Some Christians are ceremonial Christians while others are converted Christians. After confession and baptism the ceremonial Christian compartmentalizes their life separate from their confession. The converted Christian compartmentalizes their life around their confession.

Luke 22: 31-32  King James Version

³¹ And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

³² But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Backdrop

Jesus told the disciples to secure a place to celebrate the Passover. Judas had already taken measures to betray Jesus. At supper, several disciples were debating over who would be the greatest. After settling their concerns, Jesus placed his focus on Simon Peter warning him that Satan had zeroed-in on him.

It seems rather strange that Jesus would say “when you are converted” when speaking to Peter. Epistrepho is the Greek word rendered “converted” as in causing a person to turn or turn back. For the purpose of this writing, I chose to use the KJV translation of epistrepho i.e., “converted”.

Peter’s Track Record

Peter walked with Jesus for three years. Wasn’t he among the disciples that went out to perform miracles as Jesus did? He was the one to whom God revealed the very construct of Jesus, that he was the Son of God. Was it not Peter that walked on the water at Jesus’ bidding? Peter was one of the three that witnessed Jesus transfigured into the glory of his deity. Considering all of this, Yet Jesus says “when you are converted.” What more was there to do or be?

Let’s think about what Jesus might be saying. I believe the story of Israel’s escape from captivity may shed some light on what Jesus meant.

Called But Not Converted – The Nation of Israel

The captive nation of Israel witnessed many miracles of God in Egypt (Exodus 7:14-12:30). Any sane person after suffering through these plagues would say good riddance to Moses and Israel. Nevertheless, after releasing Israel Pharaoh and his army pursued them to the Red Sea.

Now here we go again. What fools would pursue a people whose God opens up the sea so Israel can walk across on dry land?  It would seem that a parted sea would stop them dead in their tracks. There are two reasons they would pursue Israel.

1. Pharaoh didn’t want to lose his slave labor.
2. Israel being a company of two plus million people with animals and wagons wouldn’t have crossed the sea bed (approximately 2 miles where they crossed) had it not been for the Pharaoh’s chariots pursuing them.

From the ten plagues, to parting the Red Sea, to providing drinking water from a rock, to manna from heaven, to a forty-year warranty on their clothing Israel never reached a place of conversion. A place where they really believed in the God that saved them. They still longed for the victuals of their captivity and were easily moved to worship an idol in place of God. They had left Egypt but Egypt was still in them.

Nevertheless, Israel was saved for God’s purpose although they bore no evidence of conversion (Psalm 106: 7-10).

Called but Not Converted – The Disciples

Remember the story in Mark chapter 6 where Jesus feeds 5,000 plus people with fives loaves of bread and two fish? The disciples witnessed that and they in fact distributed the food. It ended with them collecting twelve baskets of leftovers.

Immediately after this miraculous outing, they find themselves in a boat crossing the Sea of Galilee while Jesus remains on land. The wind rages and the boat is tossed as they “toil” to stay afloat. Then comes Jesus strolling on the water and looks at them as if to say “Sup?” (slang for What’s up?) The disciples cry out because this seafaring ghost is scaring them more than the waves. Jesus says, “Don’t be afraid, it is I Jesus.”

Jesus walks over and gets in the boat. Immediately the sea calms. It is a good thing Jesus identified himself before he got in the boat otherwise the disciples could very well have overturned the boat by scrambling to the side away from this ‘apparition.’ 

Now to the most important line in this story and my focus, Mark 6:51 says that they were “sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.” They were looking at each other saying ‘What just happened?’ This story closes out with the author saying,

“For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.”

Simply put, they came, they saw, they conquered but they had not converted. Mark 6:54 says that when they came to land “they knew him.” In other words, although Jesus announced who he was, sailed with them on smooth waters, they did not recognize him, i.e., connect the dots until they landed on shore.

Dear Christian

Do we walk and talk like Christians but still haven’t connected the dots? We go along with the flow following what tradition dictates. But following man’s traditions is a barrier to conversion. It doesn’t matter if you’re the Christian with the long skirt and covered head or the contemporary Christian with ripped jeans, until you have converted you really don’t know Him.

The Conversion Experience

Convert – (a) to cause to change in form, character, or function. (b) to cause something useful to be transformed into something more useful.

