In an introduction to the book Divine Energy written by John Skepp, John Gill wrote the following words:
The subject matter of this treatise, which is the only one he ever published, is of the greatest moment and importance, viz. the Conversion of man; without which he must be miserable, and which he cannot effect of himself, and must be done only by the invincible power and efficacious grace of God; as is clearly held forth in the Scriptures, and fully proved in the following discourses. Nothing is more common than to mistake in this great affair, and nothing more fatal; the mistakes about conversion and faith…The insufficiency of moral suasion to produce these things is most clearly proved; the nature, use, reach, and compass of it are truly stated; and by undeniable arguments and instances it is shewn that there are such lets and hindrances in the way of a sinner’s conversion to God and faith in Christ, as that it is impossible and impracticable for moral suasion ever to remove them; and which only can be done by the power and efficacy of Divine Grace…it is most clearly demonstrated that Man is passive in the reception of the Spirit as a spirit of conviction and saving grace, in regeneration, as effected by him, in a soul’s vital union to Christ, and in the first beginnings of spiritual motions of grace.
In Gill’s Body of Doctrinal and Practical Divinity he speaks directly to the teaching of Scripture on conversion himself. He gives a short list of some that conversion is not:
1. An external one, or what lies only in an outward reformation of live and manners, such as that of the Ninevites; for this may be where internal conversion is not, as in the Scribes and Pharisees; and is what person may depart from, and return to their former course of life again; and where it is right and genuine, it is the fruit and effect of conversion, but not that itself,-2. Nor is it a mere doctrinal one, or a conversion from false notions imbibed, to a set of doctrines and truths which are according to the Scriptures; so men of old were converted from Judaism and Heathenism to Christianity; but not all that were so converted in a doctrinal sense, were true and real converts; some had the form of godliness without the power of it, had a name to live, and be called Christians, but were dead, and so not converted; thus the recovery of professors of religion from errors fallen into; to the acknowledgment of the truth, is called a conversion of them, James 5:19, 20…But the conversion under consideration is a true, real, internal work of God upon the souls of men; there is a counterfeit of it, or there is that in some men who are not really converted, which is somewhat similar to that which is always found in those that are truly converted; as, a sense of sin, and an acknowledgment of it; an apprehension of the divine displeasure at it; great distress about it, a sorrow for it, humiliation on account of it, and an abstinence from it; and something that bears a resemblance to each of these may be found in unconverted persons; though their concern about sin is chiefly for the evil that comes by it, or like to come by it, and not for the evil that is in it; so in converted persons there is, sooner or later, light into the gospel and doctrines of it; particularly the doctrine of salvation by Christ, which yield relief and comfort to them under a sense of sin, and encourage faith and hope in God; and there is something like this to be observed in some who are not truly converted, who are said to be enlightened, that is, in a notional and doctrinal way; and to taste the good work of God, though it is only in a superficial manner; and to receive it with joy, with a flash of natural affection, which lasts for a while; and to believe it with temporary faith, historically, and become subject to ordinances; but yet in all this there is no heart-work.
There is a massive amount of truth to be mined from these statements of John Gill. His writings, if heeded, would provide a necessary correction to much that goes on within so-called Evangelical Christianity and that includes much of Reformed thinking as well. It is easy to pray a prayer and to make a moral change of sorts and be considered a believer or a Christian today. It is easy to have the intellectual beliefs of Christianity and then of Reformed theology and be considered a Christian. The human heart is easily deceived as long as the deception falls in line with the ruling and governing love of the self. The devil is the deceiver by nature who is also a liar by nature and so lies and deceives on a constant basis. Revelation 12:9 calls him “the great dragon” and “the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world.” He works hard at deceiving human souls about conversion since in conversion the glory of God (which Satan hates) shines with great beauty.
