How Does Spiritual Conversion Actually Work?

• Part 18 in our Acts series!!
• Part 2 in our mini-series on “Salvation”
  • Last week: Is Anyone Too Far Gone for God? (Acts 8:26-40)
    • Answer: No! God can reach you on the desert road to nowhere
  • Today: We’ll look at the dramatic conversion story of Saul (Paul)
    • – and what we can generalize from his experience.
    • His case is so interesting, because 
      • One, we have it on record
      • Two, his later writings give us the answer to this question!
• I want to start by asking you how it worked for you
  • How did you come to faith in Jesus? 
  • Or, for some of you: have you come to faith in Jesus?
    • If you’re not sure, we’ll invite you at the end of this message

First, what do we mean by conversion?

• Sys Theo #8: “Elements of Salvation” 
  • Broadly speaking, salvation is the application of the work of Christ to the life of individual persons. At its core, the word means “deliverance”…
    • From sin
    • From alienation from others
    • From guilt and shame
    • And more!!!
    • Galatians 1:4 (NLT) 4 Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live.
  • “Conversion” is one of the elements of salvation
    • Other elements: intellectual assent, conviction, illumination,
    • Conversion marks the beginning of the Christian life. Conversion is the individual’s response to the gospel invitation. It can be considered as a single event with two inseparable aspects: repentance and faith (Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21).
    • 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
    • Actual conversion is instantaneous, but viewed from a human perspective, it may not be possible to pinpoint when it occurred. At some point, a person responds to the gospel in repentance and faith and is made alive by God. But the reality of that conversion may not be apparent until much later, as it begins to bear fruit.
    • Conversion doesn’t happen the same way for everyone. Today we’ll look at how it happened for Saul – let’s get to the text…

Acts 9:1-2 (NLT) 1 Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.

• “Followers of the Way” – they weren’t called Christians yet. Still just Jews in the synagogues who believed that Jesus was the way!
  • It’s a way, not just a set of beliefs. 
    • ‘the way of salvation’ (16:17), 
    • ‘the way of the Lord’ (18:25) 
    • ‘the way of God’ (18:26)
    • Mk 14 (NLT) You teach the way of God truthfully.
    • John 14:6 (NLT) 6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
• There are only two ways:
  • The Way that leads to life: the way of Jesus
  • The Way that leads to death: which goes by a million other names
  • Matthew 7:13-14 (ESV) 13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
  • Conversion happens when you leave the way of death to follow the way of Jesus.

Acts 9:3-4 (NLT) 3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”

• Not just a light; later (Acts 22, 26) Paul says he saw Jesus
  • 2 Corinthians 4:6 (NLT) 6 For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
  • The point: No one can be converted without seeing Jesus for who he is. 
    • When Saul saw this, he fell to the ground
      • Like other stories of people seeing God (Ezk. 1:28; Dn. 8:17; Rev. 1:17)
• Then the question: why are you persecuting me?
  • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Properly understood, this question would challenge his whole belief system and pattern of life.
    • IOW this was the fork in the road
      • We all come there when we meet Jesue
        • Will you continue with your old way that leads to death
        • Or will you repent and follow the way of Jesus?
    • For Paul, this was the beginning of CONVICTION

Acts 9:5-6 (NLT) 5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

• For Paul, this was the beginning of INTELLECTUAL ASSENT
  • Learning the basics of the gospel and who Jesus is
  • Coming to terms with this new information
• Note: Saul is still a seeker here. This still happens today:
  • Jesus begins to reveal himself, sometimes in a shocking manner
  • Our way of living/thinking gets exposed
  • We just have to take the next step
    • Jesus doesn’t give Saul all the answers, just the next step
    • Q. If you’re a seeker, what’s your next step?
      • Read your Bible
      • Find a solid church
      • Meet with a mentor

Acts 9:7-9 (NLT) 7 The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! 8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.

• This is the place everyone must come to before conversion: humbled, powerless, like a child
  • My favorite word for it: submission. 
    • Nobody likes that word. That’s why I like it.
    • You can’t come to Jesus unless you’re willing to submit to him
      • There can be only one king on the throne of your life
      • …and you can’t be it
  • Previously, Saul was so arrogant and in charge
    • Now he’s powerless and led by the hand to Damascus
• Matthew 18:3 (NLT) 3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Here’s the rest of the story:

Acts 9:10-12 (NLT) 10 Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied. 11 The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. 12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.”

