Until CHRIST Be Formed in You

"My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you." —Galatians 4:19 [KJV]

Many sincere disciples, who are convinced of sin, hope in themselves cut off, and have fled to Jesus for refuge, are often distressed because they have not been under such dreadful terrors of legal wrath which others talk of, and are mistaken for the pangs and travail of the new birth. But there is no authority from scripture to conclude we must have such great terrors of hell and damnation ere we come to and believe on Christ. Nay, the law may work great wrath in the conscience, and yet the soul never be converted to Jesus and the holiness of the gospel. 

The Spirit is a sovereign Agent. Enlightened, convinced souls are differently wrought on; some feel more, others less terror; but each see the sinfulness of sin, their lost state by nature, the spirituality of the law and the preciousness of Jesus before they will come to Him. On such the dear Saviour "sees the travail of His soul, and is satisfied."—Isaiah 53:11. Zion, the church, in her living members, travails in faith and prayer, and by her, as the mother, children are brought forth.—Isaiah 66:8. 

Ministers, in their painful labours and endeavours, travail that souls may be born to Jesus. Thus laborious and affectionate Paul travailed in birth again for the apostatizing Galatians. He had been in pain for them till they were brought forth at first as a holy seed in their conversion to Jesus; but now his soul was pained at their turning back again to the law. 

Children of God, though little in knowledge, and weak in faith, are as dear to Jesus as adult Christians; so are they to His faithful ministers. But they are fearful of believing too much in, and trusting too much on, the finished work of Jesus. Their poor legal hearts are ever, now and then, looking to the law, and leaning to something of their own; but the Spirit will not leave such to abide in a feeble, infantine state. 

Ministers labour and travail for their growth in grace, by the knowledge of Jesus: the gracious Spirit, by the Word, forms Christ more perfectly in them; He increases more perfect knowledge of His finished salvation, in the full atonement of His blood, the perfection of His righteousness, and the prevalency of His intercession for their justification and acceptance with God: and also in their sanctification, He more perfectly forms the image of Christ in them, as to the disposition of their hearts and conformity of their lives. "We are changed into His image by the Spirit of the Lord."—II Corinthians 3:18.

Glory to God the Spirit give, 

From whose Almighty pow'r, 

Our souls their heav'nly birth derive, 

And bless the happy hour.

Dear LORD, Thou Spirit, with us stay, 

And let us not Thee grieve; 

O, guide us thro' our desert way, 

And never, never leave.

 

-preacher William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)