What Is True Conversion?

Basics of the Reformed Faith

by Stephen Smallman

With his personal and warm style, Stephen Smallman explains the roles of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit in conversion.

For many people who have been converted to Christ, they are "profoundly aware that something spiritual has happened, but just what that "something" is, is still unclear."

Whether you are a new convert or have been a believing Christian for some time, this booklet will be a help to bring you to a place of trusting yourself into the care of the Savior.

Genres: Theology

32 pages, Paperback

First published February 28, 2005

About the author

Stephen Smallman has served for over forty years in pastoral ministry and was the executive director of World Harvest Mission (now Serge). He currently teaches for CityNet Ministries of Philadelphia and is an assistant pastor of New Life Presbyterian Church in Glenside, Pennsylvania.

Reviews

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in connection with Smallman's How Our Children Come to Faith

Introduction
5: Jesus healed a blind man who essentially told friends, "Please don't ask me to explain everything; all I can tell you is this—I once was blind but now I see" (John 9:13–25); people can be truly converted without understanding exactly what happened, although we should try to understand what we can
6: Smallman mainly addresses new converts, but the book is helpful for those who have been believers for a long time but maybe have never thought about how God brought them to faith; understanding this process can be a source of joy and encouragement; the booklet's organization is around the work of the Trinity (Spirit, Son, Father)
6–7: "the Spirit . . . leads us to faith in the Son, which gives us insight into the depths of the love of the Father"; Smallman writes from a Reformed perspective
8: Archibald Alexander: spectacular conversion testimonies should not be the template we expect from everyone
8–10: Smallman had an emotional conversion experience; he knew that he had no power to change himself (see p. 11)
10: everyone ought to be able to tell his salvation story, whether it's dramatic or not

Called by the Holy Spirit
12: Smallman studied Louis Berkhof's Systematic Theology and learned about "effectual calling" (the Holy Spirit opens our hearts and gives us the desire to come); "When God calls, we come!" (1 John 4:7–19)
13: "the sanctifying work of the Spirit" (2 Thess. 2:13–14; 1 Peter 1:1–2) is his setting us apart for a work of God (we get a receptive heart, and ears ready to hear)
13–14: ordination required memorizing parts of the Westminster Shorter Catechism; effectual calling is Q31; the discipline of memorization leads to thoughtful attention
15: regeneration is being born again, and the Spirit does this (John 3:5–7); "We are not able to cause our second birth any more than we caused our first birth"; see 31n3: Eph. 2:8—faith itself is a gift
16: Paul often speaks of being called by God (image: resurrection from the dead)
17: regeneration = effectual calling; we start understanding conversion when we recognize that the Spirit regenerates; reference to Francis Thompson's "The Hound of Heaven"; regeneration is God's work, and conversion is the human response

Conversion—Embracing Jesus Christ
18: we cannot use an emotional religious experience to determine whether or not someone has been converted (people turn to God in a variety of ways); "True conversion is embracing Jesus Christ as he is freely offered to us in the gospel" (WSC); it's often a quiet, childlike embrace that grows over time; true conversion is evidenced by "a heartfelt loyalty and trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior"
19: gospel = good news (God has kept his promise in sending Jesus as savior)
20: someone can be spiritually alive, but not yet converted
21: the Spirit often takes time before people embrace Jesus; repentance is turning from sin to Jesus; faith comes first, then repentance; reference to Calvin
22: the fact that we look back and recognize how little we understood at the time of our conversion is a sign that we have grown spiritually; pastors should record a variety of conversion stories—we better appreciate our patient God who meets us in different places
23: Heidelberg Catechism, Q1; true conversion includes a public element (it could be believer's baptism)
24: infant baptism is also appropriate (see Acts 2, where Peter says that believers claim God's promises for their children; see 32n10 for more on infant baptism); conversion stories of children of believers will probably not be gradual, not dramatic

