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each having a distinct object, namely, (a) a recognition of the truth of God’s revelation of
redemption, not merely in a detached, historical sense, but in such a way that it is recognized as
a reality that cannot be ignored with impunity, because it affects life in a vital way; and (b) a
recognition and acceptance of the salvation offered in Jesus Christ, which is saving faith in the
proper sense of the word. Now there is no doubt that faith in the former sense is present at
once in conversion. The Holy Spirit causes the sinner to see the truth as it applies to his own
life, so that he comes under “conviction,” and thus becomes conscious of his sin. But he may
remain in this stage for some time, so that it is hard to say in how far saving faith, that is, trust
in Christ unto salvation, is at once included in conversion. There is no doubt that, logically,
repentance and the knowledge of sin precedes the faith that yields to Christ in trusting love.
QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY:
Why did Beza prefer to call conversion resipiscentia rather
than poenitentia? Why is the term ‘repentance’ inadequate to express the idea of conversion?
How did Luther’s conception of repentance differ from that of Calvin? Is conversion always
preceded by ‘conviction of sin’? Can we speak of prevenient grace relative to conversion? Is
conversion an instantaneous act or is it a process? What is meant by the term ‘daily
conversion’? What is the proper view of the necessity of conversion? Does covenant preaching
have a tendency to silence the call to conversion? What is the Methodist conception of
conversion? Are the methods of the revival meetings commendable? What about the lasting
character of the conversions of which they boast? Do the statistics of the Psychology of
conversion give us any information on this point?
LITERATURE:
Bavinck, Geref. Dogm. IV, pp. 127-181; Kuyper, Dict. Dogm., De Salute, pp. 93-97;
ibid., Het Werk van den Heiligen Geest II, pp. 197-203; A. A. Hodge, Outlines of Theology, pp.
487-495; Strong, Syst. Theol., pp. 829-849; McPherson, Chr. Dogm., pp. 393-397; Shedd, Dogm.
Theol. II, pp. 529-537; Alexander, Syst. of Bib. Theol. II, pp. 38-384; Litton, Introd. to Dogm.
Theol., pp. 249-258; Vos, Geref. Dogm. IV, pp. 66-81; Pope, Chr. Dogm. II, pp. 367-376; Schmid,
Doct. Theol. of the Ev. Luth. Church, pp. 465, 466, 470-484; Drummond, Studies in Chr. Doct.,
pp. 488-491; Macintosh, Theol. as an Empirical Science, pp. 134-136; Mastricht,
Godgeleerdheit, IV, 4; Walden, The Great Meaning of Metanoia; Jackson, The Fact of
Conversion; Coe, The Spiritual Life; Starbuck, The Psychology of Religion; James, The Varieties of
Religious Experience, pp. 189-258; Ames, The Psychology of Religious Experience, pp. 257-276;
Clark, The Psychology of Religious Awakening; Pratt, The Religious Consciousness, pp. 122-164;
Steven, The Psychology of the Christian Soul, pp. 142-298; Hughes, The New Psychology and
Religious Experience, pp. 213-241; Snowden, The Psychology of Religion, pp. 143-199.