Then they (the men on the boat) called on the Lord and said, “We earnestly pray, O Lord, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life and do not put innocent blood on us; for You, O Lord, have done as You have pleased.” So they picked up Jonah, threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging. Then the men feared the Lord greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.

Jonah 1:14-16 

In the midst of Jonah’s attempt to flee, we see the redemptive power of God. In the midst of the storm, the men in the boat with Jonah are going to be converted.

Conversion is not simply persuasion towards a certain ideology nor is it merely religious or doctrinal thinking. Conversion points to a change of one’s mind and a transformation of the heart. It is the essence of repentance. Conversion is essential for spiritual life both now and in eternity. Jesus gives us two important declarations regarding conversion. Consider His words: 

Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

                                                                                                                         John 3:3 

Unless we are born again (converted), we cannot see the kingdom of heaven. The term “born again Christian” is an accurate one as it leans on Jesus’ statement regarding conversion. Without a born again experience, we are spiritually dead. This is the spiritual state of the majority of the world. To be spiritually dead is to be void of the Holy Spirit and without spiritual understanding. Eternity for the spiritually dead is separation from God in hell. But for those who are born again, the kingdom of God is theirs.

Consider Jesus’ second statement regarding conversion: 

And He (Jesus) called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

                                                                                                                 Matthew 18:2-3 

Conversion requires humility. We must admit our need for salvation (confession), change our mind about our life’s direction (repentance), and receive salvation by faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross (redemption). When this occurs, we move from being spiritually dead to being spiritually alive. This transformation changes everything, our thinking, our attitudes, and what we truly value. With conversion, we become heirs to the kingdom of God and enjoy a relationship with Christ. But Jesus reminds us twice that without authentic conversion we will not see nor enter the kingdom of God.

The men on the boat were in need of this spiritual conversion. The storm had shaken them up and each one of them was crying out to their god (little g). Jonah however had fallen asleep in the lower part of the boat.

Jonah, knowing this was happening as a result of his running, instructed the men to toss him into the sea. As with most of us, the men were reluctant to follow his instructions. It didn’t sound plausible that ejecting Jonah from the boat would solve their problem. Instead, the men rowed even harder in an attempt to get to shore. When the futility of their efforts was realized, they acted on the instructions of Jonah but not before praying.

I like the prayer of those men prior to throwing Jonah overboard. It reflects what most of us would probably have thought as well. First, they prayed that they would not die as a result of Jonah’s disobedience. Secondly, they asked that God not hold what they were about to do against them. Knowing that they wanted to live and that they were desperate to do anything to calm the storm, they submitted their request to God and over Jonah went.

At the moment the sea was quieted, we see evidence of the conversion of the men. I believe that it is important to note that their commitment to God came after His delivering them from the storm. While it is certainly healthy for unbelievers to have a fear of hell and eternal separation from God, fear does not always act as a sufficient motivator. I wonder how many “commitments” have been made to God during a crisis situation only to be completely forgotten after deliverance from that calamity? We often make deals with God asking for His divine assistance. But when that assistance is fully known, our promises to “change” are often unrealized. While fear should drive us to the cross, we should remember that it is the power of the cross that changes us, not our attempts to become “better people.” Fear may have played a role in bringing these men to conversion but their behavior after the storm demonstrates that their decision was not just an effort to escape catastrophe.

The men revealed their true conversion by: (1) fearing the Lord (attitude), (2) offering sacrifices (worship), and (3) making vows (commitment). As born again believers, our lives should also exemplify this heart change. We should have an attitude of reverent fear and respect for the Lord while resting in the peace that comes from redemption (1 John 4:18). We should be enjoying authentic worship flowing from a Spirit-filled heart (John 4:23-24). And we should be living our lives in service to God as we use the gifts and talents that He has given to us (2 Corinthians 5:15).

The men in the boat with Jonah were converted. How about you? Have you been born again?