In this lecture, you’ll learn what Jesus and the book of Acts have to say about conversion. From Jesus, we will examine his parable of the Sower with special focus on the good soil–those who hear the message, understand it, accept it, hold it fast, and bear fruit. Next we’ll work through all of the conversions in the book of Acts to discover the four elements of conversion: belief, repentance, baptism, and receiving the holy spirit. Lastly, we’ll dig deeper into each of those elements to understand them better.
—— Notes ——
Jesus on Salvation
comparison of soils in Sower and Seed parable
Mt 13.23; Mk 4.20; Lk 8.15
hear, understand, accept, hold fast, bear fruit
Four Elements of Conversion in Acts
These examples of conversion from Acts that show 4 elements of conversion:
- believe
- repent
- get baptized
- receive the spirit
reference
belief
repentance
baptism
spirit
Acts 2.38
x
x
x
Acts 3.19
x
Acts 8.12, 17
x
x
x
Acts 8.13
x
x
Acts 8.36
x
Acts 9.17; 22.16
x
x
Acts 10.44, 47-48
x
x
Acts 11.21
x
Acts 13.12
x
Acts 13.48
x
Acts 14.1
x
Acts 16.15
x
Acts 16.31, 33
x
x
Acts 17.30, 34
x
x
Acts 18.8
x
x
Acts 19.5-6
x
x
Acts 28.24
x
Believe the Gospel
what is the gospel?
- message preached, that if believed results in salvation
- 2 Tim 1.10
what the gospel is not
- music
- a biography of Jesus (originally called “according to Mark”, etc.)
- any kind of good news
- a general communication about the bible (confusion of the “word”)
Understanding the “Word”
Old Testament
- God’s activity in the world
- “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host” (Ps 33.6)
- “he sent his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions” Ps 107.20; cf. Ps 147.15, 18-19; Is 55.10-11
- “The three (spirit, wisdom, and word) are simply alternative ways of speaking about the effective power of God in His active relationship with His world and its inhabitants.”[1]
- God’s message spoken by the prophet
- “And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite saying, ‘Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son’s days I will bring disaster upon his house.’” 1 Kings 21.28-29
- a synonym for the law
- “I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. 17 Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live and keep your word.” Psalm 119.16-17
New Testament
- God’s command in the law
- “thus making void the word of God by your tradition…” Mk 7.13
- typically it refers to the message or gospel
- “word of the kingdom” Mt 13.19 (shortened to “the word” in vv20, 21, 22, 23)
- the word (v4) = Christ (v5) = the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ (v12) = word of God (v14) = word of the Lord (v25) = the gospel (v25) Acts 8.4, 5, 12, 14, 25
- can’t be scriptures b/c in Berea they checked Paul’s word against the scriptures to see if was true Ac 17.11
- born again through the living and enduring word of God…this is the word which was preached as gospel to you 1 Pe 1.23
- God’s activity in the word to search people’s hearts and find out the truth
- “11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 For the word of Go
