Bethel MBC    May 14, 2008
Basic Baptist Doctrine
Lesson 14

“Conviction, Contrition, Conversion"
Or;
"The Way to Salvation"

In the previous two lessons we have discussed the plan of redemption and the plan of salvation. It is the purpose of this study to:

    1. Review the scriptures teaching the way to access God's plan of
        salvation
    2. Compare and contrast the differences and importance of the three
        terms listed above
    3. Discuss the most commonly used verses to prop up the prevalent
        teachings today of "easy believe-ism". 
    4. Provide knowledge to enlighten you regarding the scriptures' true
        teachings concerning the way to salvation
    5. Produce a guide of sorts as to the necessity of conviction and
        contrition in order for true and authentic conversion to take place

I.         CONVICTION
The word conviction isn't in the Bible, although "convicted" does occur in John 8:9. As Jesus stood over the woman caught in adultery, the crowd was convicted in their own minds and slowly left one by one. The original language here for "convicted" means "to confute, admonish; convince, to tell a fault, rebuke, reprove." The English dictionary defines conviction as: the act of convincing a person of error or compelling the admission of truth; the state of being convinced." Although the Bible is largely silent on the word itself, the concept and description of conviction is thoroughly discussed by numerous writers.

John 6:44 "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him:"
 
Jesus here teaches the multitude that in order for a person to approach Him as Savior, they must first feel a need for Him or a drawing. Further, they must also be convinced in their own mind and heart that they actually need a Savior. This convincing (which is what the word conviction means) is what we refer to today as conviction.

We often are guilty of judging testimonies, subconsciously, by the terminology used in expressing the inward emotions and feelings a person experiences. We want to hear the word "conviction" and the words "repentance" and "faith" when in reality a person may never may heard of these terms, but they can describe what they felt when God saved them. There is a danger of slipping into judging terminology and language instead of the testimony of the Holy Spirit which accompanies true salvation and its expressions by mortal tongues. Likewise, people have been accepted into a church because they used all the accepted terminology. I am well acquainted with two members of MBCs (in two different churches, 15 years apart) who admitted to being lost while members and were later truly saved. They were the only ones ultimately responsible to God for the status of their soul. However, doesn't the church have a responsibility too? Was there an evidence of the Holy Spirit during their testimony and request to be baptized? Of course not. How could there be? So, why then did God's people proceed without further questioning the candidate? The writer's best estimation is that they were soothed by the use of terminology and language suitable to the process of salvation. The point here is that we must not fall guilty of accepting or rejecting people's testimonies based solely upon "hearing what everyone else has basically said."

Acts 2:37 "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?"

This was the response to Peter's sermon on the Day of Pentecost. The hearers of his Holy Ghost empowered message were "pricked" in their hearts. Again, this is another instance of a word being used only once in the New Testament. It is rendered from a Greek word meaning "to pierce thoroughly" or "to agitate violently." This fits to our belief of what "conviction" is and how it may be described by those who have experienced it.

Acts 24:25 "And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee."

The Apostle Paul preaches to the Roman noble Felix for the second time. The scriptures state that Felix trembled. The translated word refers to cause to be in fear or to be alarmed. This and one other place in Acts referring to Moses are the only places these words are utilized. Again, those that have experienced conviction from the Lord can attest to feeling all of these things.
 
Thus, briefly, we have determined that what we have coined "conviction" is really a multitude of words used by the writers to describe this internal, spiritual, Holy Ghost induced phenomenon. It is a convincing, a thorough piercing, and a cause for alarm and fear. The ideals of true conviction are contained within these originally penned words, not in the simple English word "conviction."
Theologically, conviction is God's ordained way to let people know when we are held accountable in His almighty and righteous judgment. We talk of an "age of accountability" which refers to the time in an individual's life when God's first notifies a person of their trespasses and sinful nature. That is being lost or separated from God. Actually being convicted is to be convinced of your sin and pierced through with sorrow which makes us tremble inwardly as it did Felix. A person can be as lost as can be and show no outward signs of conviction. A person can also be lost and show no signs of conviction and say that they are saved. Therefore, it becomes essential to examine the fruit of a person and the description of inner thoughts and emotions more than simple terminology which can be easily duplicated by unsaved individuals. The Bible tells us that we shall know them by their fruits and John demanded "fruits meet for repentance" BEFORE he baptized people.

