All believers know that it is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed. They may or may not know where to find it in the bible. Some who say it may not even know whether it is from the bible or whether it is simply a popular saying. I can tell you categorically that it is a verse of scripture but only a portion of a verse. Why is that significant? Before you can throw yourself on the mercies of God and avoid being consumed, you must be a member of his family. That is, you either experience conversion or consumption.
That is why we want to briefly consider these two options open to you. Unfortunately, there is no third option for those who like to be neither cold nor hot and enjoy being lukewarm. How many of us have never wished that God’s standards were not so rigid? That he would allow us to be lukewarm at times instead of insisting we must be hot for him. Even now, you wish you could partake of God’s mercies without having to be related to Him. Sorry, there are only two options. You either experience conversion or consumption. Many believers spend time praying against the enemy that threatens to consume them when all they need is conversion.
Make Jesus Both Lord And Master
Conversion is how you become a relative of God through accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Notice that phrase, “Lord and Savior.” Some people want to accept Jesus as their Savior to avoid the consumption of sin. They run to him as a means of escape from the enemy and, that is great. However, until you take Jesus as your Lord as well, you may still end up where you don’t want because it indicates that you are yet to experience real conversion. Jesus had to instruct Peter after he fell, “when you are converted, strengthen your brethren.” Keep in mind, Peter had accepted Jesus as Savior because after all, he was one of the foremost disciples of Jesus.
Nevertheless, he still needed conversion, and that only happens when you are ready to totally obey God. That is when He becomes your Lord as well as your savior. Until then, you are in a state of conversion or consumption, a dicey scenario. Sadly, many of us are in that grey area where we accept Jesus as savior but not as Lord. You need to come to the point of total conversion. Or else, you will suffer consumption and hence our topic: Conversion or Consumption. The choice is yours.
Are you ready to totally obey God, thereby making Him your Lord as well as your savior? It is only then that you truly experience conversion to escape consumption in hellfire. That is the good news of Jesus Christ aka, the gospel. It gives us the rare opportunity to escape from satan and hell.
Choose Conversion Or Consumption Now
Just as there is good news in Jesus, there is bad news for those who refuse Jesus. Once the rapture occurs, the phrase “Conversion or consumption” changes to “Consumption or conversion.” With Jesus, conversion comes first but without Jesus, consumption comes first. Once you miss Jesus and the rapture, you are already in line for consumption.
You then have to scramble to get out of that awful situation. The bible says there is no escape if we neglect so great a salvation as Jesus offers. It will be as though by rejecting Jesus’ blood, you can only experience salvation by giving your own blood. Such a person is already in the consumption line because satan will make him pay for his sins. And then he has a shot at conversion but it is not a sure bet. It may be too late for conversion even when he is willing to give his own blood, having rejected Jesus’ blood.
Given these two scenarios, my choice is clear. I would rather go with the first, which is to experience conversion and not consumption. My hope and desire for you are that you choose Jesus and experience conversion and not consumption. I hope you will not choose consumption or conversion, which is not even a guarantee. Today, choose Jesus and have conversion. Don’t wait for consumption in the flames of hell.
Maranatha!