It’s like….

Repurposing, changing a common item, e.g., furniture into a more desirable, purposeful piece of furniture.

Conversion for a Christian is not the initial confession of Jesus Christ as Savior.  It is growing from that base Christian confession to a repurposed life that forms them into someone exponentially better than they were.

Examples of Conversion Ideation

Example#1 – The Soldier

A person enlisting in the military after swearing in is no longer a civilian but a soldier. They put on their shiny boots, fatigues and cap and they are fully and completely considered soldiers by profession. However, a soldier isn’t a soldier until they have consciously ‘sold’ life and limb to the cause. Those soldiers that aren’t sold out to the cause easily desert. They are soldiers by profession not by conversion.

Example#2 – Peter, the Rock

Peter was in ministerial residency (practice) while walking with Christ.  At some point in Peter’s life the office of disciple became more than a position. It became his heartbeat. His actions then were predicated on the will of God. Peter had converted.

Not Enough

The nation of Israel were constantly given miraculous doses of God. But they kept spitting it up because they could never grasp who God was beyond a vending machine.

Although they worked alongside of Jesus, the disciples’ hearts were still dull to the magnitude of Jesus’ ministry and its continuation through them beyond his death.

Do you, as a Christians today fall short of who you should be in Christ because you have not reached beyond church rituals and programs? Yes, you’re saved, just like the children of Israel were saved from their bondage in Egypt but they were not converted.

You must move from Jesus being the facilitator of salvation, healing and miracles to Jesus being your ultimate person. If this sounds really intimate then I’ve met my intent.

When Jesus Prays or Preys

Satan saw two things in Peter, potential and weakness. That’s why Jesus warned him.

Satan’s betting you will lose your faith and courage when I am not within sight or earshot. He knows that you are a leader and influential. His plan is to kill me, get me out of the way. And after me, he’s going after you.

BUT,

I HAVE PRAYED FOR YOU.

THAT YOUR FAITH FAIL NOT

You will take some blows and you will suffer damage. All these things will shake your foundation. But you will rise a converted man, a man repurposed for the cause of Christ.

Jesus didn’t pray for Saul he preyed on Saul. Saul, a scholar concerning the Law had his initial experience with Christ on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-20). His conversion process began when he spent three years of searching the mind of God concerning Jesus. This in turn transformed Saul into Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles (Galatians 1:11-18).

Conversion is an Attitude

Paul said in Philippians 3:8

⁸ But more than that, I count everything as loss compared to the priceless privilege and supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord [and of growing more deeply and thoroughly acquainted with Him—a joy unequaled]. For His sake I have lost everything, and I consider it all garbage, so that I may gain Christ,

When you get to the place where you lose possessions, friends walk away, family turn away and instead of crying in your chicken soup you consider those things, those people as being unprofitable to your journey in Christ. You have been converted.

The prescription for conversion in Romans 12:1-2 calls for a transformation.

¹Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.

 ² And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].

The call to be transformed is to make a thorough change in form, appearance, or character. This transformation is from being the enlisted Christian by ceremony to being totally committed to Christ.

An old riddle best illustrates the difference between ceremonial and converted Christians.

The Riddle

Question: In a bacon-and-egg breakfast, what’s the difference between the Chicken and the Pig?

Answer: The Chicken is involved, but the Pig is committed!

Yes, the chicken contributes as Peter did before he denied Jesus. His conversion at some point after his denial Peter committed.

Thank God we don’t have to die like the pig; God requires a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). Are you the chicken or the pig?

 

 Strengthen Your Brothers and Sisters

As previously stated epistrepho  is also translated in Luke 22:32 as “to turn back again”. This indicates Peter would fall away from the right path, desert his post. But there was good news. Jesus made provisions for him to return to duty. He had prayed for Peter. Although that didn’t prevent Peter from deserting it did build a bridge back.

Conclusion

Whether you fall on your journey or fly through trials gracefully, there’s a place for you beyond your initial acceptance of Christ as Savior. Jesus has prayed for you. Not only against Satan but against your small and at times faithless expectations of your great big God.

If you’ve sinned, get up! Dust yourself off and make your way back to Him. If you’re stagnant, wake up! Open your eyes and see what He sees. Let the experience be one of conversion, then go encourage others.