The Conversion Of 3000

2. It is not unusual to have someone volunteer their “testimony”. • It usually begins with the degradation of one's former spiritual condition, depicting in great detail how immoral the person was. • It goes on to tell of some experience they had that caused them to "see the light" and turn to the Lord. • Typically, they will go on to tell of how their life has changed after conversion. The Conversion Of 3000

3. It is not uncommon for people to describe all kinds of different ways they were converted. • "It was just starting to break day that early Saturday morning and then it happened! The bedroom instantly became about 30% brighter. I looked for a light to be on but none was! I thought maybe the sun was now up and I had fallen asleep and had wakened hours later, but the clock said differently. No - I wasn't imagining it nor was I dreaming it. The light was real! It was of equal intensity throughout the room. An invisible presence was in my room. The reason I know so was because an indescribable love was so strong in that room that it seemed there was not enough room to contain it all! I felt like I was being shoved back by a big hand into my bed, the love was so strong. And I knew - don't ask me how I knew - I just knew that I knew that it was the presence of Jesus Christ in my room! The Conversion Of 3000

4. It is not uncommon for people to describe all kinds of different ways they were converted. • "At that moment He spoke very powerfully to me. Not audibly, I don't think, but powerfully to my inner being … The intensity of it was so strong though that it might just have well of been audible. He told me what I had to do to make my relationship work with Him. Then instantly all the anguish and pain and misery and confusion and doubt of a lifetime was sucked out of me. And all that was left was peace. Sweet beautiful peace . . . and knowing that God is real." Norm Rasmussen, precious-testimonies.com The Conversion Of 3000

5. It is not uncommon for people to describe all kinds of different ways they were converted. • "As they continued to share God’s Word, now in a whisper, I caught myself bending my ear to hear what they were saying. I told myself, Look at you, you know you want what they have. They are the only ones on the entire ship who are happy all the time, no matter what the circumstance. Moments later, I sincerely prayed for the first time in my life, "God, if you’re real, do to me what you've done to them." The Peace of God overwhelmed me as I sensed something like oil flow from my head down to my feet, making me feel clean, white as snow for the first time in my life and I began to weep. This was MY moment, when God opened my eyes and the mystery of Christ was revealed even to me." Michael Butler, precious-testimonies.com The Conversion Of 3000

6. It is not uncommon for people to describe all kinds of different ways they were converted. • "With every area of my life feeling ruined, I prayed an extra prayer that night because I didn't know what else to do. I prayed a prayer of desperation: "God please help me. You just have to help me. I can't take this stress anymore. Everything always turns out so horrible and I have no hope left." The very second I finished my pleading prayer, these words came into my mind: "I will take the spirit of trouble from you, but you must put me first in your life." I wasn't sure who said these words to me until a wave of peace swept over my body and completely delivered me from the stress that had been consuming me! Then immediately after that, I felt love, pure love, come pouring into my soul! In that second, I knew it was Jesus! He had heard my desperate prayer and He was answering it!" Lori MacGregor, precious-testimonies.com The Conversion Of 3000

7. It is not uncommon for people to describe all kinds of different ways they were converted. • "I prayed to God for him to show himself to me, but really didn't expect a response. Then I looked out of my bedroom window and saw Jesus in the sky. I was filled with the most amazing feelings of love and comfort I've ever experienced." Chris Okube, precious-testimonies.com The Conversion Of 3000

8. It is not uncommon for people to describe all kinds of different ways they were converted. • An invisible presence. • Something like an anointing with oil. • Divine inspiration. • An appearance of Jesus. The Conversion Of 3000

9. While such claims are portrayed as testimony, they are nothing of the kind. • These claims are supposition at best. • There is no evidence to support them. • Everything is subjective and unsubstantiated. • Such claims would never be admissible in a court of law! The Conversion Of 3000

10. There are many accounts of conversion given in the New Testament. • In the New Testament is the record of people instructed and directed in what they did by men receiving instruction from the Holy Spirit. • The record itself is the work of a man inspired by the Holy Spirit. • In which should you place your confidence and seek to learn and imitate? The Conversion Of 3000

11. The conversion of 3000 in context. • The reception of the Holy Spirit by the apostles and the reaction of the people (Acts 2:1-13) • Peter responds to the accusations and preaches to them concerning the Christ (Acts 2:14-36) • An explanation of the events (2:14-21). • The heart of his sermon: the resurrection of Christ from the dead (2:22-36) • They had crucified the Messiah but God had raised Him (22-24) • David had prophesied of this resurrection (vs. 25-31). • Jesus is now exalted as Lord and Christ (vs. 32-36). The Conversion Of 3000

12. The response and conversion of some to the preaching of the resurrected Christ (Acts 2:37-41) • Upon hearing the evidence of the resurrection, those who were persuaded asked what they needed to do (2:37). • Peter commanded repentance and baptism for the remission of their sins 2:38). • Repentance is an act of the will––a change of mind (Matt. 21:28–29). • Baptism is an act of obedient faith that seeks to accomplish the release and removal of the guilt of sin (Acts 22:16, 1 Pet. 3:21) The Conversion Of 3000

13. What we learn from the conversion of 3000. • We learn what they heard to be converted: the truth, the gospel. • We learn how their conversion was accomplished: having believed the facts of the Gospel, they repented of their sins and were baptized in order to receive the remission of those sins (Acts 2:41). • This is a case of conversion stamped with the approval of God(Acts 2:47). The Conversion Of 3000

14. Answering objections to scriptural conversion. • Some insist that one is saved prior to baptism and that baptism is simply a Christian duty; their argument is that baptism is not essential to salvation, but it is essential to obedience. • “Should all believers be baptized? Yes, we believe it is the duty of every believer to submit to baptism, not as a matter of salvation, but as a matter of obedience.” (Answers To Bible Questions, Dr. M.R. DeHann) • However, the Bible plainly teaches that which is essential to obedience is also essential to salvation (Heb. 5:9). The Conversion Of 3000

15. Answering objections to scriptural conversion. • Some insist that the word which is translated “for” in Acts 2:38 should be translated “because of”, so that baptism would then be “because of” the remission of sins: i.e., be baptized because your sins have already been forgiven. • “For” (as used in Acts 2:38 “for the forgiveness …”) could have two meanings. If you saw a poster saying “Jesse James wanted for robbery”, “for” could mean Jesse is wanted so he can commit a robbery, or is wanted because he has committed a robbery. The later sense is the correct one.” (Strong) The Conversion Of 3000

16. Answering objections to scriptural conversion. • Some insist that the word which is translated “for” in Acts 2:38 should be translated “because of”, so that baptism would then be “because of” the remission of sins: i.e., be baptized because your sins have already been forgiven. • However, notice Matthew 26:28 and the statement of Jesus that “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” • In both cases the preposition (and the phrase “for the remission of sins”) is the same! The Conversion Of 3000

17. Which will you believe? • Will you believe the record of the New Testament given by inspired men concerning what was actually said and done that resulted in the conversion of three thousand? • Or will you believe the subjective testimonies of those who must struggle to explain away the plain words of scripture and the plain commandments of Christ? • You can be saved just like the 3,000 on the day of Pentecost. The Conversion Of 3000