Paul's Conversion Experience

Having learned who we are and what we have in our new relationship—union with Jesus Christ—we pass now to the experiences of the Christian life in Romans 7:7-25. There is a similarity of thought in Chapters 6 and 7. In Chapter 6, we have identification in Christ, followed by the effects of that identification. In Chapter 7, we have the new relationship followed by the experiences of that relationship. Both sin and law are mentioned in each chapter. However, we have “death to sin” in Chapter 6 and “death to the Law” in Chapter 7.

Romans 7:7-13 describes Paul’s conversion experience by means of the moral Law in the power of the Spirit of regeneration. Some say this passage is characterized by transition, which means a movement or passage from one thing to another. They say Paul is no longer alive, as in Romans 7:9a—“And I was once alive apart from the Law” (NASB). The question is raised, was Paul regenerated at the time he was inspired to give us Romans 7? He was convicted of sin and that proves regeneration. Two questions are in order at this point: (1) Can a person be in a transitional state between death and life? (2) Can a person be convicted apart from regeneration? The answer to both questions is no. The law of nature does not reveal original sin with its evil lusts. When God’s Holy Law forbids sin, the sin nature is agitated to sin on purpose to provoke God who is the Author of the Law.

Paul, as a Pharisee, was without conviction of sin and consciousness of duty; but when the commandment came to his heart in the power of the Holy Spirit of regeneration, “sin became alive” (Rom. 7:9 NASB). It takes the internal life wrought by God the Holy Spirit to apply the external Word (Christ). Regeneration produces conviction of sin, and conviction produces conversion. Paul is not discussing his judicial death to sin, but his personal consciousness of sin because of regeneration.

Influence does not produce conviction of sin which in turn produces conversion. Professing Christendom has been so brainwashed by “the concept of influence” that it has rubbed off on most church members today. Christ said the world hates Christians. “And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God” (John 3:19-21 NASB). Christ said to his disciples, “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:18-19 NASB).

The current “born-again phenomenon” could well be viewed as the fastest growing cult in America. It is said that political candidates use it to get votes, entertainers use it to attract crowds, professional sportsmen proclaim it to give respect to their Sunday afternoon brutality, and the business world promotes it in order to make money. One more thing should be added to the list. Religionists use the term to cover up their heresy and immorality. Heresy cloaked in Biblical language is still heresy. When God said to Israel, “…be sure your sin will find you out” (Num. 32:23 NASB), He was talking about the sin of omission.

Religionists say the sinner must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, because the Spirit will not always strive with man (Gen. 6:3). Modern-day evangelism promotes crowd psychology. Both the preacher and the people “do” something. These evangelists give the people these three necessities to obtain life: (1) They say that one must feel his need for the new life. (The truth is that you don’t feel that need until you already have it.) (2) They say that one must have faith in Christ. (The truth is that you can’t give faith, and you can’t exercise something you don’t have. You don’t have faith until God has regenerated you. In regenerating you, He gives you the ability to believe.) (3) They say that one must make confession of his faith in Christ.

Let us see what Christ actually taught concerning the “new birth.” Christ gave no instruction on how to be born again. He used no manipulative tricks, but he did show that the new birth is the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit (John 3:8). If the new birth was contingent on the sinner first desiring God, no one would ever be born again. Scripture says, “THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD” (Rom. 3:11b NASB). Since salvation is of God, man cannot be maneuvered by man in being born of God. Is that not what the inspired John meant when he said, “who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13 NASB). The present action of believing follows the past tense and the passive voice of being born of God. The past action of God is the passing of death to life which is expressed by the present believing. Paul said to Timothy, “For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well” (II Tim. 1:5).

John 1:12 speaks of conversion. Those who have received Christ have become children (tekna, plural of teknon), because as believers they had the right to say they had been born (passive of gennao) of God. John 1:13 tells us who it was that enabled those who received and believed in verse 12. Therefore, one is born of God to the things of God. The person who truly believes has already been born of God. Since regeneration does not depend on an alien power for its accomplishment, how can anyone believe in gospel regeneration? In regeneration, nothing is said about a decision, faith, or repentance, and the imperative mood is never used in regeneration. No one is ever commanded to be regenerated. The new birth is never contingent on the sinner desiring God. If that were true, no one would ever be born again.

The second division of Romans 7 was not given to prove that Law cannot save. That has been dealt with and settled in Romans 3:21-5:21. When the chosen ones died to sin with Christ, they were permanently united to the Son of God. But, subsequent to being a new person in Christ, Paul referred to himself :“…I am of flesh (sarkinos)” (Rom. 7:14 NASB). The apostle knew himself well enough that he said, “I am fleshly.” No one but a carnal (sarkinos) person would call himself a spiritual man. It has been said many times, “It takes a spiritual man to recognize and admit how carnal he is in the sight of God.”

Many theologians raise the following questions concerning the second division of Romans 7. Does the apostle prove that Law cannot save? That has been proven and settled in Romans 3:21-5:21. Does the apostle interpret his own experience with the Law? Some believe Paul is relating his own experience with the Law. Furthermore, they believe Paul is discussing the nature and office of the Law, irrespective of its relation with the lost or saved. Thus, Paul writes this passage to prove that the Law is not evil. As far as the Law is concerned, its relationship to the saint is identical to its relationship with the sinner; but as far as the saint is concerned, he is dead to the Law.

Some say this Scripture applying to the saved or lost is an imaginary difficulty, and it was never in the mind of Paul. Thus, that which could not affect a change cannot perfect it; and the Law being able to justify, cannot sanctify. If the whole passage is on sanctification, then the major portion is not on justification. If he is talking about sanctification, then he is dealing with the redeemed. Furthermore, Paul does not dissect his experience or break it up to denote part of a lost and part of a saved man. Some grace theologians say Paul is no longer alive in the sense of verse 9: “And I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive, and I died” (Rom. 7:9 NASB). But, is he regenerated? They say there is no indication in this passage that the experience is that of one who had become dead by the death of Christ. This passage is called Paul’s transitional experience. Others believe it refers to Paul’s conversion experience—not regeneration, because it is non-experiential. It is believed by some that Paul was relating what happened to him on the road to Damascus. There was conviction, but conviction is produced by regeneration. That brings up the question, what is the first sign of spiritual life?

The first sign of life is to feel dead. The Law was ordained by God to bring His people—the elect and regenerated—to Himself. Paul said to the Galatians, “Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed should come to whom the promise had been made. Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one. Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. But the Scripture has shut up all men under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the Law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith” (Gal. 3:19-24 NASB). This view is consistent with all Scripture. Being brought to God in conversion, that which is written on the heart in regeneration is used by the Holy Spirit of God. This is what Paul described in Romans 7:7-13.

Man by nature will not come to the light lest his deeds be revealed (John 3:19-20); but in regeneration, light goes to the sinner: “For God, who said, Light shall shine out of darkness, is the One who has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not of ourselves” (II Cor. 4:6-7 NASB). Regeneration produces conviction and conversion. The baby cries when it is born; it is not born because it cries. If the gospel were the means of life, then I would have more life each time I heard it. One does not lie down in God’s green pasture to get life. He is there for nurture.