>>PERHAPS YOU ARE IN A PANIC
BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE A CONVERSION
STORY. >> WOAH HO HO HO HOO IT'S TODD
FRIEL! BOING! >> AND I WITH MY LEVITATIONAL
POWERS. >> SO IF YOU'RE HERE TODAY AND
YOU THOUGHT "I CAN'T BE FORGIVEN, I'M TOO
BAD OF A SINNER," YOU DON'T KNOW HOW GOOD
OF A SAVIOR JESUS IS. >> NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, NO
MATTER WHAT YOU HAVE DONE, WHERE SIN DID ABOUND GRACE
ABOUNDS THAT MUCH MORE. >>HELLO AND WELCOME TO
WRETCHED. MY NAME IS TODD FRIEL, I AM YOUR
HOST THE WRETCH THE SONG REFERS TO. HELP!
I DON'T HAVE A CONVERSION STORY! IS THAT THE CRY OF YOUR HEART?
WELL IF IT IS, RECENTLY DID I READ A BRILLIANT ARTICLE, IN
FACT I'M NOT SURE I'VE READ ANYTHING MORE- >>STOP YOU WROTE
THAT ARTICLE >>ISN'T THAT THE CRAZIEST THING? LET'S SEE WHAT I
HAD TO SAY. MOST BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIANS SHOULD, AND DO, HAVE
A CONVERSION STORY. PERHAPS THEY DON'T REMEMBER THE MINUTE, EVEN
THE YEAR, BUT THEY DO REMEMBER THE SEASON WHEN THEIR AFFECTIONS
CHANGED AND THEY GOT SERIOUS. A CHRISTIAN WHO HAS BEEN BROUGHT
FROM DARKNESS INTO LIGHT, WHO HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED FROM A
FATHER WHO IS THE DEVIL TO A FATHER WHO IS GOD USUALLY
REMEMBER SUCH AN EVENT. JESUS SAID THAT UNLESS A MAN IS BORN
AGAIN HE WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD. IN OTHER WORDS,
THERE IS AN EVENT THAT TAKES PLACE WHEN ONE IS BORN AGAIN.
AND IT IS NOT WITHOUT EFFECT. WHEN ONE'S EMOTIONS, WILL,
KNOWLEDGE, DIRECTION OF LIFE HAS CHANGED BECAUSE GOD IS
REGENERATING THEM TAKING A DEAD MAN AND MAKING THEM TO REMEMBER
SUCH A SPECIAL EVENT. DO YOU REMEMBER THAT CAR ACCIDENT
YOU'RE ALMOST IN? YEAH I ALMOST DIED. ARE YOU KIDDING ME YOU CAN
TELL ME THE DETAILS THE STREET WHERE THE SUN WAS IN THE SKY
WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE WORLD. WHY. BECAUSE IT WAS A BIG DEAL.
THE SAME THING IS TRUE WITH SALVATION. IT'S A BIG DEAL. AND
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK BACK AND GO THERE WAS A TIME, PLEASE
NOTE NOT EVEN THE DAY BUT THE SEASON OF FAITH BECAME MINE NOW.
THAT IS WHERE A LITTLE BIT OF CONFUSION CAN COME. PERHAPS YOU
DON'T HAVE A CONVERSION STORY. YOU'VE SCRATCHED YOUR BRAIN AND
YOU GO, 'I DON'T HAVE ONE,' WHAT DO YOU DO? WELL THAT'S WHAT THAT
BRILLIANT ARTICLE FROM THAT FELLOW TRIED TO ADDRESS. HERE WE
GO. THE FIRST REASON YOU DON'T HAVE A CONVERSION STORY IS
BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT ACTUALLY CONVERTED. IMAGINE A SCENARIO
LIKE THIS. HEY ADRIAN THANKS FOR STOPPING IN >>HI >>I HAVE HEARD
THAT YOU WERE ALMOST IN A SERIOUS CAR ACCIDENT >>YES
>>COULD HAVE KILLED YOU >>YES, YES YEAH >>GIVE ME THE STORY.
