Helping Souls to Be Converted
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exercised. They look for a special change to take place in their feelings.
They expect some irresistible force, over which they have no control,
to overpower them. They overlook the fact that the believer in Christ
is to work out his salvation with fear and trembling.
The convicted sinner has something to do besides repent; he must
act his part in order to be accepted by God. He must believe that God
accepts his repentance, according to His promise. “Without faith it
is impossible to please Him: for He that cometh to God must believe
that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”
The work of grace upon the heart is not an instantaneous work. It is
effected by continuous, daily watching and believing the promises of
God. The repentant, believing one, who cherishes faith and earnestly
desires the renewing grace of Christ, God will not turn away empty.
He will give him grace. And ministering angels will aid him as he
perseveres in his efforts to advance.—
Manuscript 55, 1910
.
Conversions—Not All Alike—All are not constituted alike. Con-
versions are not all alike. Jesus impresses the heart, and the sinner is
born again to new life. Often souls have been drawn to Christ when
there was no violent conviction, no soul rending, no remorseful ter-
rors. They looked upon an uplifted Saviour; they lived. They saw the
soul’s need; they saw the Saviour’s sufficiency and His claims; they
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heard His voice saying, “Follow Me,” and they rose up and followed
Him. This conversion was genuine, and the religious life was just as
decided as was that of others who suffered all the agony of a violent
process.—
Letter 15a, 1890
.
Conversions Not Precise and Methodical—Those men who cal-
culate just how religious exercises should be conducted, and are very
precise and methodical in diffusing the light and grace that they seem
to have, simply do not have much of the Holy Spirit....
Though we cannot see the Spirit of God, we know that men who
have been dead in trespasses and sins, become convicted and converted
under its operations. The thoughtless and wayward become serious.
The hardened repent of their sins, and the faithless believe. The gam-
bler, the drunkard, the licentious, become steady, sober, and pure. The
rebellious and obstinate become meek and Christlike. When we see
these changes in the character, we may be assured that the converting
power of God has transformed the entire man. We saw not the Holy
Spirit, but we saw the evidence of its work on the changed character of