Confession of faith or actually a conversion to the faith? What a huge question for a Sunday morning. Today is St. Patrick’s Day. We in the United States celebrate it with parades, shamrocks and wearing green. The reason being is because St. Patrick is said to be the apostle of Ireland who brought Christianity to the country. What a powerful statement to be remembered for and what a joy to live in a country that still celebrates the spreading of the gospel, albeit with drinking green beer today as another way of celebrating.

As I was reading about this man today, I learned he went to Ireland originally at the age of 16 as a captive/slave and stayed there for 6 years being a herdman. Once he was released he returned to his home, became a cleric in the Catholic Church and then went as a missionary back to Ireland after a vision he had in which he heard “the voice of Ireland” calling for him to come and walk among them. He went to Ireland and it is said about him, “Patrick was the first bishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland, and is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland, converting a pagan society in the process.”

When I read about the conversion of a nation, I began to ask the question of us as believers, missionaries, people of God. Have we truly be converted to a faith or did we just make a confession of a faith? To be converted is to Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Or did we just Romans 10:9 “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Many people have said a prayer, that is a confession, but of those who have made a confession, how many have truly had a conversion? On this St. Patricks Day, we are reminded that confession and conversion are not synonymous. Nations were converted at the preaching of the gospel, and we are in need of those who will be converted, so nations can go from death to life again and it starts with me being converted not just confessing. This is what St. Patrick’s message was, conversion that changes culture.