It is God who Converts

It is God himself who convicts hearts and gives faith.

"I am persuaded that he who began this good work in you will make it perfect for the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6

If we want to rewrite this verse, we'd say: "God, who began this good work in you, will make it perfect for the day of Jesus Christ." In effect, the apostle Paul wants to explain to us, by this, that all spiritual work is the work of God himself. It belongs to the Holy Spirit.

He creates the desire and the doing, the interest and the realization, the love and its practice. If God used Paul to proclaim Jesus Christ to the Philippians, but to convert hearts that depends on Himself and not on Paul proclaiming the Word.

It is God who sanctifies and makes us perfect in His own image. Man has no power to make himself perfect and another perfect. Otherwise Paul would have said: "I will make perfect the work I began in you by preaching the gospel to you...". He would have said that would be a big lie.

Preachers simply announce the gospel, but it's God himself who convinces hearts and gives faith. This is why the people must learn to call on God in times of need. "But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you." (John 11:22)

Pasteur Clémentine