TELL ME YOUR NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE TESTIMONY >>YOU KNOW
UH BOY >>YOU ALMOST DIED >>I DID. I DID, YES WHY I ALMOST
DIED >>AND LEFT RACHEL A WIDOW >>BUT I I CAN'T REALLY REMEMBER
>>AND THE KIDS WITHOUT A DADDY >>THE DETAILS I ALMOST DIED
>>BUT YOU WERE IN A CAR ACCIDENT >>I WAS >>ALMOST, BUT YOU CAN'T
REMEMBER THE DETAILS. OKAY BEFORE YOU GO, DO YOU THINK
MAYBE WE SHOULD BELABOR THIS ANY LONGER? >>YES YES >>[LAUGHTER]
NO CONVERSION STORY. PERHAPS YOU WEREN'T ACTUALLY CONVERTED. LET
US CONSIDER THIS AS A POSSIBILITY AND LET US DRILL
DOWN TO FIGURE OUT PERHAPS WHY YOU DON'T HAVE A CONVERSION
STORY. THREE POTENTIAL REASONS. NUMBER THREE THE LAW OF GOD
NEVER SLAYED YOU AND YOU NEVER REALLY UNDERSTOOD THE EXCEEDING
SINFULNESS YOUR SIN. THAT WAS ME. I NEVER GOT THAT. I HEARD
THAT IF YOU BELIEVE IN JESUS YOU GO TO HEAVEN AND BELIEVE ME
ABOUT THAT. HOWEVER, THE LAW HAD NEVER RIGHTLY BEEN OPENED UP TO
BE USED AS A MIRROR TO SHOW ME THE EXCEEDING SINFULNESS OF SIN.
IS IT POSSIBLE YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN YOURSELF AS A WRETCHED MAN
OR WOMAN BECAUSE NOBODY EVER POINTED A BILL CLINTON-LIKE
FINGER AT YOU AND SAID, 'IF YOU KEPT THE LAW OF MOSES? HAVE YOU
KEPT EVERY MORAL RIGHTEOUS STATUTE REVEALED IN THE BIBLE?
HAVE YOU LIED, STOLEN, LUSTED, MURDERED EVEN IN YOUR HEART?'
FRIEND, YOU ARE A LAW BREAKER, YOU ARE A CRIMINAL, AND GOD - TO
BE TRITE - IS THE SHERIFF AND THERE IS A HELL AND HE IS GOING
TO GET YOU AND YOU'RE IN BIG TROUBLE. HAS THAT EVER BEEN
REVEALED? WE TALK ABOUT THE GOSPEL NOW THAT'S SOMEBODY
STEPPED INTO THE COURTROOM OF GOD'S JUSTICE TO PAY THE FINE
FOR YOU - JESUS ON THE CROSS - BEFORE WE GET TO THAT WE MUST BE
SLAIN BY THE LAW. HAVE YOU BEEN? PERHAPS THAT IS WHY YOU DON'T
HAVE A CONVERSION STORY. REASON NUMBER TWO. YOU WERE NEVER TOLD
TO REPENT AND TRUST JESUS PERHAPS YOU ASKED JESUS INTO
YOUR HEART BUT YOU NEVER HUMBLED YOURSELF TO GOD FOR MERCY. THE
"R" WORD IS SO NEGLECTED THESE DAYS. CONVERSION REQUIRES
REPENTANCE. HOLD THE PHONE, HENRIETTA. YOU DID NOT SAY THAT
IT IS WORKS. IF I AM DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY DOING 55, IN
OTHER WORDS, I AM OBEYING THE LAW, IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT
A POLICE OFFICER IS GOING TO PULL ME OVER AND SAY, 'HEY GOOD
WORK. I WANT TO GIVE YOU A REWARD FOR YOUR EFFORTS.' NO.
