This episode begins with the question, "how do you know the resurrection of Christ is true?" While many of us can articulate an apologetic answer, citing the Biblical and historical evidences for the gospel story, all of us should ideally be able to respond with the following testimony: "I know the resurrection of Christ is true because I experience everyday His resurrection power in my own life." This is the evidence that secures our faith in the Biblical account and assists us in presenting a compelling testimony to unbelievers regarding the truth of the gospel. The episode charts my conversion to Christ, subsequent doubt over the resurrection, culminating in renewed conviction that the resurrection of Christ occurred. I trace my journey from propositional embrace of the gospel to experiential conviction based on the everyday experience of resurrection power in my own life. The evidence of genuine conversion, according to Romans 6:4, is that "we walk in the newness of life." This of course bespeaks the resurrection power that is unleashed in every believer's life as he identifies with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.
God’s gifts in Conversion that Lead to Repentance
The circumcision of Christ initiated at conversion makes possible repentance from dead works and the repentance from the old self. This episode highlights the various Scriptural signs that indicate the circumcision of Christ, and these henceforth enable the believer to repent in the ongoing process of sanctification. The believer is first born again by the Word of God (1 Pet 1:23), made a partaker of the divine nature (2 Pet 1:4), and given a new principle from which he "rejoices with the law of God in the inner man" (Rom 7:22). I provide my testimony as a convert coming out of Catholicism where the above 3 signs were evident, even though I hadn't little exposure to Scripture. My conversion led to a hyper-sensitive conscience, which was the Spirit's foundation in me that assisted in repentance.
Naturalism vs. Creationism..so what?
Naturalism is one of the primary stumbling blocks to receiving the Christian faith, and believers should avail themselves of the data of science which supports creationism. And residual naturalism in believers is corrosive of faith and distorts one's view of the sovereignty of God. I give my testimony how God delivered me from the naturalistic compromise of theistic evolution.