin—as punishments richly
deserved. If he had his way, he would not even now come to Christ. If he could
weep and mourn and grieve and be melted as he wishes, he would be satisfied
without any other atonement than that which he could thus make. At least, he
would seek no other. In all his dealings with him, God’s plan is to shut him up
to faith in Christ; that through the law he may be dead to the law, that he may
be married to Christ. Ask such a one if he thinks he is under conviction—and he
will probably reply in the negative. His views on that subject are very vague
and erroneous. Indeed, he has no distinct idea of what conviction is, except
that he believes it is a step towards salvation. He thinks he has no such
feeling as in any way prepares him for a change. It seems to him that he is
losing instead of gaining ground.
The nearer he approaches to salvation,
the further does he seem from it. The darkest hour is just before day. It was
midnight when Pharaoh dismissed
Conviction, however deep or distressing, is not saving. This
brings us to consider—
2. CONVERSION. On this subject, let a few things be premised.
1. All conversions are not alike in their circumstances,
though they produce like results. They lead to the forsaking of sin, to the
acceptance of Christ, to holiness of life, and finally to glory. But the steps
by which this is done are various. Some conversions are extraordinary, as that
of the thief on the cross and that of Saul of Tarsus. Even in ordinary
conversions there is a great variety. Some are sudden, some are gradual; some
are preceded by many terrors, some are marked by extraordinary views of the
tenderness of God. No one therefore will here expect an account of the peculiar
exercises of any one person, but rather such statements as may suit most cases
of ordinary experience.
2. Nor will the reader expect an
account of the
manner in which the Spirit of God operates on the
heart. No man has this knowledge. Of course an attempt to give it is
presumptuous. Solomon says, “You know not the way of the Spirit,” (Eccl. 11:5).
Paul says, “What man knows the things of a man—but the spirit of man which is in
him? Even so, no one knows the things of God—but only the Spirit of God,” (1
Cor. 2:11). God has not informed us how he operates in any matter; but his
methods of proceeding are wisely and necessarily concealed from human ken. So
our Savior clearly taught, (John 3: 8).
3. If what has been said be true, then in speaking on the
subject of conversion, the greatest modesty becomes us, lest we should hastily
lay down principles’ which might on the one hand discourage some of the true
children of God; or on the other, encourage false hopes in the unregenerate. To
guard against both these extremes is no easy task. Many ignorant people are
forward in such matters. But let us distrust ourselves where we have not a “Thus
says the Lord” to guide us. Let no man lay down anything as essential, unless in
his word God has made it so.
4. It is not uncommon for one to think, that if he shall
obtain relief, it will be in some particular manner, such as he has devised in
his own mind, or heard of in the case of others. One under conviction is ready
to fall into superstitious imaginings. But when the Lord intends to grant
deliverance, he will save from fatal delusions. Naaman had a plan of being cured
of leprosy; but his was not God’s plan. Conversion is always different from the
conjectures of a carnal heart. It is well it is so. The Scriptures fairly teach
us so, (Isa. 42:16). When the soul is duly humbled in its own eyes—when it has
renounced self-will and self-righteousness, and despaired of helping itself, and
God’s Spirit is savingly at work—some glimpses of Christ are afforded. The soul
has a desire to lay hold on him, but unbelief is too strong for reason or for
conviction to cure. The soul now sees, approves, and accepts some of the truths
of the gospel in a way it never did before. It gets some glimpses of Him who is
the way, the truth, and the life. The clouds begin to break, and a star of hope
appears— “It is the Spirit’s rising beam of light.” As the natural sun does not
from midnight darkness—in a moment burst upon the world; so in most cases the
Sun of righteousness rises gradually upon the soul. “His going forth is prepared
as the morning.”
At first, he who has been sore troubled is comforted by his
new discoveries. Hope begins to gild his path, and he is for a time relieved of
a great burden. But often this state of mind does not last long, and he begins
to fear that his deep impressions are leaving him. He is alarmed to find himself
becoming cheerful. He tries to recover his painful feelings, but often fails.
