The Nature of True Conversion

Driving home: Now, that is a radical change. The before and the after. and conversion is what happens to you to take you from what you were before to what you are after.

Martin uses the analogy of 'before and after' pictures from weight loss or hair loss advertisements to graphically illustrate the radical change conversion brings from a state of spiritual death and condemnation to life and acceptance.

The overall picture. now the overall picture you've seen no doubt in some of these advertisements for weight loss and also and perhaps I tell on myself here some of these advertisements for recovering hair loss you've seen the pictures of the before and then the after you've seen the before and the after now those are perhaps the two most graphic before and after pictures that are before my mind

8:16 - 9:03 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: This section delves into the specific blessings of conversion: regeneration (moral heart transplant by Spirit and Word for the elect), justification (legal clearing of record…

Regeneration is described as God, the great physician, performing a 'moral heart transplant' on the sinner, replacing a heart of stone with a heart of flesh, to explain the radical internal change.

The whole soul is radically morally transformed. It is God, the great physician, in the operating room, doing a moral heart transplant upon the sinner. How does he do it? By what method?

37:29 - 37:48 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: This section delves into the specific blessings of conversion: regeneration (moral heart transplant by Spirit and Word for the elect), justification (legal clearing of record…

Martin uses the progression from an 'operating room' (regeneration) to a 'courtroom' (justification) and then to a 'living room' (adoption) to illustrate the sequence and nature of God's work in conversion, moving from internal change to legal standing to intimate fellowship.

What about this experimental blessing? Well, God, as it were, begins in the operating room with the moral heart transplant, moves to the courtroom and clearing the record, and then by His love and grace takes us into the living room of parental communion with himself where he gives us the name of his family and children, the status of his family, the communion with himself that we would enjoy by his Holy Spirit being part of his family, the oversight that a father gives to his children. He protects us, he pities us, he provides for us, He chastens us, he gives us this family care, and then in ...

40:54 - 41:43 Read in full sermon