Changed!

"..are changed." -II Corinthians 3:18 [KJV]

What a blessed and glorious change has passed upon our souls! Lord help us to consider it this night to Thy glory, and our comfort, how, by whom, and why are we changed. 

(1st.) How are we changed? From sinful into sinless creatures? No. Some speak of this change, as if it were a total change of our corrupt nature. Hence, many dear children of God, finding and feeling all the ruins of their fallen nature from day to day, are surely distressed, and conclude that no spiritual change has passed upon their souls. But this change is purely spiritual. It passeth upon the spirit of our minds. These were enmity against God. Now they love God, and delight in the law of God. 

Our souls, once dead in sin, are now alive to God. We are translated from darkness into light. We see with open face, in the glass of the gospel, the glory of Jesus, in all His offices and precious salvation. Hence our minds are changed into His image. We are united to Him, and are one with Him. The image of God, lost in the fall, is restored to our souls in Christ. We are in Him, as righteous before God as though we had never sinned: as holy and without spot of sin, as though we had never lost our innocence. Such is our glorious change. This is the joy of faith. This is above nature: beyond carnal sense. 

(2d.) By whom are we changed? By the Lord the Spirit. Being loved of God the Father when dead in sin: being redeemed by God the Son from our sins: God the Spirit changes us from dead sinners, into living saints in Christ. 

(3d.) To what end? That we should admire ourselves, glory in ourselves, and so trust in ourselves as to expect God’s favour and eternal life, for what we are in ourselves? O no. Though changed into the image of Christ, yet we shall find all the evil of sin in our flesh. Though new creatures in Christ, still the old man, with all his corrupt lusts and carnal affections, is alive in us. This is enough to humble us. 

But the Spirit changes us, that we should glory in, and glory of Christ. That all our joy and rejoicing should be in the Lamb of God, Who hath taken away our sins, for ever saved our souls, and brought us into sweet peace and holy fellowship with God, that we may enjoy Him in love, and walk before Him in holiness below, and live and reign eternally with Him above. These are the great and glorious ends of our being changed. One change more, and we are in glory. We shall all be changed, body and soul, into the image of the heavenly Jesus. 

 

Chang’d in my state, my heart and ways, 

By power of the sacred THREE: 

My soul adore this Lord of grace, 

And walk in love and purity. 

Rejoice, another change awaits 

Thee, a new-born child of God: 

Thou soon shall pass the heav’nly gates, 

Free from all sin with glory clad.

 

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

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