Until Christ Be Formed In You

Q: What does the Bible say about self-examination for Christians?

The Bible emphasizes the importance of self-examination to ensure one is truly in Christ and not deceived by a false sense of assurance. Scripture consistently calls believers to examine themselves, as seen in 2 Corinthians 13:5, where Paul advises to test whether Christ is indeed in them. This theme is echoed in Philippians 3:10, where Paul expresses his desire to know Christ fully, indicating that self-reflection is crucial. Additionally, David exemplifies this search for God in Psalm 42:1, showing that a genuine relationship with God requires constant introspection and an earnest pursuit of His presence.

Q: How do we know if we are truly saved?

True salvation is evidenced by a living union with Christ, demonstrating ongoing faith and transformation in our lives. Genuine salvation is described as a dynamic relationship with Christ, characterized by continual faith and growth. John 1:12 says that receiving Christ is central to becoming a child of God, and John 3:3 highlights the necessity of being born again to enter the Kingdom of God. Furthermore, authentic salvation is reflected in a transformed life, as seen in John 15:5, where abiding in Christ results in bearing fruit. This ongoing relationship is vital; it is not a mere one-time decision but a lifetime commitment to walking with and in Him.

Q: Why is being born again important for Christians?

Being born again is essential for entering the Kingdom of God, as it signifies a spiritual transformation and new life in Christ. The concept of being born again is central to understanding salvation in the Christian faith. As stated in John 3:3, unless one is born again, they cannot see the Kingdom of God. This new birth involves a radical change in nature, where the believer receives the life of God and becomes a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). This transformation is not merely behavioral but signifies a profound spiritual renewal that aligns the believer's desires and actions with the will of God. Without this critical change, one cannot authentically claim the title of a child of God.

Q: How does salvation relate to a living union with Christ?

Salvation is fundamentally about a living union with Christ, which produces genuine faith and good works in the believer's life. In historic Reformed theology, salvation is understood as entering into a vital and personal relationship with Jesus Christ. John 15:5 illustrates this concept, where Christ describes Himself as the vine, and believers as the branches—depicting an inseparable connection that yields spiritual fruit. This union is deepened through the work of the Holy Spirit, who cultivates faith and obedience. Additionally, when Paul speaks of Christ in us as the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27), he emphasizes that this union is not static but active and transformative, leading to a life that reflects Christ's character and mission in the world.