NOT SINNING, NOT BREAKING THE LAW ISN'T RIGHTEOUSNESS. IT'S
SIMPLY DOING WHAT IS EXPECTED OF US. IT DOES NOT EARN FAVOR. IT
IS SIMPLY THE RIGHT THING TO DO. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT NOBODY EVER
TOLD YOU YOU TO STOP SINNING? YOU NEED TO TURN FROM THOSE
SINS. YOU NEED TO FORSAKE THEM, ABANDON THEM. YOU NEED TO THROW
THEM DOWN AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS AND STOP IT. NO WE DON'T
BECOME PERFECT. SUDDENLY NEVER SIN AGAIN. THIS IS AN ATTITUDE.
THIS IS A HEART ISSUE THAT SAYS THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I'VE
BEEN DOING THAT KILLED THE LAMB OF GOD WHO DIED FOR ME WHILE I
WAS YET SINNING. I DON'T WANT THOSE THINGS ANYMORE. THAT IS
BIBLICAL REPENTANCE. HAVE YOU? AND REASON NUMBER ONE YOU MIGHT
NOT HAVE A CONVERSION STORY. YOU WERE PEDALED A FALSE GOSPEL.
PERHAPS YOU WERE TOLD THE GOSPEL IS ABOUT MONEY OR HEALTH OR LIFE
ENHANCEMENT. IT'S NOT. THE GOSPEL IS JESUS DIED FOR
SINNERS. FRIEND, I CANNOT JUDGE YOUR SOUL. YOU HAVE TO DO THAT
WORK. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO CONSIDER THIS FIRST. IF YOU DO
NOT HAVE A CONVERSION STORY PERHAPS IT IS BECAUSE YOU WERE
NOT CONVERTED AND IF YOU FAIL THAT TEST THEN GET SAVED, BUT IF
YOU PASSED THAT TEST AND YOU'RE STILL SCRATCHING YOUR HEAD ABOUT
WHY YOU DON'T HAVE A CONVERSION STORY WE WILL SHARE REASON
NUMBER TWO NEXT ON WRETCHED. >>DO NOT BE MISERABLE BECAUSE
YOU ARE LACKING A CONVERSION STORY. WELCOME BACK TO WRETCHED.
CHRISTIANS SHOULD HAVE A BORN-AGAIN TALE TO TELL BUT
FREQUENTLY THEY DO NOT. REASON NUMBER ONE, THEY WERE NEVER
ACTUALLY BORN AGAIN, HOWEVER THERE IS A SECOND REASON. HERE
IT IS. REASON NUMBER TWO, YOU JUST CAN'T REMEMBER GETTING
SAVED. I LOVE JESUS. I AM DIFFERENT. I AM GROWING IN
HOLINESS, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER. WHAT ARE YOUTO DO? LET US
EXAMINE WHY POTENTIALLY YOU JUST CAN'T REMEMBER GETTING SAVED
EVEN THOUGH YOU REPENTED. REASON EIGHT. PERHAPS YOU SIMPLY DON'T
REMEMBER BECAUSE YOU WERE YOUNG AND, LIKE A TON OF OTHER EVENTS
FROM YOUR YOUTH, YOU'VE SIMPLY FORGOTTEN. THAT'S A POSSIBILITY.
I THINK THAT IT IS AN EXCEPTION WHEN YOUNG CHILDREN GET SAVED,
BUT YOUNG CHILDREN CAN AND DO GET SAVED AND MAYBE THEY JUST
PLAIN FORGOT. MAYBE YOU HAVE SIMPLY FORGOTTEN NUMBER
SEVEN. PERHAPS YOUR REGENERATION WAS SUBTLE AS YOU GREW UP,
INSTRUCTED IN GODLINESS, GOOD FOR YOU IF YOU WERE GROWN UP IN
A CHRISTIAN ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOU WERE NURTURED BY THE WORD OF
GOD, THAT'S A BIG THUMBS-UP BLESSING, BUT BECAUSE OF THAT
ALWAYS BEING INSTRUCTED THAT JESUS LOVES ME THIS I KNOW YOU
MEMORIZE BIBLE VERSES PERHAPS YOU WENT THROUGH SOME FORM OF
CATECHESIS YOU KNEW THEOLOGY SO YOU BELIEVE IN JESUS IT'S ALWAYS
KIND OF THERE AND THE CHANGE WASN'T AS REMARKABLE AS THE
HEROIN ADDICT IN THE GUTTER. THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE NOT
SAVED. IT COULD SIMPLY EXPLAIN WHY YOU CAN'T REMEMBER YOUR
CONVERSION STORY. REASON NUMBER SIX, PERHAPS YOU ALWAYS LOVED
JESUS AND THEREFORE YOUR AFFECTIONS WE'RE NOT RADICALLY
CHANGED. THIS, I THINK, IS A BIG REASON WHY PEOPLE WHO GREW UP IN
CHURCH DON'T HAVE A CONVERSION STORY. REASON NUMBER FIVE.
