A vast number of people who are members of churches today are not fully converted. Conversion has been thought to be the mere knowledge of God without total surrender to Christ, as they once did to their old tyrant lusts.

Peter the disciple was a solid believer and follower of Christ. At least that was what he thought. He must have been perplexed by Christ’s statement, disappointed even;

Luke 22:31 “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat 32. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”

I can imagine the thoughts racing in his head: I am a disciple, a follower of Christ, Satan should find me very distasteful yet Christ says Satan has desired me, how so? I’m a staunch, firm, and true Christian. Where will Satan find me to sift me like wheat?

My faith fails not. Does he even know me? Or who I have been walking with for the last three years? But hold on, did Christ just say “when thou art converted”?What exactly is that supposed to mean? Am I a heathen? Am I not the most converted Jew on this side of River Jordan? I mean, I have been walking with Christ for as long as I can remember.I can imagine all the thoughts running through Peter’s head. It must have been confusing, and maybe even you are confused.

Christ had not lost it. Peter was not yet converted, despite breathing the same air as Christ. The freshest evidence of his unconversion was his participation in that argument a few verses earlier on who should be the greatest. The driving force behind this exchange of words was the disciples’ understanding that Christ was soon overthrowing the Romans and setting up a literal kingdom in which Israel would reign supreme over the whole world. They were vying for ‘cabinet’ positions in the new government. Of course, they were all wrong, but Peter needed special attention. Not only was he wrong but he was also confident that he was very right.

Are you converted?

Peter thought he was converted. Theoretically, he was; walking and listening to Christ Himself talking, preaching, and healing for three and a half years. We definitely can’t match that. Yet when it came to separating the wheat from the chaff, he was found wanting. He denied Christ all three times.

Perhaps it came as a surprise to him, but it shouldn’t really be a shock to us. Believing every word Christ says is good, but it does not mean you are converted. Being a bible scholar is impressive, but it does not mean you are converted. Performing miracles does not mean you are converted either. Balaam is proof. Saul is also in that department. The guy even prophesied to a prophet (1 Samuel 19).

It is more powerful to save a soul than to work a miracle. True conversion involves taking God at His word, and surrender of your will to His direction. Christ’s sole desire was to do the will of His Father. John 6:38: For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

All that power, all that freedom. He could have done anything: gone on sunny holidays, covered Himself in gold, toyed around with the Pharisees. But He never lost sight of His work. Peter would never have been a successful leader in the church if he was still focused on pursuing personal ambitions. What would he gain from it anyway?

When he was converted, he stopped asking that annoying question: “What’s in it for me?” When he decided to serve God wholeheartedly, he got even more reward than he expected, including a boldness that he previously lacked that made him deny Christ.

God’s will first.

Doing God’s will is what elevates people to levels of life they would never have reached on their own. David said; “I was young, and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor his sons beg for bread.”

A Christian who truly is converted will not see it a waste of time to do God’s work. Yes, he or she will still go about his or her earthly duties (they are still important anyway), but they will not take precedence over God’s will.

David and Moses took care of God’s creation-sheep- (the four-legged bundles of stubbornness, not symbolical churchgoers) and He made them leaders of note in Israel.

Unbelievers have inquired, “Why are not miracles wrought among those who claim to be God’s people?” Brethren, the greatest miracle that can be wrought is the conversion of the human heart. We need to be reconverted, losing sight of self and human ideas, and beholding Christ, that we may be transformed into His likeness. When this the greatest of all miracles is wrought within our hearts, we shall see the workings of other miracles. 4MR 113.1

Conclusion.

God cannot work through us while we are unconverted. It would spoil us; for we would take it as evidence that we were perfect before Him. Our first work is to become perfect in His sight; claiming His promise of forgiveness by living faith.

Those who see Christ by living faith, those who abide in Him, will have the power to work miracles for His glory.

References

Manuscript 169, 1902, 14. (“The Work of the St. Helena Sanitarium,” July 14, 1902.