Steps in Conversion

    I recently stumbled upon a powerful quote:

         "Repentance, faith, and baptism are the requisite steps in conversion."

– Letter 174, 1909 Repentance, faith, and baptism are the requisite steps in conversion. Christ Himself was baptized by John. When John would forbid Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest Thou to me?” Jesus replied, “Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.” [Matthew 3:14, 15.]

Letters and Manuscripts—Volume 24 (1909), Lt 174, 1909, par. 2.

    It got me thinking. Imagine this: you welcome a beautiful baby into the world, weighing 8 pounds and 5 ounces. A year goes by, and the baby is still the same weight. Another year passes, and nothing changes—no growth, no development, no progress. Wouldn’t you be alarmed? Concerned? Heartbroken?

    Now, here’s the tough question: could this be a mirror of our spiritual lives as Seventh-day Adventists?

    Many of us have been in the church for years—some for 8, 10, even 20 years—sitting in the same pews, singing the same hymns, and listening to sermon after sermon. Outwardly, we might appear to be solid, “converted” Christians. But has there been real growth? Has our faith matured?

    The truth is sobering: complete conversion is something we will only fully realize when Jesus returns. But here’s the challenge—conversion is not a one-time event; it’s a journey, a daily process of surrender and transformation. Yet so often, we convince ourselves that we’re spiritually wealthy, that we’ve “arrived” because of what we know or how we act. But listen to what Jesus says:

        "You do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.”

– Revelation 3:17-19 (NKJV) Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Re 3:17–19.

    This is a call to wake up. Every day, we’re invited to commit our lives to Christ anew, to seek His wisdom, and to grow in Him. When Jesus says, “Buy from Me gold refined in the fire”, He’s asking us to immerse ourselves in His Word, to listen for His voice, and to embrace His refining work in our lives.

    Ellen G. White puts it beautifully in Patriarchs and Prophets:

        "God speaks to His people in blessings bestowed; and when these are not appreciated, He speaks to them in blessings removed, that they may be led to see their sins, and return to Him with all the heart."

– Patriarchs and Prophets, p 470 The removal of their beloved leader would be a far stronger rebuke to Israel than any which they could have received had his life and mission been continued. God would lead them to feel that they were not to make the life of their future leader as trying as they had made that of Moses. God speaks to His people in blessings bestowed; and when these are not appreciated, He speaks to them in blessings removed, that they may be led to see their sins, and return to Him with all the heart.

Ellen Gould White, The Story of Patriarchs and Prophets as Illustrated in the Lives of Holy Men of Old, vol. 1, Conflict of the Ages Series (Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1890), 470.

    That quote humbles me. How often do we, in our pride and self-reliance, push God to the margins? How often do we justify our sins or rely on our own strength? And yet, God, in His infinite love, sometimes withholds blessings—not to punish us, but to bring us back to Him.

    This reminds me of my own need for daily repentance. Conversion isn’t just a one-time event marked by baptism; it’s a daily dying to self and living anew in Christ. Without repentance, faith, and a continual commitment to baptism’s deeper meaning, we risk stagnation—remaining like that unchanged 8-pound baby, unable to grow or mature spiritually.

    Jesus’ words echo in my heart:

        "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent."

– Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Re 3:19.

So here’s my prayer: that each day, we take the steps toward true conversion. That we repent, have faith, and live out the meaning of our baptism. Let’s not settle for spiritual complacency but strive for growth, trusting that Christ’s love will sustain and transform us.

Let’s grow together in Him.

– A.F. Lolowang