Answer. It is a sincere joy of heart in God, through Christ, and with love and delight to live according to the will of God in all good works.
Exposition
The doctrine touching man’s conversion to God now claims our attention, concerning which we must inquire:
I. Is conversion necessary?
II. What is it?
III. Of how many parts does it consist?
IV. What are the causes of it?
V. What are the effects of it?
VI. Is it perfect in this life?
VII. In what does the conversion of the godly differ from the repentance of the wicked?
I. Is the Conversion of Man to God Necessary?
Man’s conversion in this life is so necessary, that without it no one can obtain everlasting life in the world to come, according to what the Scriptures teach: “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” “They which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” “If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.” (John 3:5. Luke 13:3. 1 Cor. 6:9. 2 Cor. 5:3.) The example of the foolish virgins (Matt. 25:1–10) who were excluded from the marriage, because they had not their lamps burning and filled with oil, is here in point. We may also here cite the following declarations of Christ: “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning.” “Be ye ready also; for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.” “The Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.” (Luke 12:35, 40, 46.) We may here also quote the notable saying of Cyprian against Demetrius: “When we have once departed this life, there is no more room for repentance, or work of satisfaction. Here life is either lost or gained: here we secure our eternal salvation by the worship of God and the fruit of faith. Nor let any one be hindered, either by sin or external opposition, from coming to obtain salvation. No repentance is too late for any one still remaining in the world,” &c. From this it appears how necessary conversion is for those who are to be saved. Hence all our exhortations to repentance must be based upon the absolute necessity of conversion to God, in all those who are to be justified.
II. What Is Man’s Conversion to God?
The Hebrew expresses the idea of conversion by the word Teschubah; the Greek by μετσνοια and μεταμελεια. There are some who affirm that these Greek words differ from each other in this: that the former is used only in reference to the repentance of the godly, whilst the latter is used also in reference to the repentance of the ungodly. Of Judas it is said, that he repented himself (Matt. 27:3), where the word μεταμεληζεις is used. Of Esau it is said, he found no place of repentance (μετανοιας). (Heb. 12:17.) Of God it is said (Rom. 11:29), the gifts of God are without repentance, where the word αμεταμελητα is used; that is, they are of such a kind that he himself cannot repent of them. The Septuagint, in speaking of God, uses both words without making any distinction. It repents me (μεταμελομα) that 1 have set up Saul to be king. (1 Sam. 15:11.) The Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent (ου μετανοησει). The difference, therefore, is either very small, or none at all, unless that the former Greek word above mentioned properly signifies a change of the mind, whilst the latter expresses a change of the will or purpose. In conversion, however, there is a change both of the understanding and the will.
The Latins have a number of words by which they express the same thing. They call it regeneratio, renovatio, resipiscentia, conversio, pænitentia. Resipiscentia seems properly to correspond with the Greek μετανοια; for as resipiscentia is derived from resipisco, which means to become wise after having done a thing; so μετανοια is from μετανοεω, which means to become wise after having committed something wrong; to change the mind, and to alter the purpose. Pænitenia is said to be derived either from pænitet or from pæna, because the sorrow which is in repentance is, as it were, a punishment. Or else, as Erasmus supposes, it is from pone tenendo, as if to repent were to lay hold of a later purpose, or to understand a thing after it is done. But whatever may be the derivation of the word pœnitentia or repentance, it is more obscure than the term conversion. For repentance does not comprehend the whole extent of the subject—it does not express from what, and to what we are changed, but merely signifies the sorrow which is felt after the commission of some sin. Conversion, on the other hand, embraces the whole, as it adds that which is the beginning of a new life by faith.
The term repentance is, moreover, of a broader signification than conversion: for conversion is spoken of only in reference to the godly, who alone are converted to God. The same thing may be said of μετανοια and resipiscentia,—that they refer merely to the godly; for by these three terms the new life of the godly is signified. But pænitentia is spoken of the ungodly also, as of Judas, who did indeed repent of his wicked deed, but was not converted; because the ungodly, when they sorrow, are not converted or reformed. Thus far we have spoken of the terms which have reference to this subject; we must now proceed to inquire into the thing itself.
A definition, with respect to the parts of conversion, may be obtained from the 88th Question of the Catechism, where it is defined to be the mortification of the old, and the quickening of the new man. It is more fully expressed in the following definition: Man’s conversion to God consists in a change of the corrupt mind and will into that which is good, produced by the Holy Ghost through the preaching of the law and the gospel, which is followed by a sincere desire to produce the fruits of repentance, and a conformity of the life to all the commands of God. This definition is confirmed by the following passages of Scripture: “If thou wilt return, return unto me.” “Wash you, make you clean.” “But ye are washed; but ye are sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” “Depart from evil, and do good.” (Jer. 4:1. Is. 1:16. 1 Cor. 6:11. Ps. 34:14.) The whole definition is expressed in Acts 26:18, 20: “I send thee to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” “But shewed that they should repent, and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.”