LETTER ON CONVERSION

^[p. 205] LETTER ON CONVERSION

464 East 26th Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. October 8th, 1922.

My dear Brother,

I have your letter of September 20th and I am interested in its contents. The expression that the children of the saints do not need conversion is misleading and indeed literally untrue, as many, alas! get far astray; but even as to those who do not go into the world the statement is misleading, unless guarded. I do not recall making this statement-if I did it would be to call attention to the difference between those wholly away from God and the children of believers who have proceeded outwardly with their parents in the truth. It is really a question of the right use of words. The word ‘convert’ or ‘conversion’ has reference to persons who by profession or conduct are wholly away from God. The word therefore could hardly apply to Timothy, for there is no evidence that he had turned away from the faith of his mother and grandmother.

But then “that which is born of the flesh is flesh”, and hence the children of believers need to be born again as others, and this, I think, is what needs to be pressed. The fact that the flesh profits nothing should be pressed on children and the necessity not only of being born of the Spirit, but also of water. It is in the evidence of possessing spiritual instincts and pure instincts that the children of believers, who have not by word or deed adopted the world, should be accepted as eligible for christian fellowship. And I believe a young person should be able to give some account of when he began to experience the effect of the work ^[p. 206] of God in him. Besides, as you say, most young people commit sins of various kinds secretly and are sinners according to Romans 3 and so are in need of the change effected by the work of God in them as others.

With love in the Lord, I am, Affectionately in Him,
(Signed) JAMES TAYLOR.