Sometimes he has his wish, and then his soul drinks in the wormwood. He then
cries anew to the Lord for mercy, and the light of God’s countenance begins to
shine upon him more fully and clearly. He may soon be more than ever at a loss
respecting the work of grace within him. He cannot be sad as he was, because the
Lord is making him joyful. He is afraid to rejoice, except with trembling, for
his soul has not forgotten his late experience. An interruption of the pleasant
view of divine things he had enjoyed awakens great desires for its return. But,
to regain lost comforts is not always easy. Once gone, the soul fears lest it
has offended God by not more highly prizing them.
But when the light returns, it is
commonly with increased brightness. Thus light and darkness often alternate,
until at length the soul is brought to a more settled peace. Fears no longer
prevail. Hope is in the ascendant. The soul sees salvation flowing from the
cross of Christ, and begins to apprehend the spiritual import of such phrases
as, “through Christ,” “in Christ Jesus,” “by Jesus Christ,” “in the name of
Christ.” The plan of redemption now delights him, though his views are very
imperfect; yet he wishes no other prophet, priest, or king than the Lord Jesus.
He rests upon Christ alone for salvation. He trusts the whole weight of his soul
on Him who bled and died on
Were you to ask him whether he supposed he was converted, he
would probably say, No. Yet he thinks he is getting into the right way. Or
perhaps he would say, “I do not know whether I am converted or not; but one
thing I know, that whereas I was blind—now I see. Behold, all things are become
new.” He looks on time and eternity, sin and holiness, truth and error, the
Bible, the Savior, the pious, the world, life and death, things present and
things to come, in a new light. In particular, he is pleased with the fulness,
freeness, power, kindness, and glory of Christ. He loves and admires the Savior
for what he is, for what he was, for what he shall be, for what he has done, for
what he is doing, and for what he shall yet do to save perishing men. He loves
what Christ loves, and hates what Christ hates.
He can look back a short time, when such and such portions of
Scripture were brought home to his soul with power and sweetness. He is greatly
surprised and mortified at a review of his past life. He wonders with
unutterable wonder how he could have remained in sin so long. And then he weeps
tears of joy and gratitude that He who made him, has had mercy on him. The peace
now found is solely in the merit of Christ. The soul wholly rejects all thoughts
of salvation by another. The gospel way is so honorable to God, and so safe for
the sinner; it so perfectly satisfies the demands of the law for a perfect
satisfaction and a perfect righteousness, that the most enlightened sinner says,
“Here I end my quest; I need no other Savior; now by faith I enter into rest!”
In the same way the soul obtains purity. God has inseparably
united pardon and purity; justification and sanctification. No man is freed from
God’s displeasure without being cleansed in his own nature also. Only this
difference should be noted: pardon and acceptance are perfect at once;
purification is gradual and progressive. When the soul is thus sheltered in
Christ, how pleasant it is to consider that this is the hiding-place of the
penitent; that on this refuge, two thousand years ago, beat the dreadful tempest
of God’s wrath—and even at the height of the storm, the dying thief here found
shelter and salvation!
The soul that is thus in Christ cannot perish. It was weary
and heavy-laden; it has now found rest. It was exposed and doomed; it is now
shielded and saved. Such a soul would gladly recommend Christ to others. He
wishes that all might know him and find refuge in him. His spirit is tender and
benevolent. “When the Holy Spirit descended upon the Son of God, he did not take
the semblance of a bird of prey, but of the mourning and tender dove.” And when
he now descends to stamp his image on the heart, the impression which he leaves
is not that of fierceness or bitterness, but of gentleness, tenderness, and good
will to all men.
To such, the Sanctifier becomes the Comforter. “As the dove
conveyed to Noah’s ark the news of the subsiding of the waters, so will the
heavenly Dove convey to the soul the glad tidings that the tempest of eternal
wrath no longer sweeps over her path.” Every soul that comes to Christ, receives
the pledge of the Spirit. Terror has given way to heavenly peace; fear has
yielded to hope; distress has been followed by tranquility; darkness has fled
before the brightness of the rising of the Sun of righteousness.