PERHAPS YOU WERE SO YOUNG AND SHELTERED IT'S A GOOD THING YOU
DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO RACK UP SOME SERIOUS SINS. I'VE HEARD THIS
NEXT STORY MANY MANY TIMES. I NEVER DID THE CRACK, NEVER HAD
PREMARITAL SEX, YOU KNOW I REALLY DON'T HAVE MUCH TO TELL
BY WAY OF CONVERSION. WELL ACTUALLY YOU DO. YOU HAVE A LOT
OF SINS THAT YOU CAN SHARE STARTING WITH THAT YOU DON'T
HAVE A LOT THAT YOU'VE COMMITTED. YOU HAD PRIDE, YOU
WERE REBELLIOUS, YOU WERE DISOBEDIENT. NOW THOSE DON'T
MAKE IT TO THE TOP 10 CONVERSION STORY SINS THAT SO OFTEN WE HEAR
AND GO NOW THAT'S A GOOD TESTIMONY. DON'T LET THAT
CONFOUND YOU. IF YOU WERE BROUGHT UP IN A HOME WHERE YOU
WERE PROTECTED FROM THE BIG NASTIES, PRAISE GOD. BUT THAT
DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOUR REGENERATION CONVERSION IS ANY
LESS EXTRAORDINARY BUT IT COULD EXPLAIN WHY YOU DON'T REALLY
REMEMBER IT. REASON NUMBER FOUR PERHAPS YOU JUST DON'T REMEMBER
VIVIDLY WHEN YOUR OBEDIENCE WENT FROM EXTERNAL TO INTERNAL. THAT
CAN BE A MORE DIFFICULT DISTINCTION TO DETECT. YOU WERE
ALWAYS A GOOD CHILD. YOU GOT SAVED, BAPTIZED, AND THEN YOU
WENT ON TO BECOME A GOOD CHILD AND YOU DON'T REALLY REMEMBER IT
BEING ALL THAT RADICAL. THIS MIGHT EXPLAIN WHY. IT DOESN'T
EXPLAIN WHAT YOU SHOULD DO ABOUT IT, BUT IT DOES EXPLAIN WHY YOU
MIGHT NOT HAVE A CONVERSION STORY. REASON NUMBER THREE,
PERHAPS YOU HAD NOT GONE THROUGH PUBERTY WHEN GOD SAVED YOU. WELL
I CAN'T CITE A TEXT. HISTORICALLY THE CHURCH AND
JUDAISM HAS ASSOCIATED MEMBERSHIP WITH AN AGE WHEN
CHANGES TAKE PLACE. IS THAT POSSIBLE? BECAUSE YOU MADE A
PROFESSION OF FAITH BEFORE YOU STARTED GETTING REVVED UP ON THE
INSIDE AND WHEN YOU STARTED TO CHANGE AND IF NOT ALL KINDS OF
CHALLENGES IT MADE YOU THINK WHOA MAYBE I WASN'T SAVED
BEFOREHAND AND THAT IS WHY THERE ARE SOME DENOMINATIONS THAT WAIT
UNTIL A LATER DATE TO BAPTIZE, IN SOME CASES TO CONFIRM, OR TO
BE BAR OR BAT MITZVAH'D BECAUSE THEY RECOGNIZED FOR A PERSON TO
DENY HIMSELF THEY SHOULD HAVE SOME SORT OF SENSE OF WHAT IT IS
THEY ARE GOING TO BE DENYING AND WITHOUT PUBERTY YOU CAN'T REALLY
HAVE THAT AND PERHAPS THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T HAVE A DRAMATIC
CONVERSION STORY, BUT THERE ARE MORE REASONS. NUMBER TWO,
PERHAPS YOU'VE HEARD SO MANY DRAMATIC CONVERSION STORIES, I
WAS A DRUG SMUGGLING MURDERER FROM ARGENTINA, THAT YOU'VE
FORGOTTEN THAT A CONVERSION STORY DOESN'T NEED TO SOUND LIKE
A MOVIE SCRIPT. IS THAT WHY YOU DON'T THINK YOU HAVE A
CONVERSION STORY? PERHAPS YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU'VE REPENTED