Gill instructs us, from the first quote above, that “Nothing is more common than to mistake in this great affair, and nothing more fatal; the mistakes about conversion and faith.” A doctor may make a mistake and a person may die, but a mistake about conversion is eternal damnation. One mistake is that moral persuasion will do what is needed. Surely they are converted if they are doing good things. Yet, Gill says, “nothing is more common to mistake.” Has human nature changed? Has the devil changed? If not, we are still liable to this mistake. Yet to say we are still liable to this mistake is weak. Our very nature of sin, pride, and self-love drives us to this mistake with great force. The devil is hard at work in each person and those around them to get them to make that mistake. The world is hard at work to convince itself and others to make this mistake. The religions of the world are busy trying to get people to make this mistake. Much of professing Christianity is busily working at deceiving themselves and others about this mistake. Yet, as Martin Luther wrote, “one little word shall fell him.” Jesus said this in Matthew 18:3: “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Gill points out that true conversion is not merely a doctrinal one, but it is an internal conversion that is needed. Here is a source of great error in academia, both in the secular and theological realms. We think that if a person goes to seminary and learns many academic things that s/he must be converted. Perhaps we think that if a person has latched onto or believes to some degree the great teachings of the Reformers in history that this person must be converted. A conversion of the mind or of the notions does not necessarily mean that the heart has been converted. We see throughout the Gospels people that were convinced of something concerning Jesus when they saw His miracles. In other words, they were intellectually convinced in some manner. But when the teachings of Jesus began to demand of them that they deny themselves and follow Him, they would turn away. When a person is not truly converted to Christ that person will turn from Christ when a true denial of the self is required. If the heart is not turned from self, Christ will be turned from when turning from self is required. Though self may claim Christ as master and deceive self into believing that, we can only have on and true master (Mat 6:24).
There is nothing about truth in the brain that changes hearts of human beings. Truth in the brain is not a sign that the truth has changed the heart. It is possible to hear lectures that are quite orthodox while the lecturer is actually dead in sins and trespasses. It is also possible to hear orthodox sermons and agree with them but hear them while one is dead in sins and trespasses. The truth is but a mere word in a sense unless it is made powerful in the hands of the Holy Spirit. Unless the Spirit makes the soul alive with the truth the truth is but a propositional statement in the brain of one that is dead in sins and trespasses. Only God Himself can deliver a soul from its pride and self-centeredness. If the soul is not delivered from its pride and self-centeredness it will use truth to puff itself up and focus on itself with. As Paul teaches us, “Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies” (I Cor 8:1). It is not our knowledge that changes the soul, but it is God knowing us that changes the soul and then knowing Him is eternal life in the soul (I Cor 8:3; John 17:3; I John 5:20). True knowledge of God which comes in the spiritual knowledge of Him and love for Him only comes from His work in us in giving us light and love of Himself.
Gill shows us that many will have sorrow for sin, but not for the evil of sin and not because it is wrongs God Himself, but only because of the consequences that it brings on them. This is much like a criminal that is sorry that he was caught and sorry that he has to pay, but he is not sorry for the evil of sin itself. The soul that has been changed by God has sorrow over the evil of sin as it is against God (Psa 51:4). Then in a statement that indicts virtually the whole of Evangelical Christianity today, Gill speaks of those that have some notion of Christ and have a taste of the Gospel but only in a superficial manner. They even receive it with joy, though it is only a flash of the natural affections. These people have some relief from the conviction of sin and exercise something of a historical faith. They even practice the ordinances of God, yet their hearts are not changed. Here is the great danger of modern versions of Christianity. We teach people to agree that they are sinners or have made some mistakes and then to pray a prayer, yet there is nothing about a true change of heart worked in them by God. We teach people to believe certain doctrines, yet they are not taught of God about the nature of a changed heart. We teach people a certain form of morality, yet they don’t learn the true morality of love that comes from a changed heart. We teach people spiritual disciplines, yet they practice them without a heart that has been renewed by the living God. The whole inward person must be changed according to Jesus or the person will perish. We must get beyond the externals and realize that people must have this work of God in the heart or they will perish forever. Salvation is not just to be delivered from hell; it is to be delivered from self. Salvation is not just to become better; it is to become a new creature in Christ Jesus (II Cor 5:17) with old things passed away. That is God’s work in the soul.
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