As to the question whether a man knows the time of his
conversion, it may be stated that some have known it. The thief on the cross,
Zaccheus, the jailer, Paul, and the three thousand converted on the day of
Pentecost, evidently knew the time of their great change. So in modern times men
may be able to point out the day of the happy saving change. If so, very well.
But it should be observed, that many who think they know the time—are mistaken.
This is true of those boasting hypocrites who never were converted at all, as
their wicked lives show. It is also true that many humble, timid people had met
with a saving change long before they ceased to write bitter things against
themselves, or ventured to cherish the hope that they had already passed from
death unto life.
Let not any who know not the time of their conversion be cast
down, if they now have evidence that they do truly love the Lord Jesus, if they
now keep his commandments. It is nowhere said in the Bible, you must know the
time of your conversion; but it is said, “You must be born again!” The change,
not the time of its occurrence, is the essential thing. If we pass from death
unto life by the power of God’s Spirit, it cannot endanger our salvation to be
in doubt or in ignorance of the exact time when that happy event occurred.
Again, one must judge of his own state by the fruit he bears;
and fruit that is ripe in an hour will perhaps be rotten as soon. A godly life
is the infallible evidence of conversion. When our fruit is unto holiness, we
know that the end shall be everlasting life. Everyone who hopes that he is
converted to God, should examine himself and prove his own work, and then he
shall have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. In judging of piety,
there is no substitute for a holy life. The great peculiarity of God’s people is
that they are “zealous for godly works.” In spring many a tree is covered with
beautiful blossoms, which are not in autumn followed by any good fruit. We are
Christ’s disciples if we do whatever he commands us. We are the servants of the
wicked one if we do the works of the flesh. We may boast of discoveries, of
raptures, and ecstasies, but all is in vain if a consistent life be not the
result.
So that many who say that they know the time and place of
their conversion are unquestionably deceived. Whether a man understands all the
precise facts of his conversion, is a matter that admits of similar remarks. If
anyone knows that he is converted, let him be humble, not proud. If God has
favored him with unusually bright evidences, let him not despise his brethren
who are in painful doubt about their state. Humility is an excellent virtue.
There is indeed a sense in which a man cannot be converted without knowing it
experimentally. He cannot undergo any change in his views and affections without
being conscious of the exercises and emotions of his mind and heart thus
changed. But surely one may have the exercises of a new-born soul, without
knowing that these are the exercises of a renewed nature.
The miser knows what passes in his own mind, but he does not
know these things prove him a wretch. The self-conceited man is conscious of all
his mental exercises, but is far from seeing that they mark him out as a poor
weak creature. So the convert cannot know that his views and feelings prove him
a child of God until he is correctly informed by the Bible what constitutes
piety. So that a man must first search the Scriptures to see what they require
to prove piety, and then search himself to see whether he has what is thus
required by God’s word.
The result of such examination may be
satisfactory. If so, a good foundation is laid for permanent peace of mind. In
corroboration of this view, it may be stated that with cautious minds nothing is
harder than to believe as one wishes. With what difficulty did the disciples
believe that Christ was risen from the dead, (Luke 24:41). How often do we hear
the saying, The news is too good to be believed. It was so with the Jews
released from
Much more then, may a soul be brought out of its
prison-house, have the chains of its terrible condemnation removed, come out of
darkness into the marvelous light of the gospel, and yet doubt whether the
change is not an illusion, a phantom, a dream. He says, “But yesterday I was a
wretched outcast, a child of wrath, forlorn and guilty. Can I now be a child of
God, an heir of glory, with my sins all pardoned, and myself accepted and
regenerated? It cannot be so. The thought is too pleasant to be indulged.” He
who is truly enlightened and converted has had his eyes opened to see the
exceeding excellence and importance of divine things, and if he is to be assured
of his interest in them, he must have solid grounds of hope. If any asks for the
infallible signs of a saving change, a sound conversion—we must again refer them
to a godly life.
But there are some very strong points in which a genuine
conversion is always distinguished from a spurious change. Guthrie notices three
particulars in which all are deficient unless they are real Christians:
1.
They are not broken in their hearts, and emptied of their righteousness.
2.