• Again, humiliating for Saul
• He was going to Damascus to imprison guys like Ananias!?
  • Now he’s going to receive healing from this guy

Acts 9:13-16 (NLT) 13 “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! 14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.” 15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

• What a turn around! 

Acts 9:17-19 (NLT) 17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength.

• This is another essential element on the road to conversion: ILLUMINATION
  • In the biblical sense, “illumination” refers to the work of the Holy Spirit in helping individuals understand and apply the truths of Scripture. It’s the process by which God reveals spiritual truths and insights to believers, enabling them to grasp the meaning of Scripture and how it applies to their lives. 
  • The HS is always illuminating our understanding as Christians, but the first time it happens is groundbreaking: like scales falling from our eyes. Sets us up for conversion. In Paul’s words:
    • 2 Corinthians 3:14 (NLT) 14 But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ.
    • 2 Corinthians 3:16-17 (NLT) 16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
• Notice one more element important to conversion: A believer to share the good news
  • Why didn’t Jesus just do all of this on the road earlier?
  • He wants to use his people to share (that’s what Acts is all about)

Later in Acts Paul explains his conversion with one more important detail:

• He recounts that Ananias said this:
• Acts 22:16 (NLT) 16 ‘What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord.’
  • This is called CONFESSION. Paul later explained it to the Romans:
  • Romans 10:9 (ESV) because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

So, according to Saul’s experience (and later teachings),

1. How Does Spiritual Conversion Actually Work?

Let’s summarize the elements:

• Conviction of sin, recognizing that your old way leads to death
• Intellectual assent, acknowledging that Jesus is who he says he is
• Illumination, letting the HS remove the scales from your eyes
• Culminates in Conversion, which boils down to two earthly responses:
  • Repentance: changing your attitude toward God 
    • And confessing it
  • Faith: trusting Jesus for salvation
• The spiritual benefits include things like
  • Forgiveness of sins,
  • Regeneration: being “born again”
  • Justification: being made right in the court of heaven
  • Adoption: becoming children of God
  • Reception of the HS, as we’ve seen throughout Acts
    • For continued illumination
    • And for empowerment to be his witness!

So, have you been converted?

How Can You Know If You’re Really Saved?

• Part 19 in our Acts series!!
• Part 3 in our mini-series on “How Salvation Works”
  • Two weeks ago: Is Anyone Too Far Gone for God? (Acts 8:26-40)
    • Answer: No! God can reach you on the desert road to nowhere
  • Last week: How Does Spiritual Conversion Actually Work?
    • We’ll looked at the dramatic conversion story of Saul (Paul)
    • – and what we can generalize from his experience.
  • Today: How can you know if you’re really saved? (Acts 9:20-31)
    • Paul went about preaching the gospel immediately
    • The disciples in Jerusalem didn’t believe he was really saved!? After 3 years! 
    • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Even believers who have seen the power of God at work in their own lives can doubt God’s ability to change others.
• The fancy term for this: “assurance of salvation”
  • Can you have it for yourself?
    • Some people “know that they know” they’re saved, no problems with this
    • So many other people doubt their salvation and live in fear of judgment
• Here’s the thing: you can think you’re saved and NOT be saved
  • False conversions are a thing. Jesus said:
    • Matthew 7:21-23 (NLT) 21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’
  • Ouch! One of the most frightening verses in the Bible!
    • So, how can you know? We’ll get to that answer, but let’s start with our text…

Acts 9:19-20 (NLT) Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. 20 And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”

• Wow! What a transformation in Saul’s life
  • One moment he’s persecuting these messengers of Christianity
  • Next moment he IS a messenger!
• Have you met anyone like this? Total transformation

Acts 9:21 (NLT) 21 All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?”

Acts 9:22 (NLT) 22 Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.

• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) When Luke says that Saul grew more and more powerful, the term he uses (enedynamouto) suggests the empowerment of the Spirit.
• Proving from OT, on which he was an expert (scales fell)

Acts 9:23 After a while some of the Jews plotted together to kill him. 24 They were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot. 25 So during the night, some of the other believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall.

• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) This signifies the completion of a significant period in the narrative (cf. Lk. 9:51) and is consistent with the mention of a three-year gap between his conversion and his first journey to Jerusalem as a Christian:
  • Galatians 1:15-18 (NLT) 15 But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him 16 to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. 
  • When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being. 17 Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away into Arabia, and later I returned to the city of Damascus. 18 Then three years later I went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days.

Acts 9:26 (NLT) 26 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer!

