One In Christ JESUS

"Ye are all one in CHRIST JESUS." -Galatians 3:28 [KJV]

Will a covetous man be contented with the notion that he is rich? If your body was in pain, would it give you ease, to think of a remedy, without experiencing its salutary effects? What avails all the refined notions of eternal union, without experiencing that the soul is vitally united to Christ, by the power of the Spirit, through faith? O my soul, I charge thee not to rest satisfied, with the notion of the doctrine of union, without the comforts of the grace of being united to Christ, and being one with Him in heart and affection. O my Jesus, to Thee I look and pray, to find and feel more and more the sweet experience of this. Give it my soul, out of Thy fulness. 

Consider, (1st.) The persons here spoken of, ye. Ye Jews, who had the form of godliness, without the power: ye Gentile sinners, who once had neither the form nor the power of Christianity: ye apostate sinners, who yesterday were haters of God, at enmity against His law, rebels against His government, in league with sin, death, and hell, fighting under the prince of darkness: see what ye are now: behold what grace has done for you: see into Whom it has implanted you. 

 

(2d.) “In Christ Jesus.” Not only in the knowledge of Him, faith in Him, hope on Him, and love to Him: though all this is precious; but much more. Ye are mystically and spiritually united to Christ, as truly as your soul is to your body, your body to your head, or your hand to your body. Now Christ is your life, your husband, your wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (I Corinthians 1:30.) Ye are complete—perfect in Him, (Colossians 2:10.) Simply believe this.  Look to Christ for the comfort of this. Glorify the Spirit for the grace of this. 

(3d.) “Ye are all ONE in Christ.” Whether Jew or Gentile, churchman or dissenter, etc., we, being many (though of different denominations and opinions) are one body, (I Corinthians 10:17.) Christ is the Head. We are all members in Him, and of one another. As Luther says, “We have the same Christ; I, thou, and all the faithful, which Peter, Paul, and all the saints had.” We are all in the same Jesus: have all one Father: one Comforter: and are of one Spirit. Then let this faith subdue all unholy strife, and excite all heavenly love to each other. O let us make it manifest that we are in Christ, by following Him Who is our peace, and by holding the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. “Let us consider one another, to provoke unto love and to good works.” -Hebrews 10:24 

Thou, sinners’ only hope and Friend, 

Within my soul still reign; 

Rule my heart, and put an end 

To all my strife and pain. 

Let faith, and love, and every grace, 

Within me more abound; 

That I may prove in ev’ry place, 

That Jesus I have found.

 

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

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