[Darris McNeely] Well-meaning people might well ask, “What does it mean to be converted? How do I become converted?” As you study the Bible, as you realize that perhaps your life is not quite in line with the teachings of Scripture – how do I change? That’s what conversion really means. It’s another word for making a change in your life. Difficult to do, but incredibly important in order to understand a relationship with God.

First of all, it is important to recognize that we have committed sins. Now, sin is described in the Bible as the transgression of God’s law. But the first step in this process of conversion is to recognize that we have committed sin – we have transgressed God’s laws and we need to change. We need to turn around.

Secondly, we must understand that we have a nature to sin. It is not within us naturally to want to obey God – again, a very cardinal teaching of Scripture. We have to be brought by process to a point where we desire to make these changes, repent of sin, from the nature that we have – that strong desire to seek God is very, very important. And frankly, if it’s working in your life right now and you’re beginning to see that, it may very well be that what Jesus Christ described in John 6:44 is happening in your life. In John 6:44, Christ said, “No man can come to Me except the Father which has sent Me draw him; and I will raise him up at the last day.” It’s a powerful scripture, powerful understanding. “No man can come to Me except the Father which has sent Me draw him.”

If you’re beginning to ask questions about what is conversion? What does all this mean in my life? What do I need to repent of and how do I need to change from actions in my life that transgress God’s law?, it could very well be that God is beginning to draw you to a relationship with Him and to His Son, Jesus Christ. And that is a step in the process of conversion. There are other steps that have to be taken – critically important is the process of baptism and coming to a point where we completely gives ourselves and our lives to God, and then receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. And then after baptism, there is a process and a life of change and growth and development. All of this is what is meant by the idea of conversion, or changing, or growing spiritually in a relationship with God, growing in grace and in knowledge.

It’s a big subject. It’s an important one. But if the question is even beginning to work in your mind, it could very well be that God is beginning to work in your life, and it’s important that you respond properly to that call. Let me give you a bit of another step to take in that process. We don’t often talk about this on Beyond Today, certainly not on our Dailys. But we have a 12-lesson Bible study program, free of charge, available to you. You can go one our beyondtoday.tv website and find the “Bible Study Course”. Just type that into the search bar there, and it’ll take you to a 12-lesson Bible study program  that can walk you through all of the scriptures, at a process to begin to help you to understand the answer to this question and to make the changes in your life that lead to eternal life.

That’s BT Daily. Join us next time.