Never forget that before real conversion comes real repentance. You need to humble yourself until you can sincerely say, as David did, "Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me" (Psalm 51:2–3).
Notice that David did not try to justify himself—he acknowledged his sin freely and asked for forgiveness. He continued: "Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight" (v. 4). God did not need to argue or "reason" David into admitting his guilt! In the light of God's commandments, David had come to see himself as he really was and to abhor himself. And neither you nor I are any better than David!
When you are finally ready to repent of breaking God's laws, of following human traditions, of conforming to this society and its ways, then here is what God requires of you: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise" (Psalm 51:17).
Were you formerly a "religious hobbyist" who liked to argue "how I see it" with God's ministers? Were your "feelings hurt" when they showed you, from the Bible, that you were wrong? When the time comes that you are truly converted, you will not hang on grudgingly to an old false conversion. Instead, you will be grateful for your teachers. You will be humble and teachable like a little child. You will not think of yourself as a "spiritual giant" as you start down the road of real conversion. And you will realize the great danger of letting your old spiritual pride and vanity convince you that a previous false conversion was "the real thing." Rather, you will be grateful to God for His Church, and for His ministers who are teaching you His Truth (Romans 10:15). And you will have the great peace that comes with knowing that you are truly being guided by God, as never before. |
