When one ceases to approve the worldly course
and begins to seek after the Lord, he is in that condition mentioned by
the Apostle as seeking God, "if haply they might feel after him, and
find him". (Acts 17:27) When he is drawn to Jesus, seeking God, then he
is converted. He is now in the condition spoken of by the Apostle when
he said: "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be
blotted out". (Acts 3:19) Repentance means a change of mind respecting
one's relationship to evil; and conversion means a change of one's
course. But neither repentance nor conversion, nor both together, brings
the individual into relationship with God. Being drawn to Jesus, he must
exercise faith. Faith means _first_ to understand and believe that God
exists; that he is the great rewarder of them that diligently seek him;
that the Bible is his Word of truth; that Jesus is his beloved Son and
our Redeemer; and _then_ to rely confidently upon these things and prove
this reliance by his action.--Hebrews 11:1,6.
[327]He now needs information to increase his faith, and the Prophet
has written: "The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the
simple". (Psalm 19:7) To such now, as are feeling after God, through
Christ Jesus this message comes: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and
are heavy laden, and I will give you rest". (Matthew 11:28) Heavy laden
means to be weary of the sinful course of the world and to have a desire
to be relieved of this burden.
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