Ten Evidences of Conversion
TEXT: 2 Cor. 13:5
INTRODUCTION:
1. Have you noticed all of the merchandise with the letter X on it lately.
2. It stands for Malcom X whose autobiography was just produced by Spike Lee.
3. Recent surveys demonstrate that many who wear the logos don’t even know what he stood for.
4. But I thought it would make an interesting thought for a sermon: Title.
5. Text.
6. Discuss meaning of conversion.
DISCUSSION:
I. Surrender of the will to God.
Joshua 24:15 "And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
II. Relief from the burden of sin.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
III. Love for the brethren.
(1 John 3:14-19).
IV. A new relish for the word of God.
Psalms 119:16 I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.
Psalms 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. Psalms 40:8 I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart." Psalms 119:24 Your testimonies also are my delight And my counselors. Psalms 119:35 Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, For I delight in it. Psalms 119:47 And I will delight myself in Your commandments, Which I love. Psalms 119:70 Their heart is as fat as grease, But I delight in Your law. Psalms 119:77 Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; For Your law is my delight. Psalms 119:174 I long for Your salvation, O LORD, And Your law is my delight.
V. Pleasure in secret prayer.
Matthew 6:6 "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
Matthew 14:23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on a mountain by Himself to pray. And when evening had come, He was alone there.
Mark 6:46 And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray.
Luke 6:12 Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
VI. Sinful thoughts cause pain
Psalms 51:1-4 Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me. 4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight; That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.
1 Kings 22:8 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD; but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil." And Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say such things!"
Psalms 97:10 You who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.
Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.
Amos 5:15 Hate evil, love good; establish justice in the gate. It may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
VII. Desire to see others saved.
John 1:41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated, the Christ).
VIII. Obedience to Christ.
1 John 3:24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
John 14:15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments.
IX. Humility.
James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
(Phil 2:1 ff).
X. Desire to be more like Christ.
2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
1 John 3:2-3 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
CONCLUSION:
1. If Christianity were outlawed, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