II.       CONTRITION
Once again, and not surprisingly, the word "contrition" is not one used regularly in the Bible. It is defined in the English dictionary as "grieving and penitent for sin or shortcoming; to grind or bruise." Thus, contrition is something different from conviction. Conviction was the drawing of a sinner to the Lord by the Holy Spirit. It is a convincing of sin in one's own personal life and understanding. While we are lost at the first moment we are held accountable to God, conviction often waxes and wanes according to the workings of the Holy Spirit. It is the drawing or pulling power of God. Contrition is something that is experienced only after deeper conviction is felt. Increased conviction leads to contrition which is a gift from God. I look at it as if conviction is the drawing of the Spirit to God and contrition is the Spirit breaking us off from the world to where we can be converted. Let's proceed with "contrition". It is utilized as "contrite" five times in the Old Testament (Psalms and Isaiah) but never in the New Testament. In my opinion, contrition is what is actually necessary for salvation. Because it is never mentioned in the New Testament, I have to assume that it also is taught indirectly or under the coverings. Let's start in the Old Testament.

Psalm 34:18 "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit."

This is David as a saved man writing to exhort others by the experience he had with God. He promises that God saves those that have a contrite spirit. The Bible teaches that we
 
are totally depraved, meaning we have no good in us and no ability to obtain or maintain good in and of ourselves. Therefore, for contrition to be pleasing enough to God for Him to save us, it must be from above. Scripture states that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above; from the Father of lights, etc. Contrition is a gift that God gives to us after we respond to the drawing power of conviction.

Psalm 51:17 "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise (refuse)."

David here again attests to God's faithfulness to accept the sacrifice of contrition. He promises that God will not refuse to save such as have a contrite heart.

II Corinthians 7:10 “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death."

Paul writes to the Corinthian church about a sorrow that comes only from God. He says that is leads one to a place of repentance (separation from the world) which would not be regretted. Furthermore, he states that the sorrow that the world knows and practices only leads to death. This further proves our point that for true salvation to occur one must have contrition from God. In order to have contrition from the Lord, we must respond to conviction in a positive manner.
Deuteronomy 4:29 "But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul."

Moses states that the law of God promises that in order to find God one must pursue him with all their heart and soul. This thought is reproduced several times in the scriptures and continues to be accurate. The unfortunate fact is that this often is interpreted to mean that God is difficult to find. You have to seek Him with all your heart and soul, etc. What it means is that you will have to SEEK him by responding to conviction and using the contrition that He will give to sinners. To prove that God is not hard to find, read the next verse.
 
Acts 17:27 "That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us."

Paul preaches at Mars' Hill and states that to find God one must feel after Him and find Him. Most importantly, Paul says that God is not far from ANY of us, but is near and ready to save at any time. God is not hiding, but those that find Him must enter in at the gate called straight at the end of the narrow way of conviction and contrition.

III. CONVERSION
This is the object of all true religion... .Conversion: a radical change, initiated by God Himself, to a soul that banishes sin and provides peace. It is the death of an old man and the birth of a new creature in Christ Jesus. God seeks to change sinners in a way only possible to Himself as creator.

Acts 3:19 "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord."

Peter preaches here that repentance leads to immediate conversion or changing by the Lord. One's sins are blotted out and we enjoy a time of refreshing. The Greek words refer to reverting or to turn about. The English definition is roughly offered as to change. Conversion in the end result of the split second when God changes the soul of a sinner back to the perfection for which it was intended.

II Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new."

Obviously, to be "in Christ" one must be truly saved (converted). Paul mentions it here that God absolutely and decisively destroys the sin of the old man and creates within us a perfect soul which the blood of our Lamb and His Son, Jesus Christ. I invite you to notice the radical changes made in the following individuals after salvation. I believe that salvation should be obvious on the outside too!!

    a. The Demonic Son Mark 5:5 (before)— Mark 5:15 (after)
    b. Saul/Paul Acts 9:1 Acts 21:13
    c. Philippian jailer Acts 16:27 Acts 16:33
 
IV.      The Roman Road
Perhaps you have heard of the phrase "The Roman Road" but don't fully understand what is meant. It has to do with a modern multi-denominational movement towards what we refer to as "easy-believeism" or "handshake salvation." More exactly, it is deception and one of Satan's greatest tools in the religious environment of America. Not wanting to spend time to go through the whole "road", I want you to only realize that it involves reading verses from Romans to "lead a person to Christ." I call it "coaching someone past the cross." It takes verses out of context and away from the macro-teaching of the chapter and misapplies it to an "accepting the Lord" plan of salvation.

Being unable to explain or expound upon this important subject better than a source I have at my disposal, I have chosen to use it as the best explanation and refutation of this modern teaching. It is an article entitled, "The Roman Road" and was written by Elder Tim Binion. Elder Binion is likely well known to many of you and is currently the pastor of Victory MBC in Hendersonville, TN.  Here is the article in its entirety as typed into a tri-fold handout.

THE ROMAN ROAD  
by Elder Timothy Binion