INTENSELY ENOUGH. MAYBE THAT'S BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN REPENTING
SINCE YOU CAN REMEMBER. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT REPENTANCE IS
INDEED A PART OF CONVERSION, A GIFT GRANTED BY GOD, BUT YOU ARE
NEVER GOING TO REPENT AS MUCH AS YOU SHOULD. I'M NEVER GOING TO
SAY I'M SORRY AS INTENSELY AS I SHOULD NOR CAN I CATALOG OR
REMEMBER ALL OF THE SINS AGAINST GOD, NOR CAN YOU. DO NOT BASE
YOUR CONVERSION STORY ON THE INTENSITY OF YOUR REPENTANCE.
BASE YOUR CONVERSION STORY ON... WE'LL TACKLE THAT NEXT ON
WRETCHED. >>SO YOU DON'T HAVE A CONVERSION
STORY. NOW WHAT? NOW WHAT? THERE YOU
GO. WELCOME BACK TO WRETCHED WE MAKE MAGICK
...ONLY NOT. YOU DON'T HAVE A CONVERSION STORY, YOU CAN'T
REMEMBER OR YOU'RE NOT CONVERTED, WHAT DO YOU DO? I
HAVE SIX SUGGESTIONS FOR YOU. HERE WE GO. MAYBE JUST MAYBE
WILL BRING CLARITY. THIS IS PARTICULARLY TRUE WHEN YOU ARE
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH CONVERSION STORY WAS THE REAL
DEAL. MAYBE YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE AND YOU HAD SOME SORT OF
CONVERSION EXPERIENCE WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD, BUT THEN YOU ACTED
LIKE A PRODIGAL AND THEN YOU CAME BACK TO JESUS AND WENT ON
TO LIVE LIKE A PRODIGAL FOR A FEW MORE YEARS AND THEN YOU CAME
BACK TO JESUS OH, AND THIS TIME YOU SENSED THIS IS REALLY
DIFFERENT THIS TIME DOES THAT MEAN I WASN'T SAVED THE OTHER
TIME? WE WILL BRING CLARITY TO YOUR SITUATION. DO NOT GET
BOGGED DOWN WITH NAVEL GAZING. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE BUT
IF YOU'RE CURRENTLY LIVING IN AS A BORN-AGAIN BELIEVER TRUST AND
REST IN THAT. TRUST AND REST IN JESUS NOT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
THE DATE OF YOUR REAL CONVERSION. NUMBER FIVE, JUST
FOR YOU, TRY AND RECALL THE SEASON WHEN YOUR OBEDIENCE
TRANSFERRED FROM A PARENTAL TO A PERSONAL. KEY WORD HERE SEASON.
PERHAPS YOU'VE HEARD CONVERSION STORIES THAT GIVE THE DATE AND
THE TIME WHEN SOMEBODY WAS REGENERATED. GOOD ON THEM BUT
YOU DON'T HAVE THAT. REMEMBER THE SEASON, THE TIME, THE
GENERAL. WHEN YOU USED TO OBEY MOM AND DAD SORT OF SOMETIMES
THEY WERE LOOKING BUT THEN THAT SEASON WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU
STARTED TO CONTEMPLATE THE THINGS OF GOD AND DESIRE
HOLINESS. IF YOU CAN REMEMBER THAT SEASON THEN YOU DO HAVE A
CONVERSION STORY. NUMBER FOUR, TRY TO RECALL WHEN YOU BECAME
OBEDIENT BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO NOT HAD TO. CAN YOU WORK ALL
THAT TIME WHEN DID YOU TO BE OBEDIENT NOT HAD TO BE OBEDIENT?
