Conversion of our Love

“Conversion” is the greatest experience of a human life and the only path into the Kingdom of God. And nothing about “conversion” is as noteworthy and wonderful as the “conversion of our love.” The root of the sin nature in every life is the “love of self.” This generation has fallen victim to a “self- love” that is utterly devastating. Sadly, this whole idea of “self-love” has been championed by humanists both of the secular society as well as the church world. In fact, “self-love” is the core of every main thrust of the religious movement. Our world is blinded to the end results of “self-love”, because being a born again Christian has lost its depth. Being “born again” is no longer radical but just a kind of mental decision.

The Biblical experience of “conversion” is supernatural. By the blood of Christ and by His Spirit the life of flesh is transformed into the life of spirit and literally flooded with resurrection life. The old-fashioned Methodists had some of the greatest preachers and writers on the need of “conversion.” E. Stanley Jones said, “The difficulty is that the spaceman with all of his intelligence still has the soul of a chimpanzee. He is handling vast forces with great intelligence, but he is morally and spiritually unfit to handle those forces. The spaceman has thrown away the banana and is chewing on sticks of dynamite. He may blow himself and our civilization to pieces. He needs conversion.” Every man or woman’s grandest need is “conversion.”

Jesus said, “Ye must be born again.” When asked by an intellectual Nicodemus, “How can a man be born when he is old…” Jesus answered, “…Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God . That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” (St. John 3:5-7) Apostle Paul describes conversion wonderfully. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

It is either radical and thorough, or it has not happened. The alcoholic will not need a few tapering drinks after conversion. He will be free. The drug addict or sex offender will be so utterly transformed that he will be the counselor to the counselors. Everything will be turned on its head or should I say on its feet. The twenty-first century is desperate for this message. It is our only hope of renewal in ChristÂ’s kingdom. Jesus Christ does not have a back-up program if number one fails. But number one has not failed and will not fail. ItÂ’s GodÂ’s business.

All of “self-love” without “conversion” leads to self-obsession, self-worship, and finally self-destruction. Jesus said, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” (St. Matthew 16:25) John said, quoting the Son of God, “He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.” (St. John 12:25-26)
The dynamics of the truth is the opposite of what this world thinks and purposes. We live by dying and gain by losing as long as that death and loss is in Jesus Christ alone. The supernatural of God can do nothing for us until we surrender all of self. The great revelation on which life is established is the moment self is understood as the center of death when it is alone without God. “Self-love” is the baptism of death, but self after Calvary is the picture of redemption. Life begins at Calvary.

A true conversion by the Holy Spirit is a fountain where love grows and grows until Divine love touches everything in our lives. The love of a man and his wife or a wife and her husband is mostly lust and often without any lasting emotion until they are touched by the Divine. This Biblical relationship turns to happiness and lasting oneness when the love of marriage is absorbed in personal surrender to each other. Sex without faithful love is a dead end street.

One of the greatest activities of God’s eternal Spirit is the shedding forth of love. He is omnipresent and His business is to spread the love of God in the body of Christ. Every “converted” individual comes under the transforming influences of the Spirit of God. The Roman believers were encouraged after being justified to continue praying and were told they had “Access by faith into His grace.” This entrance to the grace of God included hope and the great Apostle Paul said, “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” (Romans 5:5)
The eternal reservoir of God’s love is available to every saint of God. It is not just available, but God’s Spirit is responsible to flood it in your heart. Give up your “self-love” and receive a baptism of His love. It’s yours for the surrender of all you are to all of Him.