The definition of “crux” according to the Oxford dictionary is, “the decisive or most important point at issue.” So perhaps when you read the title of this blog you thought, “this is a classic case of pastoral hyperbole in order to make a point.” Well, there is probably some truth to that, but in another sense I truly mean conversion is the crux of biblical counseling. Just to be clear though, in saying conversion is the crux of biblical counseling, I DO NOT MEAN that conversion is the ONLY important part of biblical counseling.
So what do I mean? Let’s start with the definition of conversion.
Defining Conversion
Conversion refers to a person placing their FAITH in the good news of Jesus Christ and REPENTING of their sins.
As far as I can tell the word “conversion” only shows up once in the Bible. It comes from the Greek word epistrophe (ἐπιστροφή) which is used in Acts 15:3.
Acts 15:3 - So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers.
The meaning of the word is quite clear. The Gentiles were converted to following Jesus Christ because they repented of their sins/idolatry and turned towards Jesus in faith, trusting that he is God and that through his sacrifice they have forgiveness for their sins and are made righteous.[1] The word is very closely related to a common word for repentance in the NT and for it’s less technical usage which describes turning around (i.e I was walking north and I turned around to go south). In fact, it is just one letter different. The NIDNTTE says this about “conversion” in Acts 15:3...
Those who are converted, having forsaken idolatry, serve him alone with a clear conscience in voluntary dependence (14:15; 1 Thess 1:9; cf. Heb 9:14). From Acts 15:3 it is clear that the word “conversion” (ἐπιστροφή) quickly became a (semi)technical term that needed no further explanation.[2]
Conversion – refers to a person placing their faith in the good news of Jesus Christ AND repenting of their sins.[3]
Clarifying Conversion
Here are some very quick clarifications about Conversion:
1. Conversion is not just mere intellectual assent to the facts of the gospel.
The point is, there must be real trust placed in the facts of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection and their personal application. It is not enough to be able to regurgitate facts, or take a knowledge exam on what the gospel is and pass.
2. Conversion must involve acknowledgement of the facts of who Jesus is and what he accomplished on the cross.
When someone comes to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, often their knowledge of the gospel is limited. They do not have to know technical theological words or be able to explain things in great detail in order to be converted and saved. A young 3-year-old child can be converted. However, there must be clear acknowledgement of:
1) Their own personal sin and how that separates them from the Lord.
2) How their sin places them under the just wrath of God which can never be atoned for except through the blood of Jesus.
3) It is entirely by grace that Christ would bear their sin on the cross and make them righteous by faith in him.
4) That their new life in Christ is to be lived wholly and selflessly unto the Lord and no longer for themselves.
If there isn’t acknowledgement of those things, then it is highly unlikely that they have been converted.
3. Conversion isn’t a process that happens over time.
Conversion happens at a point in time where someone goes from being dead in their trespasses to alive in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:1–4). It’s a point in time where they go from not having the Holy Spirit indwelling them to having the Holy Spirit in them, sealing them for the day of redemption (Eph. 1:13-14). It’s a point in time where they go from blind to being able to see (2 Cor. 3:14-16, 4:3-6).
Once a person is converted, then there is the process of progressively growing to put off sin and put on righteousness (Eph. 4:22-24). That is a process. A lifelong process! But that process can only truly begin if a person has been converted.
There certainly is a process of teaching the gospel, and convicting a person of their sin to get them to see their need for conversion. But conversion happens at a point in time. It’s not gradual. It happens instantly.
4. Conversion is not a one-time event that has no implications on our lives.
Under clarifying point #2 above, item 4 states that conversion involves wholly living your life unto the Lord. As Luke 14:27 says, “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Clearly, to be converted you MUST follow Christ and live for him. You cannot continue to live in sin and live for yourself and be converted.
Why Understanding Conversion Matters So Much in Biblical Counseling
There are more clarifying points to be made about conversion, but for the sake of space I had to limit myself to those 4. Here’s why all this matters so much.
In biblical counseling, you have a person or persons coming to you with a problem. And as a biblical counselor your goal is to help them with that problem in a way that pleases Jesus. That means their goal must be to please Jesus and become more like him first and foremost. They must love God first and then love others (Matthew 22:37-40).
It should be quite obvious that if a person is not converted, then they do not love God first and foremost. Their goal cannot be to please Jesus and become more like him. A person who is unconverted cannot do anything that pleases God because they are in the flesh (Rom. 8:7–8). Therefore, as a biblical counselor you must proclaim the gospel to them and call them to repentance and faith to become a Christian before their identifying problem can truly be addressed in a way that pleases Jesus.
If you do much counseling, then you’ll be quite aware how challenging it can be determine if the person(s) you are counseling truly has been converted. There are multiple challenges to this:
1) They claim to be a Christian, but are not able to communicate it well.
2) They claim to be a Christian, but cannot communicate the gospel accurately, but agree with your explanation of the gospel.
3) They claim to be a Christian, but the fruit of their life doesn’t point towards someone who loves God or has the Holy Spirit in them.
4) They claim to be a Christian, can communicate the gospel clearly, acknowledge their sin, but never seem to gain any victory over their sin.
5) They have prayed and given their life to Christ “countless times” just to make sure they are saved.
There are more scenarios we could add to this list, but the point should be clear. It can be challenging to determine if the person(s) in front of you truly know the Lord.
Therefore, you’re wrestling with am I counseling an unbeliever—in which case they need to trust in Jesus Christ and be saved—OR am I counseling a believer who needs progressive sanctification which will involve teaching, repentance and so forth? How you answer that question will really determine the direction of your counseling.
The Burden of this Blog
The burden of this blog is echoed in Paul’s words in Colossians 1:28–29, “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”
I want everyone to be presented mature in Christ. With the influence and energy that the Lord works within me I want to use it to help to that end for God’s glory. This blog is a small effort to encourage biblical counselors to prayerfully, and carefully consider if the person(s) you are counseling is genuinely a follower of Jesus Christ.
1) If they do not claim to be, then it’s simple; proclaim the gospel and call them to repentance and faith.
2) If they do claim to be a Christian, then do not be afraid to encourage them to “examine [themselves], to see whether [they] are in the faith.” – 2 Cor. 13:5.
- Have them read the parable of the Sowers (Mark 4:1-20) and evaluate which soil they think they are and why?
- Have them read the end of the sermon on the mount (Matthew 7:13-27). Do they have a category for someone who would claim to be a Christian but is fooled? How do they know which category they are in?
3) If you’ve been counseling with them for a while, do not be afraid to return to the issue of salvation if things just aren’t progressing.
If we fail to consider whether they are a believer or not, then we may really be failing to do what is necessary to present people mature in Christ. That’s a serious issue. That’s an issue with eternal stakes—heaven or hell. Therefore, I urge you, consider your counsel carefully. In order to do that you must consider whether or not the person your counseling is truly converted.
[1] See Romans 8:1-4, Romans 3:23-26, 2 Corinthians 5:21 for the view that not only does forgiveness come through Christ’s death, but also his righteousness to us.
[2] Moisés Silva, ed., New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014), 389.
[3] “Faith and repentance together are often called conversion.” John M. Frame, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Christian Belief (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2013), 951.
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