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Conversion

C.D. Cole

In conversion a change is wrought in the sinner. There is a change from darkness to light, from death to life, and from the power of Satan unto God. There is a change of opinion so that he believes what he once rejected; a change of affection so that he loves what he once hated. What explains such a change? Does the sinner convert himself? Does darkness create light? Does death beget life? Does filth produce purity? Then, and not till then, can the sinner convert himself. If God converts the sinner, does He do it as a matter of obligation or of grace? Paul gives grace credit for his conversion. After speaking of himself as a persecutor of the saints, he says, "But by the grace of God I am what I am."

Grace saves us from the love of sin and from a darkened understanding. This may be called internal

salvation, and is the work of the Holy Spirit in us. In this work the Holy Spirit opens the soul's blinded eyes to see the truth of the Gospel. Paul said that his gospel was hid to the lost because their minds were blinded (2 Cor. 4: 4). The death of Christ does not benefit the man who lives and dies without faith in it. And every man of us would so live were it not for the light-giving and life-giving work of the Spirit. Spiritual truths are foolishness to the natural man, even though he be a university professor, and none but the Holy Spirit can make a man spiritual.

Conversion is the work of the Holy Spirit, and His work in us is as much of grace as was the work of

Christ for us on the cross. Christ wrought for us on the cross to liquidate our sin-debt; the Holy Spirit wrought in us conviction for sin, and faith in the blood of Christ as the one and only remedy for sin.

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To Some Hardness, to others mercy

C.D. Cole

In hardening sinners, God does not put any sinful principle in them; this would make Him the author of sin. The sinful principle is already there; we are children of wrath by nature (Eph. 2:3). But in hardening sinners, God leaves them to act out their own sinful desires, only controlling them so that their sinful desires shall not produce those particular actions that might overthrow the purpose of God. To illustrate:

In the death of Christ, His murderers were acting out their own sinful wishes, but they were controlled by God, so that their deeds were the fulfilment of His Prophetic Word and the accomplishment of His eternal purpose. This explains why they parted His garments and cast lots for His vesture and gave Him vinegar mingled with gall to drink. It also explains why His bones were not broken, and why His side was pierced. God was in control of those who put His Son to death so that they did the particular things that the prophets had predicted. Read John 19:33-36; Ps. 22:18; 69:21; Matt. 27:35.

In Acts 14:16 we read that God suffered (permitted) all nations to walk in their own way, which means that He left them to their own depraved wills. Now, the SHOWING OF MERCY is the very opposite of leaving sinners to act out their own sinful natures. It is the putting of something good in them, a holy disposition and a good principle, by which they repent of their sins and believe on Christ. Showing mercy to those who come to Christ and plead His blood is objective mercy; working in us both to will and to do (Phil. 2:13) is subjective mercy. And this is the sense in which it is used in Rom. 9:13.

In Eph. 2:3-5 we are told that "we were by nature children of wrath.., but God, who is rich in mercy, .. quickened us together with Christ." And in Titus 3:5 we read that it was "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit." It was in mercy that Christ died for us, and it was also in mercy that the Spirit enlightened our sin darkened understanding.

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GRACE IN THE TRINITY

C.D. Cole

All three persons in the Godhead are equally gracious towards sinners. The grace of the Father, Son, and Spirit are equal in degree and extent, but distinct in operation and administration.

1. The Father is the FOUNTAIN of all grace. He purposed the fact and plan of grace. He formulated

the covenant of grace and devised the means "whereby His banished should not be expelled from Him." He made choice by grace of the subjects of grace, and then in fulness of time sent His Son into the world to be the medium of grace.

2. The Eternal Son is the CHANNEL of grace. The only way the grace of God can reach the sinner is through the Lord Jesus Christ. Let no rejector of God's Son think himself to be the beneficiary of God grace! His work reconciled Grace and Justice, as is written, "Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other" (Ps. 85:10).

John Bunyan, blissfully lost in the contemplation of the matchless grace of the Son of God, cried out

these words:

"O Thou Son of the Blessed! Grace stripped Thee of Thy glory; grace brought Thee down from heaven; grace made Thee bear such burdens of sin, such burdens of curse as are unspeakable; grace was in Thy heart; grace came bubbling from Thy bleeding side; grace was in Thy tears; grace was in Thy prayers; grace streamed from Thy thorn-crowned brow! Grace came forth with the nails that pierced Thee, with the thorns that pricked Thee! Oh, here are unsearchable riches of grace! Grace to make sinners happy! Grace to make angels wonder! Grace to make devils astonished!"

3. The Holy Spirit is the ADMINISTRATOR of grace. Without the gracious operation of the Holy

Spirit in conversion no sinner would ever become a beneficiary of grace. He takes of the things of Christ and gives them to the sinner. He quickens all the souls of the Father's choice, and leads to Jesus Christ all the sheep for whom the dear Shepherd laid down His life. (John 10:11). He conquers the stoutest hearts, and cleanses the foulest spiritual leper. He opens sin-blinded eyes and unstops sin-closed ears. The blessed Holy Spirit reveals the grace of the Father and and applies the grace of the Son.

