The Conversion of every Christian

Credit Mr. C.H. Spurgeon with the following story.

I've written briefly of this story before, but I feel it necessary to elaborate; especially since I recently had a friend ask me about why Christians can't marry non-Christians. To answer this question - and here's where that already discussed story comes in - I must explain what a Christian is. What is a Christian? Let the old story about the pig turning into a man tell it:

Once there was a pig named Terrence. Like all other pigs, he enjoyed doing what other pigs did. Playing in his filth and eating slop were among the high light of his life. One day as Terrence was enjoying the filth of his surroundings, a farmer came by to present him with a choice. Placing two plates of food beside him, one one the left and the other on the right, the farmer said to Terrence, "choose this day which you would have, a plate of the finest gourmet food or your usual bucket of slop." Without hesitation, Terrence choose his usual slop, and eat gleefully all while rolling in his filth. Disappointed, the farmer left the farm; all while being unnoticed by the happy pig.

Some years later, another farmer stopped by with a similar choice. Again placing a gourmet meal before him with his usual slop, the farmer spoke, "eat of the slop and you will die. But if you eat what is good, you will live!" In almost an instant, the heart of this gleeful pig was opened to understand the choice. Upon understanding the words of the farmer, Terrence was changed from a pig to a man. As he stood upon his two feet, he looked around the farm and saw hundreds of pigs doing what they usually do, namely feasting upon slop and frolicking in their filth. As he looked at the state of his once loved brothers and other pigs, he began to cry, as well as be ashamed at what he was. A few seconds ago he was just like all the rest on the farm. He loved to dine on the slop of his sin, and play in the filth of his iniquity. But now, only a few moments after hearing the wandering farmer, his nature was changed. No longer could he enjoy the foul feeling of filth under his feet, or tolerate the stench of slop. Terrence the man had to move on.

Therein lies the conversion of me and all Christians. Once we were like all men, enjoying our filth and feasting on the slop of sin. We were blind, deaf, and oblivious to the ways of God. We were like all others - children of wrath, slaves of sin and of Satan. But God, because of the great love with which he loved us, while we were yet wicked, made us alive together with Christ. By Grace we have been given a nature change. So what is a Christian? This story hardly explains the complexity of what the answer entails. However, it will give some insight into some magnificent truth. A Christian is one who by God's grace, has been born again, or regenerated insomuch that they now love to do what they use to hate, namely submit and surrender to God's will, and what they used to love - viz - sin, self sufficiency, and being autonomous, they now hate. A Christian is like me: once was lost but is now found; was blind but now I see.
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