Is it wrong to force a conversion?

Answer

Forced conversion is the act of using pressure, force, or threats to compel someone to forsake their beliefs in favor of another religion. This practice leads to the adoption of a different faith (or the rejection of all faith) under coercion. Forced conversion is prevalent in certain religions, cults, and totalitarian regimes, but it can be viewed differently from a Christian perspective.

In essence, forced conversion is unethical. Expanding the followers of a religion should not involve any form of coercion. Often, forced conversion proves ineffective: individuals coerced into a different faith may feign conversion outwardly while remaining loyal to their original beliefs in secret.

Becoming a Christian through force or coercion is impossible. While it may be feasible to compel someone to participate in a religious ritual or recite prayers, true Christianity is not about rituals or superficial prayers. It entails a spiritual rebirth by the guidance of God’s Spirit, and no amount of human pressure can manipulate this process. God discerns the intentions of the heart. True transformation cannot be imposed externally.

Throughout history, some religious leaders have resorted to force to compel individuals to join their faith, but not Jesus. He sacrificed His life and calls upon us to follow His example. His kingdom operates in a manner distinct from worldly norms. Jesus informed Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place” «Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. », (John 18:36).

Forced conversion also goes against the free will that God has granted each individual. We extend an invitation to all to participate in the faith willingly.

Be saved, but we do not constrain them. We recognize that people must repent and believe on their own, as the Holy Spirit works in their hearts (see John 16:8). Jesus alluded to the sinner’s free will as He spoke to a rebellious Jerusalem: “How often I have longed to gather your children together, . . . and you were not willing” « O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! », (Luke 13:34, emphasis added).

In Acts 16, Paul and Silas meet a man in the Greek city of Philippi who asks an important question about salvation. We know at least three things about this man: he was a jailer, he was a pagan, and he was desperate. He had been on the verge of suicide when Paul stopped him. And that’s when the man asks, “What must I do to be saved?” «and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? », (Acts 16:30).

The very fact that the man asks the question shows that he recognized his need of salvation—he saw only death for himself, and he knew he needed help. The fact that he asks Paul and Silas shows that he believed they had the answer. That answer comes swiftly and simply: “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” «And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. », (Acts 16:31). The passage goes on to show that the man’s life began displaying a difference right away. Note that the man’s conversion was based on faith (“Believe”). He had to trust Jesus and nothing else. His faith included a belief that Jesus died for sin and rose again, because that was the message that Paul and Silas had been preaching.

(see Romans 10:9-10 and 1 Corinthians 15:1-4). The salvation of the Philippian jailer was far from a coerced conversion; instead, it was based on his genuine desire and a decision to place his faith in Christ.

To embrace Christianity, we must acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God who died for our sins and was resurrected. We must confess to God that we are sinners in need of salvation, and we must rely solely on Jesus for our deliverance. By doing so, God assures us of salvation and bestows upon us the Holy Spirit, who will transform us into new beings. Being a Christian entails having a personal connection with Jesus Christ that leads to the pardon of sins and an eternity in heaven. Such a relationship cannot be imposed. True faith is not forced.