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	Conversion C.D. Cole In conversion a change is wrought in the sinner. There is a change from darkness to light, from death to life, and from the power of Satan unto God. There is a change of opinion so that he believes what he once rejected; a change of affection so that he loves what he once hated. What explains such a change? Does the sinner convert himself? Does darkness create light? Does death beget life? Does filth produce purity? Then, and not till then, can the sinner convert himself. If God converts the sinner, does He do it as a matter of obligation or of grace? Paul gives grace credit for his conversion. After speaking of himself as a persecutor of the saints, he says, "But by the grace of God I am what I am." Grace saves us from the love of sin and from a darkened understanding. This may be called internal salvation, and is the work of the Holy Spirit in us. In this work the Holy Spirit opens the soul's blinded eyes to see the truth of the Gospel. Paul said that his gospel was hid to the lost because their minds were blinded (2 Cor. 4: 4). The death of Christ does not benefit the man who lives and dies without faith in it. And every man of us would so live were it not for the light-giving and life-giving work of the Spirit. Spiritual truths are foolishness to the natural man, even though he be a university professor, and none but the Holy Spirit can make a man spiritual. Conversion is the work of the Holy Spirit, and His work in us is as much of grace as was the work of Christ for us on the cross. Christ wrought for us on the cross to liquidate our sin-debt; the Holy Spirit wrought in us conviction for sin, and faith in the blood of Christ as the one and only remedy for sin. _______________________________________________________ To Some Hardness, to others mercy C.D. Cole In hardening sinners, God does not put any sinful principle in them; this would make Him the author of sin. The sinful principle is already there; we are children of wrath by nature (Eph. 2:3). But in hardening sinners, God leaves them to act out their own sinful desires, only controlling them so that their sinful desires shall not produce those particular actions that might overthrow the purpose of God. To illustrate: In the death of Christ, His murderers were acting out their own sinful wishes, but they were controlled by God, so that their deeds were the fulfilment of His Prophetic Word and the accomplishment of His eternal purpose. This explains why they parted His garments and cast lots for His vesture and gave Him vinegar mingled with gall to drink. It also explains why His bones were not broken, and why His side was pierced. God was in control of those who put His Son to death so that they did the particular things that the prophets had predicted. Read John 19:33-36; Ps. 22:18; 69:21; Matt. 27:35. In Acts 14:16 we read that God suffered (permitted) all nations to walk in their own way, which means that He left them to their own depraved wills. Now, the SHOWING OF MERCY is the very opposite of leaving sinners to act out their own sinful natures. It is the putting of something good in them, a holy disposition and a good principle, by which they repent of their sins and believe on Christ. Showing mercy to those who come to Christ and plead His blood is objective mercy; working in us both to will and to do (Phil. 2:13) is subjective mercy. And this is the sense in which it is used in Rom. 9:13. In Eph. 2:3-5 we are told that "we were by nature children of wrath.., but God, who is rich in mercy, .. quickened us together with Christ." And in Titus 3:5 we read that it was "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit." It was in mercy that Christ died for us, and it was also in mercy that the Spirit enlightened our sin darkened understanding. _______________________________________________________ GRACE IN THE TRINITY C.D. Cole All three persons in the Godhead are equally gracious towards sinners. The grace of the Father, Son, and Spirit are equal in degree and extent, but distinct in operation and administration. 1. The Father is the FOUNTAIN of all grace. He purposed the fact and plan of grace. He formulated the covenant of grace and devised the means "whereby His banished should not be expelled from Him." He made choice by grace of the subjects of grace, and then in fulness of time sent His Son into the world to be the medium of grace. 2. The Eternal Son is the CHANNEL of grace. The only way the grace of God can reach the sinner is through the Lord Jesus Christ. Let no rejector of God's Son think himself to be the beneficiary of God grace! His work reconciled Grace and Justice, as is written, "Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other" (Ps. 85:10). John Bunyan, blissfully lost in the contemplation of the matchless grace of the Son of God, cried out these words: "O Thou Son of the Blessed! Grace stripped Thee of Thy glory; grace brought Thee down from heaven; grace made Thee bear such burdens of sin, such burdens of curse as are unspeakable; grace was in Thy heart; grace came bubbling from Thy bleeding side; grace was in Thy tears; grace was in Thy prayers; grace streamed from Thy thorn-crowned brow! Grace came forth with the nails that pierced Thee, with the thorns that pricked Thee! Oh, here are unsearchable riches of grace! Grace to make sinners happy! Grace to make angels wonder! Grace to make devils astonished!" 3. The Holy Spirit is the ADMINISTRATOR of grace. Without the gracious operation of the Holy Spirit in conversion no sinner would ever become a beneficiary of grace. He takes of the things of Christ and gives them to the sinner. He quickens all the souls of the Father's choice, and leads to Jesus Christ all the sheep for whom the dear Shepherd laid down His life. (John 10:11). He conquers the stoutest hearts, and cleanses the foulest spiritual leper. He opens sin-blinded eyes and unstops sin-closed ears. The blessed Holy Spirit reveals the grace of the Father and and applies the grace of the Son. Back to Samsermons