Conversion: To Christianity or Christ?

Conversion: To Christianity or Christ?

by David Scott

One of the greatest misconceptions about the Christian faith is the definition of what it means to be converted. Most uninformed people think born-again believers were converted to a religion, not a Person. However, Christianity is more than a religion. It's a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ. As a result, Christians do not merely believe with their minds what the Bible says about God. We have experienced God in such a personal way that we know He truly is God. Salvation is something we are certain about because God has made Himself real to us.

I do not say this to minimize the importance of what we believe about God. Belief is important, but only if it leads us to know God personally. What we believe is called doctrine by theologians. However, good doctrine is not the end in itself. Faith should not merely affect what we believe with our minds. We should apply doctrine in such a way that personal fellowship with God is the result. Sound doctrine enhances our fellowship with Him, but false doctrine can destroy it.

False doctrine can destroy one's relationship with God in either of two ways – by leading him/her into apostasy from which there is no repentance (Heb. 6:4-6), or retarding our spiritual growth and/or effectiveness. Most Christians I've met, who have been adversely affected by false doctrine, still have their faith intact, but their fruitfulness has been neutralized by it. Our fruitfulness can also be neutralized by the cares of life (Matt. 13:22).

If Christianity was merely an abstract mental assent about God, it would be only slightly different than the other religions of the world. Moslems believe what they do because they've been told to, but they have no proof. Hindus do the same. But Christians do more than mentally assent to certain ideas about God. We know Him personally. He has made Himself real to us. Thus, Christians should be able to do more than merely say, "I believe in God and His Son." We should be able to say, "I know God and Jesus Christ, His Son." Anyone, who admits to believing in Him without actually knowing Him, is not born again yet. There are so many people in this condition within our churches that this is why conversion is misunderstood.

Such people have given mental assent to their beliefs for so long that they assume this is what it means to be a Christian. While it can be said they have been converted to Christianity, it cannot be said they've been converted to Christ. However, true conversion is to the Person of Jesus Christ, not to the religion of Christianity. This is because Christianity cannot save you. Jesus is the Savior, not religion. Nor can joining oneself to a particular denomination save you. Jesus is the Savior, not a church. No one is saved until they know Him.

Let's examine the biblical proof of this. Jesus Himself defined eternal life as knowing both the Father and the Son in John 17:3 -- "And this is eternal life, that they may know You (the Father), the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." John explained it in similar terms in his first epistle (ch. 5:11-12) -- "God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." John also wrote about our personal fellowship with God ch. 1:6-7.

Another one of my favorite verses about this subject is found in John 14:21 -- "He who has My commandments and keeps them, is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." A couple verses later Jesus promised that both He and the Father will make their abode in the lives of everyone who keep His word. A couple verses after that, Jesus explained how this is accomplished by the Holy Spirit, who will teach and remind us of the things we need to grow in our relationship with Him.

The Greek word for "manifest" in the above passage refers to the fact that God will make Himself real to anyone, who submits to Him, in such a way that they will be able to know His presence in a way that is detected by one or more of their senses. For example, in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit revealed Himself to 120 saints at the same time by both sight (cloven tongues of fire) and sound (rushing wind). Those believers were inwardly filled by the Holy Spirit in such a way at the same time that instantaneously spoke other languages, which they never previously knew. However, those languages were understood by people, who were visiting from 16 other nations.

This was not a one-in-a-lifetime experience for those saints. Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit again just before he spoke in Acts 4:8. Paul was filled with the Spirit again in Acts 13:9. Other believers were filled a second time in Acts 4:31. Thus, their relationship with God was an on-going process. The fact that God actually speaks to His saints at various times can be seen in Acts 8:29 and 10:19-20. The first time, God spoke to Philip in a way, which led to the conversion of an Ethiopian eunuch. The second time, God spoke to Peter about things, which led to the salvation of some Italian Gentiles. Paul also mentioned a time when the Holy Spirit spoke to him in 1 Tim. 4:1. God also spoke using visions and angels (Acts 8:26; 10:3-7, 10-16; 18:9-10).

There are many other examples in the Bible of saints, who walked with God in a personal fashion. If you are among those, who believe in Christ with your mind, but you don't know Him personally, I urge you to take the next step right now and ask Jesus to come into your heart by His Spirit. He is knocking at the door of your heart. He is a gentleman, so He won't impose Himself upon you. It is up to you to open the door, invite Him in, and let your fellowship with Him begin (Rev. 3:20).