Crisis “Conversions”, A Dangerous Road to Hell

A little over four years ago, I preached a sermon entitled “Three Roads to Travel”. In it, I proposed that there is one road that leads to heaven and two roads that lead to Hell. Obviously, the one road that leads to heaven is the path that is taken by the one who has had their hearts regenerated by the Holy Spirit, has been born again, and faithfully follows Christ in committed devotion. However, there are two roads that lead to Hell. The first is a life of obvious, open sin and rebellion against God. This is the life of the heathen, the pagan, and the reprobate. The second road is often overlooked in the sense of our reckoning but is frequently and heavily traveled. This is the road of religiosity, self-righteousness, and deistic moralism. This road has been traveled by many throughout the years; people like the Pharisees who put their trust in a false sense of righteousness based on what they do rather than a righteousness from God apart from the Law based on what Christ has done. And among these people are those who have experienced crisis ‘conversions’.

A crisis conversion is when someone reaches a point of crisis in their life and feels that they need to “make a change in their life” or “make things right with God”. These crises can take on many shapes and forms, deep financial problems, life-threatening illness, trouble with children, a failing marriage, etc. These situations often cause people to “seek” God and turn over a new leaf. They begin to make changes in their lives and in their behavior patterns. They may begin to attend church, read their Bibles, and participate in “Christian” activities when previously they did not. These changes and modifications to previous behaviors create the appearance that this person is saved when in actuality they are not. Their actions and behavior have been temporarily changed but their hearts have not.

Don’t get me wrong. God can and often does use such circumstances and situations to bring those that are lost to Him. But the distinguishing factor between those who have been brought to genuine Biblical salvation and those who are merely traveling the road of religiosity to Hell is fruit, lasting and remaining fruit. The importance of fruit, lasting fruit, is emphasized by Christ in two places in Scripture. In the parable of the sower, seed was thrown on all the types of ground. All but one, the path, showed initial signs of life and growth, but only one, the good ground, bore fruit. Also in John 15, Jesus says, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.” Notice the emphasis that is placed on fruit bearing and both of these instances. Also notice Jesus description of that fruit, “fruit that will last”.

Many people who experience “crisis conversions” often lack the lasting fruit. They initially make dramatic changes in their lives based on the pressure produced by their crisis situation, but as the pressure subsides they migrate more and more back to their way of life before their “conversion”. They lessen and even stop their participation in their new-found “Christian activities”. And even though they may maintain enough of their “Christian behavior” to create the appearance of change and new life, the cares desires of the world eventually win out. They become a tragic fulfillment of the words that Peter spoke concerning false teachers, “If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. 22 Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud. (II Peter 2:20-22)”
So, in light of this great spiritual danger, let me encourage you to take seriously the charge given to us by Christ, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” For the glory of the Father, let us not become weary in well-doing and let us strive to bear much fruit!