MARKS OF TRUE CONVERSION

Ruth 1:16-17; Acts 9:1-20; Mat.18:1-3; 2Cor.7:11

The story of Ruth in the Bible is one of the most beautiful stories of love commitment and dedication. It is also a story that shows the great care and compassion of our God towards all that He has created. In this story which we started last week we see Ruth a widow from Moab was transported into Judah, where through a series divine arrangements became the wife of Boaz, of the house of Judah.

Having studies up a little more on this book, I would like to bring to you two important points. First I want to show that all the incidents in the journey of Ruth are pure and according to God's plan. Second I will show what lesson we can learn about true conversion to Christ from book of Ruth. Ruth was a picture of a virtuous woman, a godly woman, a woman of kind, compassionate and sacrificial character. God’s choice of a great grand mother of the king David was a perfect choice.

(Ruth 2) As soon as they arrived in Judah, Ruth set out to find food and provision for Naomi and herself. She went gleaning during the barley harvest (Lev.19:9-10). See the love and mercy of God to those who are disadvantaged! The field she gleaned from belonged to Boaz of Bethlehem who turned out to be a near kinsman of Elimelech (Ruth 2:3). Boaz showed her great kindness. Her story of love and care had reached him and he instructed her to remain with his harvesters for the duration of the harvest (Ruth 2:7-12).

(Ruth 3) “My daughter shall I not seek security (rest) for you that it may be well with you?” (Ruth 3:1). As one writer has said, Boaz and Ruth were not ‘dating’. Dating in the western context is the making of usually casual romantic relationships, which can easily be broken if one party feels uncomfortable with it. Dating is not real because the persons involved are usually putting up a front or a mask to show themselves in the best lights even though that is not naturally who they really are. This is not the case here (see D.Guzik).

Boaz was a family “kinsman redeemer”. What does that mean. He is responsible to buy back family forfeited inheritance (Lev.25:25); He is the member of the family charged with buying an Israelite slave back (Lev.25:48). He is also responsible to avenge the blood of any murdered member of the family (Num.35:19); He was responsible for marrying a childless widow of the family to perpetuate (preserve) the name of that family.

Naomi wanted Boaz to marry Ruth according to Jewish custom to preserve the family of Elimelech.

When you read (Ruth 3) what picture do you get? Was Naomi asking Ruth to provocatively offer herself sexually to Boaz? By no means! This was an act of total submission and plea for protection under the kinsman-redeemer Jewish law. She would lie down at his feet according to custom, as a servant, totally humble and submissive. She came to claim a right. She was not there on a promiscuous adventure. And Boaz was known as a kind, godly man. Ruth herself was a godly woman of virtue.

She has come to seek refuge and protection of her dead husband’s rights according to Jewish law. Elimelech, the noble kinsman-redeemer acknowledged that responsibility. This is a picture of Christ who came to redeem us helpless wonderers.  He is our Kinsman Redeemer. We must go to him for salvation, help and protection.

Let us now see the lesson of true conversion from the story of Ruth.

DECISIVE SEPARATION

 

From One kingdom To Another

From Many gods to the One True God

From Those Who Remain As They Are

We now move to the second lesson from this book – conversion,  which is divided into three parts – Decisive Separation, Total Identification and Single-minded Determination. We will try to draw inferences relating to our salvation from this section (1Cor7:11) 

Separation from one kingdom to another (Ruth 1:16-17; John 3:3; Eph.2:19; 5:5; Mat.7:21; 2Cor.6:14-18). Ruth came out from among the Moabites and their god’s. Have you come out of the world?  To belong to God’s Kingdom requires you to separate from the kingdoms of this world, from the unbelieving associations of this world.

Ruth did not look back to see what Orpah was doing. Orpah made her choice to go back to the god’s of Moab, But Ruth decided to cling to the God of Israel.

Conversion involves two elements, repentance and turning from sin and idols (Acts 26:17-20; 11:21). This saving faith come from knowledge, when your eyes are opened to the truth of God’s word. It is not a leap in the dark.

Conversion is a decisive turn around, a paradigm shift, an antithesis, a reverse, an opposite of what you were before. Jesus compressed it in saying, ye must be born again – suggesting a totally new person. You cannot be saved except and until this has happened (Mat.18:3; Rom.3:23; 6:23; (Ezek.18:4); Rom.5:8; 6:23; 10:9-10; 10:13 Acts 3:19). You can come to Church as you are but you must not leave as you came.

TOTAL IDENTIFICATION

Ruth 1:16-17

Identification With God And His People

Identification Now And Forever

Identification Wherever and Whatever

When you separate yourself from the world and it idols, you identify with the one true God. The Moabites worshipped Baal and the Ashtoreth. These were believed to be gods of fertility, responsible for the fruitfulness of the land. People had little figurines of Baal and Ashtoreth (a naked goddess). Remember that Balak invited Balaam to the high place of Baal from where to curse Israel (Num.22:40-41). It was during a festival to this god and goddess that Israel fell into prostitution and fornication with the daughters of Moab (Num.25:1-3; 31:13-16). By the time of the Judges, Baal and Ashtoreth had altars in Israel (Judges 2:13). King Ahab married Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal king Sidon and they concerted most parts of Israel to the worship of Baal. This was the spiritual climate when Ruth made her decision to follow the God of Israel. She must have been taught by her late husband and her mother in law about the God of Israel.

Ruth loved the God of Israel – your God shall be my God. Her decision was final. She turned her back on Baal and Ashtoreth. She turned her back on Moab. She identified with the God of Israel. She identified with people of Israel (Heb.11:24-26; Psalm 84:10-12; Acts 11:23). Wherever Christ leads, there you will go though there be trials (1Peter 1:7)

SINGLEMINDED DETERMINATION

Determination Before The Lord

Determination To Suffer With God’s People

Determination To Follow Till the End

Determination Not Open To Discussion

Conversion involves single-minded determination. When you want to follow Christ you don’t ask the opinion of friends (Gal.1:15-18; Acts 26:16-20; John 2:5). That single minded determination will sometimes lead to suffering (Mat.5:10-12; 2Tim.3:12). Following Jesus in this age requires single minded determination. This determination requires courage to follow to the end, never to give up. If you have to give up your faith in Christ just because someone is not happy about it, then you not fit for the Kingdom of God (Luke 9:62).
Seven things are mentioned in (1Cor.7:11) (I) Earnestness, (ii) Clearing Of Yourself, (iii) Indignation (iv) Fear (of grieving God, or making another fall), (v) Vehement Desire, (vi) Zeal, (vii) Revenge! You need to determine to follow till the end. Let the milk of the word of God feed and nourish you (1Pet.2:2). A great reward awaits you in the end. As Ruth received what she never dreamed of so the Lord promises you what eyes have not seen no nears heard (1John 5:4; Rev.2:7, 11, 17,  26; 3:5, 12, 21; Rev.21:7. This is the time to stand for God and Christ and for His Glory.