The Bible makes it clear that every person must believe in God and turn to Him. What this means exactly is discussed in our articles “What is faith?” and “What is conversion?”
However, these questions are not only theoretical. There is also a personal, pastoral side to it. For centuries, people have been asking themselves in despair: “Can I really turn to God? How do I know I am truly converted?” These questions prevent them from accepting God’s gift of forgiveness with confidence.
A heartfelt encouragement
The English pastor Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) saw how people struggled with this. He tried to help them by clearly explaining the Bible. On August 17, 1884 he held a sermon titled “Pleading and Encouragement.” A simplified summary of that sermon reads:
Sin blinds us to who God really is. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8) But those who do not know God fill in for themselves what He is like – often in a wrong way. For example, they think that God is strict and harsh, when in fact He is full of grace and love. Some people even believe that prayer is pointless, because God would not hear their prayers anyway. They think that God does not care about guilty people, that He asks so much of them that they can never please Him. They think that God is against them, when in reality He wants to be their Savior.
These wrong thoughts about God prevent people from turning to Him. They become desperate and therefore continue to live in their sins, thinking that there is no hope or forgiveness for them. But these thoughts are not from God—they are lies from Satan, intended to keep people in darkness.
The truth is: God is love. He is patient, full of compassion, and eager to forgive. So why would you run away from Him? Why would you think you are not welcome? God longs to be gracious to you. His love is faithful, infinite, and inexhaustible. Who is like Him? Who forgives like God?
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That is why I tell you openly and honestly about the good God I serve. I beg you: Do not continue to believe that God is your enemy. If you feel your sins, but don’t dare to believe that He wants to forgive you – then look at Him again. Get to know Him as He really is.
The Bible says: “Those who know Your name put their trust in You.” (Psalm 9:10) May the Holy Spirit open your eyes so that you see God as He really is.
Faith and obedience
Conversion is closely related to faith. For example, the Lord Jesus calls on people to “repent and believe the Gospel.” (Mark 1:15) And in Acts 11:21 we read: “A great number who believed turned to the Lord.”
Conversion is also connected with obedience. This is very clearly expressed in Deuteronomy 30:9-10: “The Lord will again take delight in prospering you, as He took delight in your fathers, when you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes that are written in this Book of the Law, when you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”
I think many struggles surrounding repentance or conversion can be traced back to these two issues.
- Many people find it difficult to be obedient. They are unwilling to admit that they are sinful and on the wrong path. Moreover, they do not want to give God control over their lives. A life according to God’s will seems boring and oppressive to them. They do not want to give up their freedom, and therefore they ignore the call to repent. That is a dangerous choice that will certainly have consequences! Read on in Deuteronomy 30:17-20, “But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying His voice and holding fast to Him, for He is your life and length of days.” These words were first addressed to the people of Israel. But it is also true for us that a life without God leads to our eternal destruction.
- Many people also find it difficult to believe. After all, we cannot see God. We have no scientific proof that the biblical message is true. Most of us do not hear a voice from heaven assuring us that we are saved. God asks us to believe Him at His Word. The Holy Spirit wants to help us with that. But ultimately, faith is about trusting in things you cannot see — or rather, in a Person you cannot see. If you do not trust that the Lord God really wants to forgive and save you, then deep down you are not willing to believe Him at His word. You ask for extra proof, extra confirmation… while He asks you to believe Him. If you struggle with this, read the story in Mark 9:14-27 for encouragement, in which a man cries out almost desperately, “I believe; help my unbelief!” That is enough for Jesus!
Turn to God!
I want to conclude this article with two quotes from the Old Testament and two from the New Testament that clearly show that God desires you to turn to Him because He wants to give you eternal life.
- “Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?” (Ezekiel 18:23)
- “For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.” (Ezekiel 18:32)
- “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10)
- “Whoever comes to Me I will never cast out.” (John 6:37)
How do you respond to God’s urgent call?