New Testament Conversion Essentials Explained

Essentials for N.T. Conversion: One Must Have a Teacher A lost person pleaded, saying, Come over and help us (16:9) Paul concluded the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them (16:10) Finding lost souls, they sat down and spoke (16:13-14) Later they spoke the word of the Lord to the jailer & his household (16:32) Why would any of this be necessary? If we are saved by grace alone or by a direct operation of the Holy Spirit? If the Lord could just tell us (personally or by an angel) what to do? An essential part of the saving/conversion process is the teaching/preaching! How shall they hear without a preacher? (Rom. 10:14b) Go into all the world and preach the gospel (Mark 16:15) Go and make disciples teaching them to observe (Matt. 28:19-20) If teachers don t go and teach, sinners cannot hear the gospel!

Essentials for N.T. Conversion: One Must Hear the Gospel Message Lydia kept on hearing the message being spoken (16:14) Hearing is the natural next step to teaching (Rom. 10:14) The key is what is being heard She was listening to the things spoken by Paul (Acts 16:14) She needed to hear the gospel of peace to be saved (Rom. 10:15) She needed to hear the word of God to be saved (Rom. 10:17) There is no salvation possible without the word of God (Rom. 1:16; Jas. 1:21; Eph. 1:13; 1 Cor. 15:1-2) The key is the heart that is hearing True hearing involves intent, interest and intake The heart must be receptive and open (Acts 16:14)

Essentials for N.T. Conversion: One Must Obey the Gospel Through the gospel, the Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken (16:14) The word heed involves applying oneself to what is heard and keeping it The same word heed was used in Acts 8 and explained there The multitudes heeded the things spoken by Philip (8:6) They had previously heeded things spoken by Simon (8:10-11) In heeding Philip s words, they believed Philip as he preached were baptized (8:12) The word heed is contrasted with disobedience in Hebrews 2:1-2 Preaching Christ involves commands to be obeyed (8:35-36) Salvation belongs to those who have obeyed the gospel (Rom. 10:16)

Essentials for N.T. Conversion: One Must Believe the Gospel To be saved, the jailer was told to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (16:31) This is not merely believing that Jesus is the Christ, as in a mental assent To believe on indicates a full response to the Lord Jesus Christ That is why his conversion is summarized as having believed in God (16:34) This was a comprehensive term that included the faith in his heart and all necessary faith-based responses (cf. John 3:36) Believing Jesus Christ is the Son of God is essential to salvation (John 20:30-31) True saving faith in Jesus Christ is not a faith alone, but a faith that does God s will (John 3:36; 12:42-43; Gal. 5:6; Heb. 5:8-9; Jas. 2:14-16)

Essentials for N.T. Conversion: One Must Repent of His Sins The jailer, like all other accountable persons: Had sinned (Rom. 3:23) Was responsible to repent of his sins (Acts 17:30) Could not be saved unless he repented (Luke 13:3) As evidence of his deep contrition, the jailer washed their stripes (16:33) Repentance involves a change of mind that leads to a change of action (Matt. 21:28-31) When did the jailer learn about his need to repent to be saved? When Paul spoke the word of the Lord to him (16:32) This was part of his believing on the Lord Jesus Christ

Essentials for N.T. Conversion: One Must Be Baptized to Be Saved One action of the sinner is specifically mentioned in both conversions in Acts 16 Where did Lydia and the jailer even learn about baptism? It must have been when she heard the things spoken by Paul (16:14) It must have been when Paul spoke the word of the Lord (16:32) Neither one of them made it up on their own, and certainly not both They learned about it the same place the Ethiopian did (8:35-36) Both of them were immersed (baptizo) immediately (16:15, 33) Lydia was baptized in the river before going back home The jailer was baptized the same hour of the night after hearing the gospel and immediately after repenting Only AFTER (NOT BEFORE) they were baptized did: Lydia consider herself to be judged faithful to the Lord (16:15) The jailer rejoice (16:34) Lydia and the jailer receive the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 2:38)

The Order of the Steps Is Obvious When Put Together First, there must be preaching and hearing of the gospel Second, the gospel that has been preached must be believed Third, there must be a proper response to the gospel Fourth, the heart s response to the death of Jesus is to repent of sins Fifth, the obedient heart will be baptized into Christ to be saved These steps are laid out in Acts 16 and ordered for us Salvation ONLY comes after ALL of God s steps have been followed! KEY LESSON: Circumstances surrounding conversions may differ BUT the conditions required for conversion always remain the SAME