Pattern Of Conversion 6 Series

INTRODUCTION

Outline.

1. Hear of the faith.

2. Believe in the gospel.

3. Repent of sins.

4. Confess faith in Christ.

5. Be baptized into Christ.

Introductory Remarks.

1. The “gift” of salvation is given to all by God’s grace, not by our faith or works of merit. Salvation is not given merely upon our faith in Christ; but, in our obedience through the faith in Christ Jesus,” Ephesians 2:8-9. Grace is a precious gift. It is not deserved or earned; but divinely given to all who accept Christ by faith and obedience to the gospel, Romans 1:16-17; Romans 10:16-18. The gospel of Christ is not obeyed "in the heart." But, "from the heart," Romans 6:17-18. It is more than a confession of faith, Romans 10:9-10. It is obedience to the faith, Acts 6:7; Romans 1:5; Romans 15:18-19.

2. Salvation by grace must be accepted on God's terms of pardon, through our belief and obedience to the precious gospel of Christ, Romans 10:16-18. Most Baptists and Evangelicals argue: that salvation is by grace alone. They leave no room for obedience in their view of God’s salvation by grace. However, we will demonstrate faith and obedience are both necessary for one to be saved by grace. God’s grace is offered, but believers must accept it on His terms. And here is the problem: these denominational preachers want to accept and preach God's offer of grace on their terms. However, Paul’s preaching of “God’s grace” included faith and obedience to the gospel: as taught in Isaiah’s report, Romans 10:16-18.

3. God did not impart this conversion process unto the world until after Christ's death, burial, resurrection, and ascension into the heavens, Acts 1:8. The God of heaven then uncovered His conversion process, through which all believers could be called into His grace.

4. The calling of grace is through the hearing of the faith, belief in the gospel, repenting of all past sins, confessing Christ to be the Son of God, and by being baptized: in the name of the Lord Jesus: “for the remission of sins, and to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,” Acts 2:36-41; Acts 22:16. Let’s consider Paul’s preaching of Christ in the city of Corinth.

BODY OF LESSON

I HEAR OF THE FAITH

A. Preaching Christ in Europe. The faith is continuing to be preached unto the Gentile nations in Europe. Paul is continuing his missionary journey into the city of Corinth after experiencing some perceived failures throughout Macedonia and Athens. Paul is now alone preaching Christ unto the Gentiles, having left Timothy and Silas in Macedonia. He enters the city of Corinth shaken in faith, discouraged and fearful in preaching unto a people given wholly unto idolatry and fornication. Paul testified of his weakness, fear, and much trembling. Observe,

B. Paul wrote to Corinth: “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with enticing words of man's wisdom. But, in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God,” 1 Corinthians 2:1-5. Paul preached unto the Corinthians the “gospel of Christ.” Notice,

C. The gospel of Christ. “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures," 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Here is the message that Paul preached to Corinth and other cities where he delivered this message. Paul was beginning to experience success in his preaching again. His preaching unto the Corinthians was bearing significant fruit, 1 Corinthians 3:6-8. Some Jews were hearing, believing, and being baptized. Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his house.

D. Luke wrote: "And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthian's hearing believed, and were baptized," Acts 18:8. Crispus was one of those disciples Paul did baptize. He wrote: "I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius. Lest any should say…And I also baptized Stephanas,” 1 Corinthians 1:14-16; 1 Corinthians 16:15-17. We will return to this again before we close this invitation.