4. The Inner Motions of Conversion.
conversio absolvitur). If conversion is effected through the Gospel with the help of the law, then this already describes the inner processes under which conversion takes place. These are a. the terrors of conscience (terrores conscientiae) which the heart feels for the sin recognized by the law, Acts 16:29-30: Evtpopios yevouEvos.... EON Kvptot ti se dei zo1Eiv iva GMBH; b. the trust of the heart (fiducia cordis) in the forgiveness of sins, which is promised in the Gospel, Acts 16:31: Iliotevoov éni tov Kbptov Inoodtv kai owOijon; conversion thus includes repentance and faith. Where these inner processes, worked by the Holy Spirit through law and gospel, are not present, there is no conversion. Where they are, there is no doubt about true conversion. When asked about the quantity of repentance and faith, it must be said that there is no particular degree of neither repentance nor faith to be demanded. True
repentance is present when man not only fears the temporal punishments of his sins, but gives up as eternally lost for his sins, Acts 16:30: Repentance out of love for God does not belong to conversion, but follows only after faith in Christ. True faith is there when only a spark of faith (scintillula fidei, F. C. 601, 54 [Zrigl. 903, 54]) glows in the heart, that is, when even a desire or longing for God's grace is present in Christ (desiderium gratiae divinae et aeternae salutis, F.C. 591, 14 [Trigl. 885, 14]). It is of the utmost importance to describe correctly the interior processes by which conversion takes place. First, it is necessary to resist both carnal security and despair. This can only happen if we do not count too little or too much for conversion. We would promote carnal security if we taught conversion without terrores conscientiae, and we would, as much as there is in us, drive souls to despair if we would count more than trust in the forgiveness of sins promised in the Gospel to bring about conversion. Secondly, it is necessary to resist the slander by the synergists. As experience teaches, the synergists have the habit of accusing those who do not accept human participation for conversion of being forced to teach a forced conversion without inner movement in the heart and conscience of man. The Lutheran Confessions also repeatedly and in great detail sharpen the inner processes of conversion in the face of this slander. F. C. 601, 54 [Trig/. 903, 54]: "Through this means, namely the preaching and hearing of His Word, God works and breaks our hearts and teaches man that through the preaching of the law he recognizes his sin and God's wrath and feels true terror, repentance and suffering in his heart, and through the preaching and contemplation of the holy Gospel of the gracious forgiveness of sins in Christ, a spark of faith is kindled in him, he accepts the forgiveness of sins for Christ's sake and consoles himself with the promise of the Gospel." 178