I Would like to understand the difference between salvation and conversion. Will you please help?
Shirley
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Hi, Shirley.
There is a great difference between “conversion” and “salvation”. Conversion is experienced in this life. It is to be “born again”. Conversion happens when our sins are washed away, which takes place when we are baptized with the Spirit of God. The disciples were converted and had their sins washed away on the day of Pentecost (see Acts 2:1-4).
Salvation, on the other hand, is God’s reward for the faithful. Jesus will bring that reward with him when he returns to catch away his faithful saints. As for any unfaithful believer, though converted, he will not receive salvation but God “will cut him off and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. In that place, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth!” (Mt. 24:51).
No believer who is still living on earth has received his salvation yet because Jesus has not yet comes. Paul said that “our salvation is nearer than when we believed” (Rom. 13:11), and that is true. Every day, our salvation draws nearer because every day, the coming of the Lord is nearer.
Do not follow those who teach that you receive salvation now, in this life. Jesus is the Judge, not them.
Pastor John