by Bill Fix
The last six lessons I presented examined conversions from the book of Acts. Breaking down the Latin root words, vert meaning “turn” and con meaning “against,” we can understand how our English word means to change one’s religious beliefs. We studied how five individuals in Acts adapted their faith when presented with reasonable information they hadn’t heard before. Acts provides no indication that the Philippian jailer even believed in God prior to the events in chapter 16. His late-night conversion denotes a conscious change in his life from that very hour.
The other four converts, however, were already striving sincerely to please God, but this new information still elicited a change in them. Some did not know anything about Jesus while Saul (Paul) simply didn’t believe Jesus was the Christ. But upon believing and obeying, these new converts changed their lives to reflect their commitment to Christ.
Although King Agrippa believed the prophets (26:27), he did not obey or make any change. His example demonstrates the possibility that one can believe yet refuse to be converted. Luke recorded these details “that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed” (Lk. 1:4). But of what value is knowing such things if we fail to act on them and “save ourselves” (Acts 2:40)? Are you converted?