Good Morning Sunshine! Is Your Conversion For Convenience or For True Transformation?

Matthew 7:21 ~ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 ~ “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

In this fast-paced, performance-driven world, it’s tempting to approach faith as a “transaction” rather than “transformation”, a convenient way to gain favor with others and with God. Yet Jesus is reminding you that a verbal profession of faith or outward religious acts are not enough to save and sustain you!

This is the last Monday in 2024, God has seen you through 52 of them and as you prepare to transition from 2024 – 2025, I want you to think about this, is your relationship with God built on a true conversion or was it just for convenience? A “conversion of convenience” refers to adopting a religion for personal gain temporarily rather than genuine belief and surrender. True convenience involves changing one’s faith to gain social acceptance, political advantage, or other benefits and true Conversion, involves you submitting and surrendering everything about you to get and be closer to God!

Have you ever considered why you follow Christ? Is it out of genuine faith and love for Him, or are there moments when your faith seems to serve a purpose of convenience? Perhaps it is to blend in with a group, seek favor, or avoid hardships. This kind conversion lacks the depth and authenticity that God desires. Jesus warned you about having a superficial profession of faith. He explained that not everyone who calls Him “Lord” is truly a follower of His. Instead, genuine faith is revealed by having and a transformed life, one that seeks and aligns with God’s Will, even when it’s difficult.

And 2 Corinthians 5:17 is to remind you that true conversion is not merely a label but a transformation. When you come to Jesus Christ, it’s not about convenience; it’s about being remade in His image and living a life that reflects His love, holiness, and purpose. True conversion is true transformation, and it involves true repentance and faith! The Bible emphasizes that genuine conversion leads to becoming a “new creation” in Christ, as stated in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” You think and act differently when you have been transformed by the Master!

True transformation is not just about outward changes but involves an inner change that overflows to the outside! It’s about God’s Grace, Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, [9] not of works, lest anyone should boast.” This highlights that salvation is a gift from God and not a result of personal effort. You cannot buy this or earn this by doing or being someone outside of who God called you to be.

Apostle Paul’s conversion illustrates what a profound change really looks like. For he use to be a fervent persecutor of Christians, but then he had a Damascus Road encounter and met Jesus Christ and lead to his total and complete transformation that changed his way of thinking and his way of living. His experience underscores what a true conversion looks like, it’s a reflection of a genuine encounter with God, leading to a life dedicated in His service.

Authentic conversion produces a deep and visible change in your heart, one that mirrors the life of Jesus Christ. True transformation is not just about adopting Christian practices for appearance; it’s a life marked by genuine repentance, surrender, and love for God. Keep this scripture ever before you, Galatians 2:20 that our old self must “die,” making room for Christ to live in and through you. This means giving up selfish motives and personal ambitions that seek only convenience and allowing the Holy Spirit to work in your life.

As a Christian you are called to pursue holiness and live out your faith daily. This transformation is not a one-time event but an ongoing process of sanctification, where the Spirit molds you to reflect Jesus Christ’s character and Paul reinforces this in Romans 12:2, urging believers not to conform to the world’s patterns but to let their minds and hearts be renewed by God’s truth. Remember that when you want to have a true conversion with God it will be divinely inspired by a change of heart, resulting in a renewed relationship with God and a transformed life and nothing is fake about that! Conversion brings the truth out and it will be seen by God, you and others!

Let’s Pray:
Thank You Father! Father help me to examine my heart and motives, for I want my faith to be real, not based on convenience, but rooted in my genuine relationship with You. Transform me and lead me in Your Word and Ways, even when they require sacrifice. Father, help me to not only be a hearer of Your Word, but a doer of Your Word, James 1:22 – “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” Father, make me a new creation, wholly and committed to You. Father, thank You for calling me, please forgive me when I have approached You with selfish motives or treated my relationship with You as a convenience and not a priority! Father, fill me with Your Spirit, renew my heart and mind, and help me to live as new creations in Christ Jesus. May my life Glorify You in every thought, word, and deed that I do. In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Blessings…
Love, Minister Jean