Loved by God the Father
25: true conversion isn't the end—we live out our conversion by growing in our appreciation of God as our Father
26: Ephesians 1 is a doxology (song of praise) to God the Father
27: we are joint-heirs (with Christ) to the Father's blessings (32n13 is interesting: the attempt to be gender-inclusive potentially misses an aspect of heirship); see 32n11: "when a believer begins with a reflection of the Spirit's work in his own life, then the mysterious idea of chosenness is not as difficult
28: God is described as a Father in the OT, but He's not addressed as a Father until Jesus comes in the NT; J. I. Packer on the importance of adoption (continuing relationship)
29: the Lord's Supper is an expression of fellowship; the local church is meant to help people grow in the faith (it can't happen without that community)

[Jimmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Pastor I regularly keep my eye out not only for large academic work but also smaller practical booklets for a lay audience that would be beneficial for discipleship and biblical counseling. I picked up this booklet, What is True Conversion? with that in mind and I used it as a tool for my pastoral care with those who attend our church that I wanted to discuss assurance of salvation with. I also used this booklet as something I read along with one of the special needs attendee in our church in which we read through each section very slowly and discussed it together. The following are my thoughts of the book.


This booklet consists of four sections. The first section is the introduction which include a discussion of how best to use this book in which the author Stephen Smallman recommended using it in small groups and using this booklet ideally in four weeks for study and discussion (7). Since Smallman is conscious about having this book as a tool for small group discussions he has each section end with a “Review” that features questions for discussion. I really enjoyed that. The introduction also featured the author sharing his personal testimony of his conversion of how he came to know the Lord. He shares his testimony as a catalyst for a small group discussion where readers share one’s early stages of one’s spiritual journey and/or individual reflection of one’s need for salvation. Again I really appreciated the review following the end of each section especially with the introduction. After sharing his testimony the author also puts one’s testimony in biblical perspective that even if one’s conversion story is or is not dramatic, it is still the testimony of God’s saving grace in your life; but the author also balanced that out with the point that we should not be transfixed only with our conversion experience but we must strive to grow in our faith and get a bigger and biblical picture of what conversion is about. The following three sections is organized along the Person of the Trinity with what each Member contribute in a Christian salvation process beginning with the Holy Spirit, the Son and the Father.

Though the booklet might be short do not judge it by its size; incredibly the author was able to pack a lot of important biblical doctrines concerning the Gospel and salvation ranging from the doctrine of effectual calling, regeneration and adoption. Smallman quotes Scripture to prove these doctrines are true and also various Reformed historical confessions and documents that help explain these truths. Although I misjudged this book was on assurance of salvation because of the title mentioning “true conversion,” nevertheless I thought this book overall was helpful in explaining the Triune work of God behind our conversion.

[Meg Templeton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short booklet that packs a punch! Finally bit the bullet and finished it. The insightful questions have given me so much to think about as well as just be grateful for how God has pursued me and continues to sanctify me.

[Josiah Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short and helpful overview of conversion. Smallman walks through the Ordo Salutis and what to expect from a true Christian upons conversion.

[Mark A Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last century-and-a-half saw the rise of a “decision-making” movement that supplanted the more biblical mode and method of conversion. Smallman seeks to reclaim some of the lost ground by showing how conversion (often a long-term process) is the work of the Holy Spirit upon a person’s life. Furthermore, he argues that true conversion won’t stay focused on a one-time experience, nor seek to coerce others into one, but will grow as faith in Christ does.

[Luketure · Rating 4 out of 5]

Making a few small distinctions between what the Triune God does, and what is our response, as well as separating out the work of the Holy Spirit to prepare, the actual embracing of Jesus Christ as presented in the Gospel, and the work of the Father to not just justify us, but to adopt us and continue relationship as sons and daughters. Focus on faith, repentance, the term "conversion," etc. Emphasis on a slower, more thoughtful process and subsequent testimony of the process.

[Wade · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book about what it looks like to truly convert and turn to Christ. Very clear, straight-forward and easy to understand.

[Dan Glover · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good brief intro to what conversion is and the roles of the three persons of the trinity in it.