What is conversion?
Although Christians tend to make a lot of conversion, the Bible doesn’t so much. It’s directly referred to only once, in Acts 15:3, which makes a passing reference to the “conversion of the Gentiles.” In my favourite dictionary, Noah Webster says that conversion is “a turning or change from one state to another.” We could use the term conversion then in at least two senses.
The first sense in which we are converted is the sense in which God changes our nature, regenerating us. At the moment of our regeneration, God has conducted a conversion – from a state of depravity to being a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). This kind of conversion is obviously essential unto salvation. Given common theological parlance, however, it’s probably better to stick with the term “regeneration” when talking about this kind of conversion.
The second kind of “conversion,” and the one that is best suited to the word, is the outward expression of that inward regeneration wrought by God. The Apostle Peter says that we must “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins” (Acts 2:38). Conversion, then, in distinction from inner regeneration, is the act of publically identifying as a Christian. This is the popular sense in which we typically use the term “conversion.” This is illustrated in the fact that someone “converts” when they were once a muslim or an unbeliever, and they then become a Christian in a public and recognizable sense. The external nature of conversion is further illustrated by the fact that one might also convert to false religions as well as the true one. Having formed this general definition of conversion as a public act of identifying as a Christian, there are then two sub-types of conversion: true conversion and false conversion.
According to the Apostle Peter’s sermon, true conversion requires at least two things: baptism and repentance (flowing out of God’s work of regeneration in our hearts). Obviously, conversion is fake-able. It’s possible to profess to repent and not to be truly repentant with a change of heart, and also to be baptized without repenting. It’s possible too to be regenerated, repentant, but not be baptized, and when this occurs a proper “conversion” (when we’re using my definition) has also not happened. Again, you can see why scripture gives less attention to conversion and more attention to true, inner regeneration of the heart – because that is what matters far more!
Summarising here, I believe that conversion is best understood as the act of publicly identifying as a Christian. Conversion is essentially an external thing, and external things – while useful – are only meant to complement and serve the internal spiritual realities that they represent. Regeneration is of far greater importance, a change in the heart of the inner man. This is why Galatians 6:15 says: “For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.”
And so we ought not to major on “getting people converted.” Don’t ignore it or treat it as unimportant, but don’t major on it either. And we don’t necessarily put too much faith in a person’s conversion either. It is certainly a cause to rejoice when someone converts, but the true testing of their faith will only be worked out in time. Someone might convert, turn up to church for a couple of months, and then fall away. No true regeneration of the heart has actually happened in such cases. No, we must rather major on repentance and true regeneration of the heart – that’s what the Bible does. We must maintain proper teaching on baptism of course (which is how conversion is physically expressed), but in preaching and sharing the gospel, effecting true repentance is what is most crucial.
If people truly repent, conversion will take care of itself, and will be a joyous complement to what’s already happening in the heart, for what God really wants to see is a change of heart. Again, the Apostle Paul put it as bluntly as possible in Galatians 6:15 doesn’t he? It’s worth re-reading: “For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.” Under the Old Covenant, circumcision was the sign for publicly identifying with God’s people (i.e. converting) – just like baptism now is under the New Covenant. In this sense, we can say that baptism doesn’t count for anything! Your eternal destiny does not stand or fall on the basis of your baptism, or the profession of your faith and conversion. What really counts is an actual “new creation.” This doesn’t mean baptism is unimportant, it is, but it’s a physical ordinance given to accompany what really matters: spiritual regeneration. Therefore we ought not to major on conversion, but instead to prayerfully major on effecting true repentance! And if you do talk about conversions, it may be helpful to do so in relation to baptism – which is God’s provided means for identifying and handling the matter of conversion in church practice.
Soli Deo Gloria!