I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, I DON'T REMEMBER WHEN I GOT SAVED AND
BELIEVE ME I REMEMBER WHEN MY AFFECTION CHANGED I WAS
RADICALLY BROKEN BY GOD. I'M NOT SURE WHAT MONTH IT WAS I'M NOT
SURE WHAT YEAR IT WAS FRANKLY BECAUSE I DON'T KEEP TRACK. IT'S
PART OF A MEMORY ISSUE THAT DOESN'T MATTER. I DO REMEMBER
WHEN I USED TO PRETEND TO LIKE THE THINGS OF GOD BUT DIDN'T ACT
LIKE IT. NOW I REALLY DO. CAN YOU REMEMBER THAT TIME EVEN IF
YOU CAN'T PINPOINT IT? AND ANOTHER THING TO CONSIDER.
NUMBER THREE, TRY TO RECALL WHEN YOUR AFFECTIONS CHANGED AND
JESUS BECAME PRECIOUS TO YOU. NOT JUST OBEDIENCE BUT YOUR
EMOTIONS AND YOUR FEELINGS. DID YOU USE TO SING JESUS LOVES ME
THIS I KNOW FOR THE-- BUT THEN YOU WENT THROUGH SOMETHING AND
ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU JUST FOUND YOURSELF BREAKING OUT IN SONG
BECAUSE I LOVE GOD SO MUCH. IF YOU CAN REMEMBER THAT TIME
THAT'S PROBABLY THE TIME GOD CONVERTED YOU. CONSIDERATION
NUMBER TWO, ULTIMATELY DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, THE QUESTION FOR
YOU IS NOT DO I HAVE A CONVERSION STORY BUT AM I LIVING
LIKE I AM CONVERTED? REMEMBER YOUR ENTRANCE INTO THE KINGDOM
IS NOT BASED ON YOUR STORY IT'S BASED ON JESUS. DO I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT THAT EVERY CHRISTIAN HAS A TESTIMONY? YES I DO, BUT
WOULD I MAKE A LAW AND SEE IF YOU DON'T HAVE A CONVERSION
STORY YOU'RE NOT REALLY SAVED. NO IT'S A POSSIBILITY. WE
DISCUSSED THAT BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON YOU JUST DON'T HAVE IT. I
CAN'T CONDEMN YOU SHOULD CONDEMN YOURSELF. THE QUESTION IS WHAT'S
GOING ON? HOW DO I THINK? HOW DO I FEEL? HOW DO I ACT? HOW DO I
SPEAK? HOW DO I TREAT OTHER PEOPLE? AND IF YOU CAN LOOK AT
THOSE THINGS AND SAY WELL CERTAINLY CHANGED ME EVEN IF YOU
CAN'T REMEMBER WHEN YOU CAN STILL KNOW THAT YOU ARE HIS. AND
FINALLY IF YOU DON'T HAVE A CONVERSION STORY ASK ARE YOUR
AFFECTIONS FOR HIM OOH, DO YOU HATE SIN, DO YOU LOVE THE
SAVIOR, DO YOU SEE FRUIT IN KEEPING WITH REPENTANCE, ARE YOU
GROWING IN HOLINESS, IF SO CONGRATULATIONS IF YOU ANSWERED
YES TO THOSE QUESTIONS THEN YOU HAVE A CONVERSION STORY. SO WHAT
DO YOU DO IF YOU CAN'T GIVE THAT DATE OR THE TIME OR THE
PARTICULARS? YOU DON'T HAVE TO, INSTEAD DESCRIBE HOW YOU ONCE
FELT AND NOW WHAT YOU FEEL, BELIEVE, THINK, AND ACT LIKE
BECAUSE GOD CONVERTED YOU EVEN IF YOU DON'T REMEMBER. UNTIL
TOMORROW, GO SERVE YOUR KING .
