Turning water into wine is miracle. Transforming a few loaves of bread into a feast for thousands is miracle. But perhaps the greatest miracle of all is the miracle of conversion—God turning wretched enemies into sons and daughters.
The following sevenfold contrast will demonstrate what happens at the miracle of conversion:
You were once “dead in sins”…
“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:1-2).
…in Christ you have “passed from death.”
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:24).
You were once “condemned”…
“…whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God” (John 3:18).
…in Christ you are now “justified”
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).
You were once “lost”…
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
…in Christ you are now “saved”
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).
You were once “under sin”…
“But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe” (Galatians 3:22).
…in Christ you are now “under grace”
“For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace” (Romans 6:14).
You were once living “without Christ”…
“remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12).
…in Christ you are “with Him” in God.
“For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).
You were once among the helpless “sinners…
“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost” (1 Timothy 1:15).
…in Christ you are considered among the “saints”
“Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus (Revelation 14:12).
You were once “astray”…
“All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).
…in Christ you are now “abiding” evermore.
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-5).
This has been adapted from the commentaries of F.E. Marsh, coming soon to the Blue Letter Bible. If you would like to help pray or contribute to this portion of the ministry, please contact us here.