In the two previous newsletter articles we looked at the agent of conversion and then the only reason for conversion. The agent of conversion is the Holy Spirit and the reason for conversion is grace. It is the Holy Spirit that works in the soul to convert it from its sinful and fleshly nature to a spiritual and holy nature. The Holy Spirit will only work for holy purposes and goals. The only reason that the Holy Spirit would have in converting sinners is the praise of the glory of His grace (Eph 1:5-6). The only primary reason that could move God is Himself and so the reason for conversion is the grace of God. In this article we will look at the means of conversion.
What are men supposed to do in order for themselves and others to be converted? We see and hear of all kinds of shenanigans and entertainment venues that people offer in order to do what they call evangelism. However, if we remember that the only agent of conversion is the Holy Spirit and that the only reason for conversion is grace, these things must have a determining factor upon our methods of evangelism. An evangelism that does not take those two things seriously will always be an evangelism that is not in accordance with Scripture and the character of God. We are not to do evangelism just to talk people into things, but they are to be truly converted by the Holy Spirit. There is nothing they can do to move the Holy Spirit into converting them, but instead they must begin to see themselves as those who need the grace of God alone.
Since the Holy Spirit is the agent of conversion because He alone can do the work of converting the soul and not the human soul that needs conversion, the unconverted person must give up trying to convert him or herself. This type of person must be turned from pride and begin to see and experience the work of the Spirit upon and in him or her. Since the Holy Spirit only operates according to grace, this person must be turned from his or her pride in order to see self according to Scripture. But even then the Spirit must work this conviction of sin in the soul. That is part of the work of the Holy Spirit in converting a soul (John 16:8). It is only when a person sees the nature of pride and self that a person will see the need of a perfect grace to save it. The soul must become something like Isaiah in Isaiah 6:5 when he began to see himself as utterly undone because of his sin. Why is that? Until a soul sees that it will never understand the utter need for it to give up all of its own efforts to look to grace alone. Until a soul sees that it will not look away from its own merit and worth and so look to grace alone.
The methods of Scripture are hard for people to hear. I Timothy 4:16 gives us a method that we don’t like in our day: “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.” The word for “teaching” is didaskali,a (didaskalia). The word that the NAS translates as “teaching” is the same word translated as “doctrine” in several passages from the Pastoral Epistles. That includes one from the very context of I Timothy 4:16 itself.
1 Timothy 4:6 In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.
1 Timothy 6:1 All who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor so that the name of God and our doctrine will not be spoken against. 3 If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness,
2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,
Titus 1:9 holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.
Titus 2:1 But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine.
Titus 2:7 in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified,
10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.
What the Bible teaches about the salvation of people is that the preachers of the word are to pay close attention to themselves and to their teaching (content of) which includes the doctrine of it. Here is a good quote that points to what is needed and yet is so neglected in our day:
In the oft-cited words of the puritan Thomas Goodwin: “God has only one Son, and he made him to be a preacher!” Goodwin’s point was to emphasise the nobility of a preacher’s calling. In days when preaching is devalued and, in some quarters, despised, the reminder that our Lord was a preacher is timely and reassuring. In these days, we need all the reassurance about the value of preaching that we can get. (Preaching: The Man, The Message, The Method)
True preaching is despised in our day. This is seen in one sense by just how little preaching there is. Sure there are many people delivering words and some even with the Bible open. But there is a massive difference between talking in a religious or moral way and true preaching. I have heard many do what is known as expository preaching and it was little more than a running commentary on a text of Scripture. It is easy to give a man-centered message about how we are to do something for God or to be better. But a preacher of the words of God is one that must declare the truth of God. He must declare the truth of who God is and of who man is. A preacher is one who preaches in order to establish the kingdom of God in the souls of men (Cotton Mather). A preacher is one that is to declare the truths of God to people who are to receive the truth of God and submit to Him.
But why is this even brought up in this particular series on conversion? It is because of its relation to the agent of conversion and the reason for conversion. When salvation is thought to be nothing more than an intellectual belief and an act of a free will, then the preaching that results is directed to convince people of intellectual information or to get them to make a choice or pray a prayer. But the preaching that realizes that the Holy Spirit must actually convert a person and make that person a new person in Christ will preach the truth of God and strive for people to be utterly dependant on the grace of God for conversion.
This is one reason why true doctrine is so important in preaching. The truth of who God is and the truth of the depravity and inability of man are important teachings that need to be preached over and over again. The truth of conversion by the work of the Holy Spirit must be taught over and over. The truth of the reason for salvation as being grace and grace alone must be demonstrated and stressed on a constant basis. By definition proud and self-centered hearts will shut their ears and refuse to hear the truth about God and themselves. Preachers must never get away from preaching and teaching sound doctrine. Yet doctrine can also be taught in a way that people think they have it if only they can grasp the information with the intellect. The doctrine must be taught in a way that gets to the deepest levels of the soul.
We read what the apostle thought was important in Acts 6:4 and its context: “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” When they were encouraged to get involved in an important ministry, they declined in order to be given to prayer and the ministry of the word.” Jeremiah 23:22 gives us another reason for this: “But if they had stood in My council, Then they would have announced My words to My people, And would have turned them back from their evil way And from the evil of their deeds.” Preaching doctrine is utterly vital. A doctrine is a truth that is taught. In order to have biblical truth a person must have biblical doctrine. In order for a person to be biblically converted, a person must have biblical doctrine. Biblical doctrine must be preached!
Paul commanded Timothy to preach the word (II Tim 4:2). Why did he do that? It was for the reason that he gave in the following verses: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.” When people will not endure sound doctrine about conversion, they will turn aside their ears from the truth and will turn to myths about conversion. They will accumulate for themselves teachers who will tickle their ears and tell them about a conversion that is according to their own desires. For true conversion to be taught there must be true doctrine taught. For the truth of conversion to be taught, the truth of the work of the Holy Spirit as the agent of conversion must be taught and people must come to an experiential understanding of that which means that the Spirit must work these things in their hearts. They must come to understand from the depths of their being what it means to be saved by grace which is to have hearts changed and the life of Christ in them. True doctrine is necessary to true conversion. Let us preach true doctrine.
God Loves... Himself 
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