• Now you know why this was our question of the day.
  • Saul had been a Christian for 3 years, yet the Jerusalem believers doubted it
• They (all of them?) thought he was a false convert! (still afraid of him)
  • Would YOU have? 
  • Have YOU ever struggled to truly believe in the life-changing power of Jesus? 
    • In someone else’s life
    • In your own life

So, back to our question:

1. How Can You Know If You’re Really Saved?

• Paul himself later raises this question to some “believers” in Corinth:
• 2 Corinthians 13:5 (NLT) 5 Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.
  • This is Saul, now called Paul, writing to the Christian church in Corinth. It’s jacked up. There’s stuff going on there that’s not Christian at all. And there are two questions that must be answered to see if their faith would pass the test: 
    • First, will they believe Paul’s message?
      • They didn’t like what he was saying. They were even challenging his authority as an apostle. That was the test.
        • It was Saul’s test, too, last week: When Jesus called out Saul and challenged his understanding, he shockingly submitted to him. 
        • Now it was the Corinthians’ turn. Would they submit to the truth?
    • Second, will they repent and turn from their own way?
      • Remember last week: Christianity is a way, not just a set of beliefs.
      • True conversion happens when you leave the way of death to follow the way of Jesus.
        • These so-called believers were not following the way of Jesus
          • Paul was calling them out on it, and their response would tell him if their faith was genuine. 
          • 1 John 3:9-10 (ESV) 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

Let’s finish the question for Saul:

Acts 9:27 (NLT) 27 Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus.

• We met this guy earlier. The encourager. Living up to his name.
• Ananias vouched for Saul in Damascus because he saw Jesus in a vision.
• Barnabus vouched for Saul in Jerusalem because he saw a changed life.

Acts 9:28 (NLT) 28 So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.

• They realized he was a true believer, and he
  • Stayed with them
  • Preaching with them
• Saul’s story had a clear answer: he was saved, no doubt about it. 

What about you?

Three simple questions to know if you’re truly saved (full circle):

• Have you trusted Jesus for salvation? (nothing else can save, but it’s more than mere confession)
• Do you live your life to honor God? (practice righteousness vs practice sinning)
• Do you care enough to share with others? (make disciples)
  • This might be the ultimate litmus test. 
  • In the book of Acts, all of the believers did more than receive the message; they shared it.

Acts 9:31 (NLT) 31 The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.

Today we’re in part 4 of our mini-series on how salvation works

• Three weeks ago: Is Anyone Too Far Gone for God? (Acts 8:26-40)
• Answer: No! God can reach you on the desert road to nowhere
• Two weeks ago: How Does Spiritual Conversion Actually Work?
• We’ll looked at the dramatic conversion story of Saul (Paul)
• – and what we can generalize from his experience.
• About the HS opening eyes
• And how faith/repentance changes you in an instant
• From death to life
• From enemy of God to child of God
• Last week: How can you know if you’re really saved? (Acts 9:20-31)
• Paul went about preaching the gospel immediately
• The disciples in Jerusalem didn’t believe he was really saved!? After 3 years!
• We looked at how Christians can have “assurance” of their salvation
• Today to finish up we’ll dig deeper into a theological question:

Q. Did God Change How Salvation Works?

• Have you ever thought about this?
• In the NT
• grace, forgiveness, Jesus
• Jn 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
• Jesus is THE way. But what about in the OT?
• Did salvation work one way in OT before Jesus
• And another way in NT after Jesus?

Q. What was the Old Testament way of salvation?

• Many thought: saved by keeping the commandments
• In Jewish tradition, there are 613 commandments (known as the Mitzvot) in the Torah. These commandments are derived from the five books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) and encompass a wide range of moral, religious, and civil laws. 248 positive commandments (things to do) and 365 negative commandments (things not to do)
• Scholars estimate that around 100 to 150 of the 613 commandments address issues of purity and impurity.
• Dietary Laws (Kashrut): These include commandments related to clean and unclean animals (Leviticus 11, Deuteronomy 14).
• Table fellowship refers to the practice of sharing meals, which in ancient Jewish culture held deep social, religious, and spiritual significance. In the context of the Old Testament and Jewish tradition, sharing a meal symbolized more than just eating together; it represented community, unity, and, in many cases, ritual purity. This practice also reinforced the separation between Jews and Gentiles due to differences in dietary laws and religious observance. Eating with Gentiles, who were considered ritually impure, could defile an observant Jew, requiring purification rites (Leviticus 20:24-26).
• Clean vs. unclean
• So is this how people were saved in OT? Keep yourself clean?

