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YOU HAVE BEEN CONVERTEDTo convert means to change. You have been changed (2 Corinthians 5:11).
You were dead: you are now alive (Ephesians 2:1,5). You were lost: you are now found (Luke 15). You were blind: you now see (2 Corinthians 4:4-6). You were an enemy of God: you are now His child (Romans 5:10; 8:14-17).The completeness of the change in the convert is clearly revealed in Ephesians 2:
verses 1-3. This is what you were in the sight of God.
verses 19-22. This is what you are in the sight of God.The bridge between these two extreme positions is the grace of God (verses 4-18).
Note.
v. 1 'And you'—what you were
v. 4 'But God'—what God did for you
v. 19 'Now therefore'—what you are by graceThis great work of grace becomes real to us through faith (Ephesians 2:8).
'What does "faith" mean? Faith includes three aspects or three elements. It means a knowledge of the truth, it means assent to truth, it means a trust in the truth. Faith, in other words, is not merely an intellectual awareness of the truth, or even an intellectual acceptance of the truth. Faith means a real trusting in Christ and what He has done on our behalf and for our salvation.' D M. Lloyd-Jones
'Men are not saved because they turn over a new leaf. Conversion is not a meritorious action which ought to be suitably rewarded. Conversion, as the New Testament understands it, means a wholehearted turning away from sin. It means a ceasing to rely on one's own strong right arm. It means a coming to rely entirely on the mercy of God. Apart from that mercy, conversion would be aimless, futile, meaningless. Conversion roots salvation squarely in the action of God, and it takes its meaning from the action of God.' Leon Morris