They never took up Christ Jesus, as the only treasure and jewel that can enrich
and should satisfy, and therefore have never cordially agreed to God’s device in
the covenant, and so are not worthy of him, neither has the kingdom of God
savingly entered into their heart: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like unto a
treasure hid in the field; which when a man has found, he hides, and for joy
thereof sells all that he has, and buys that field.’
3.
They never in earnest closed with Christ’s whole yoke without exception, judging
all his will just and good, holy and spiritual, and therefore no rest followed
on them by Christ: “Take my yoke upon you, and you shall find rest unto your
souls.”
If anything else needs to be added, it is that the
self-deceived are as much unlike Christians at the first as at the last. They do
not grow in grace—for they have none. They may increase in outward
manifestations and professions—but never in a godlike temper. “True grace is a
growing principle.” Where conversion is genuine, it will manifest itself more
and more. Especially do the Scriptures insist much on the possession of a
childlike temper and disposition.
Thus a little child is
humble.
The child of the king and of the beggar, left to themselves, would meet on the
same level and freely mingle together. So the true convert has such a sense of
his own vileness that he readily esteems others better than himself. A proud
Christian is a contradiction.
In like manner he is
meek.
So far as he is like Christ, he is not disposed to strive, or cry, or lift up,
or cause his voice to be heard in the streets. He is not boisterous nor
clamorous nor contentious. To this his previous spiritual training has brought
him. God has dealt with him as he has, that he may remember and be confounded,
and never open his mouth any more because of his shame—for all that Lord has
done. His soul is even as a weaned child, (Ezek. 16: 23; Ps. 131:2).
So also a child is
teachable.
It is not inflated with self-conceit. It claims not to be wise in things it
knows nothing of, but sits at the feet of teachers and learns its lessons. So
the true convert sits at the feet of Jesus and learns from him the lessons of
heavenly wisdom. God’s word binds his conscience, and he calls no mere man his
master. None is more free from drinking in notions and forming opinions without
good cause—but on the veracity of the word of God he rests with entire
confidence.
In the same spirit a child looks to its
parent for
protection, for food and clothing, and for comfort
in distress. So the child of God casts his care upon an almighty arm, hides
himself under the shadow of the Lord’s wings, and trusts him for all. He calls
upon the Lord. “Behold, he prays!” It is not more natural for a living child to
breathe than it is for a living Christian to pray.
Little children must also
obey
their father. So all true converts sincerely and heartily do the will of God.
Neither personal desire, nor pleasure, nor habit, nor convenience, nor ease, nor
public opinion must be our guide—but only God’s will, as made known in his
revealed word. After conversion it is our guide. Every true convert says, “Lord,
what will you have me to do?” “Faith must obey her Father’s will—as well as
trust his word.”
He who has met with such a change shall not perish, but shall
enter into the kingdom of heaven! No power in heaven will hinder him, and no
power in earth or in hell can hinder him in achieving a final victory. Speaking
of such, Paul says, “I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels,
nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor
height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the
love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord,” (Rom. 8:38, 39). The change
thus described is essential to salvation. Unless we are turned from sin to
holiness—iniquity will be our ruin! We are naturally sunk down into sin; yet
“without holiness no man shall see the Lord.” It is only by a sound
conversion—that we acquire any genuine Christian virtue. This is a very solemn
and weighty truth. It should alarm the wicked. It should make all men diligent
in working out their salvation with fear and trembling.
He who is to be the final Judge of the living and the dead
has said, “Except you be converted, and become as little children, you cannot
enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Here is something declared to be absolutely
necessary. Less wealth, less public honor, less pleasure, less health—than men
now possess may fall to their lot, and yet they attain to the highest end of
existence. A dying man called his son to him, and said, “Hold your finger in the
blaze of that candle for one minute.” The son refused. Then said the father, “Do
you refuse to hold your finger there for one minute for me?—while I, because I
have spent my life in heaping up riches for you, shall endure the flames of hell
forever!” Men must be converted. Without that great change they are eternally
undone. There is no safety outside of Christ. There is no salvation without true
conversion to Christ. Personal dignity, natural amiability, external
religion—will save no man.