The answer is found in today’s text.

• The passage we’re reading today is groundbreaking.
• The early Christians are going to learn the answer to this question
• …by way of answering a broader question about salvation.
• Here’s the story:

Acts 10:1-6 (NLT) 1 In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer named Cornelius, who was a captain of the Italian Regiment. 2 He was a devout, God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household. He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God. 3 One afternoon about three o’clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. “Cornelius!” the angel said.

4 Cornelius stared at him in terror. “What is it, sir?” he asked the angel.

And the angel replied, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering! 5 Now send some men to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.”

Acts 10:9-14 (NLT) 9 The next day as Cornelius’s messengers were nearing the town, Peter went up on the flat roof to pray. It was about noon, 10 and he was hungry. But while a meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners. 12 In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. 13 Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.”

14 “No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean.”

• Even after Jesus’ teaching on this, Peter still didn’t understand (see below). This would be the moment that he really got it… and its implications for the church.
• Mark 7:18-19 (NLT) 18 “Don’t you understand either?” he asked. “Can’t you see that the food you put into your body cannot defile you? 19 Food doesn’t go into your heart, but only passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.” (By saying this, he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in God’s eyes.)

Acts 10:15-16 (NLT) 15 But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” 16 The same vision was repeated three times. Then the sheet was suddenly pulled up to heaven.

• This is a watershed moment in salvation history
• Peter was learning the answer to our question today
• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) What was implicit in the teaching of Jesus is now made explicit. The clean and unclean provisions of the law were temporary, designed to keep Israel a holy and distinct people, until the time when Jews and Gentiles could receive the forgiveness of sins and sanctification on the same basis, through faith in Christ (Acts 20:32; 26:17-18; cf. 15:9, ‘having cleansed their hearts by faith’).

Peter was confused, then Cornelius’ men showed up..

• He went with them to the Gentile’s house, and said this:

Acts 10:28 (NLT) 28 Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean.”

• It wasn’t just about food! It was about people.
• God was revealing himself to Cornelius, and Peter was to share the gospel
• Note similarity with Samaritan revival
• Philip shared the gospel
• But God waited for Peter and John to give HS
• This same pattern is happening
• God could have just shared the gospel in a vision
• But he wanted Peter to share it
• Not for Cornelius’ sake
• But for Peter’s sake!

Acts 10:34-36 (NLT) 34 Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. 35 In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. 36 This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all…. 43 He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.”

• Not just Lord of Jews. (mind blown)
• Salvation now goes out to Gentiles. This isn’t just a Jewish thing.
• Salvation is not about being clean or unclean according to Law
• It’s about trusting Jesus to clean you by his final work on the cross
• He is the ultimate sacrifice
• No longer a need for the old system

And here’s where it connects to our question of the day…

This answer doesn’t just apply to Jews and Gentiles moving forward

• It applies to everyone looking backward!
• Q. Did God Change How Salvation Works?
• Answer: no!! Everyone who has ever been saved… has been saved by faith
• Jews in NT were saved by faith in the one who came (Jesus).
• Gentiles in NT were saved by that same faith in the one who came (Jesus).
• People in OT were saved by faith, too
• In the one who was to come, even though they didn’t know his name
• Object of faith was still Messiah
• Galatians 3:11 (NLT) 11 So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”
• Quoting OT! Now they look back and see the truth: it was always faith
• salvation by faith, apart from the Law was an Old Testament principle
• Romans 4:1-3 (NLT) 1 Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? 2 If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. 3 For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”
• Believed in God’s promise (about his offspring)
• Even though it was humanly impossible (he was old and childless)
• God counted him as righteousness (even though he wasn’t)
• Because of his faith.
• Faith in God to come through on his promise
• His promise was all about Jesus!

Here’s the point:

• No one was ever saved by perfectly keeping the Law
• Not back then, not today
• The Law simply shows people how imperfect they are
• To set the stage for the One who could perfectly keep the Law
• = Jesus
• So all along this was God’s plan for salvation
• It was always about dependence upon God, trusting his pathway
• In the OT his pathway was a concept: Messiah
• In the NT his pathway had a name: Jesus
• Everyone who has ever been saved… has been saved by faith in Jesus.
• As Peter said to the Jewish leaders in Acts 4:

Acts 4:12 (NLT) 12 “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”