I want you to take your Bibles
and open them with me to the book of Galatians, chapter 4,
verse 19. Now, this will be a very important
message for each of you. I do pray that you listen carefully,
following the scripture. Galatians 4, verse 19. Paul writing
says this, My little children, of whom I prevail in birth again,
and here's our text, and here's our topic. until Christ be formed
in you. Till Christ be formed in you. Now the greatest mistake that
I can possibly make is to assume, to take for granted, to suppose
that I am a child of God. That's a great mistake. And neglect
that important work of self-examination that important work of always
continually seeking the Lord, seeking the Lord. Now Paul said
this in Philippians chapter 3, O that I may win Christ and be
found in him. Paul, who had been an apostle,
a founder of churches, who wrote 13 of the 27 books in the New
Testament, and yet here we have him exclaiming, O that I may
know Christ and the power of his resurrection, all that I
might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. And Peter wrote
this in his book, Give diligence to make your calling and election
sure. And even David, the sweet psalmist
of Israel, said, As the deer panteth for the water brooks,
so panteth my soul for thee, the living God. Now, we read
scriptures like this, preachers, Sunday school teachers, church
attenders. We read scriptures like this
throughout the Bible. The heart is deceitful. Above
all things and desperately wicked, who can know it? And we reply,
but not mine. Not my heart. I know that I'm
all right. Other people may have deceitful
hearts. Other people may be deceived,
but I'm not deceived. And then we read scriptures like
this. Who hath believed our report? To whom is the arm of the Lord
revealed, or the power of God? And we reply, well certainly
to me. I'm deeply religious, I'm deeply taught, I'm orthodox,
I'm fundamental, I can't be wrong. And then we read scriptures like
this Paul writing to the church of Corinth and said, I fear,
I'm troubled, lest Satan beguile you from the simplicity of Christ. unless Satan trick you and deceive
you. And we think, well, others may
be deceived, and they may be beguiled, but certainly not me.
And then we read in Matthew 7, our Lord said, many will say
unto me in the day of judgment, well, Lord, I preached in your
name, and I prophesied in your name, and I cast out devils in
your name, and I will say to them, he said, depart from me,
I never knew you, ye workers of iniquity. But that can't happen. I've had an experience. I'm faithful. I've joined the church. I've
served the Lord. So have these people. Now, we need to be cautioned
against religious presumption. We need to be cautioned against
an assurance that has no foundation. Before our Lord went to the cross,
he was sitting around the Last Supper table with his disciples.
And he said to them, the twelve, one of you will betray me. one of you will sell me. And
they, every one, looked at him, and every one of them, the scripture
says all of them, began to say, Lord, is it I? Is it I? Now have we graduated beyond
that point of self-examination? When the scripture continually
tells us when we come to the table of the Lord to examine
ourselves, not come with presumption, examine ourselves, and so eat
the Lord's table. Examine ourselves whether Christ
is in us, except we be reprobates. Know ye not your own selves,
how that Christ dwelleth in you, except you be a reprobate. Our Lord Jesus Christ, when he
was twelve years of age, his parents took him up to Jerusalem
for a certain feast day. And they stayed there two or
three or four days, and then they left. And the scripture
says they had gone a full day's journey. And they began to look
for him at the end of the day. And Joseph said to Mary, have
you seen the child Jesus? She said, no, I thought he was
with you. They had gone a full day's journey supposing that
he was with them. And they left him back in Jerusalem.
Now the scripture talks about life being a day's journey. Is
it possible that we who are ministers and who are religious people
and who are teachers of the scripture and professors of salvation,
is it possible that we could travel a full day's journey supposing
that Christ was with us, and find out at the judgment, I never
knew you, I never knew you. So you see the greatest mistake
that I can make is to assume that I'm a child of God. And
to desert this very important work, this very important area
of personal examination at all times, of this giving diligence
to make my calling and election sure. This is what Paul is writing
in our text to the church there at Galatia. He says, I travail,
I travail till Christ be formed in you. This is the end of all
true preaching. It is to bring the sinner to
the feet of Christ. To bring the sinner to the feet
of Christ in godly repentance, in godly sorrow for sin, in a
continual sorrow for sin. and to bring that sinner to the
feet of Christ with a sincere saving faith, and, and, not only
that, and to perfect by the Spirit of God's work a living, vital
union between the sinner and the Savior, which Paul described
in this way, Christ in you, Christ in you, the hope of glory. Now, my friend, salvation is
more Salvation is a living union with the Lord, and it's more
than getting religion. The Pharisees had that. Salvation
is a living union. Christ said, I am the vine, you're
the branches. Without me you can do nothing.
I'm the head, you're the body. Salvation is more than just believing
in one God. The devil believes in one God,
James said, and trembles. Salvation is more than just turning
over a new leaf. The Sadducees did that. Salvation
is more than just orthodox doctrine. Fundamentalism. Scripture calls
that the dead letter of the law. And it's a lot more than that
because Saul of Tarsus had that. I want with you today, I want
to take six scriptures from the book of John, which I believe
describe salvation as it really is. Not as we say it is, not
as preachers preach it is, not as the creed and catechism display
it to be, but what God says it is. First of all, in John chapter
1, verse 12, will you turn over there with me, John 1, 12. Salvation
is more than making a profession, a profession of faith, or a profession
of belief, or a profession of religion. Salvation is to receive
a person. John 1, 12 says this, to as many
as receive him, him. Not his church, him. Not his
doctrine, him. Not His ordinances, Him. Not
His people. To receive Him. To as many as
receive Him. To them gave He power to become
the sons of God. Now let me say this. Salvation. It's true that the work of salvation
lies first and mainly in His receiving us. Salvation is not
what I do for God. It's what God does for me. Salvation
is a gift of God. Not a work lest any man should
boast. He receives us. He receives us from the hand
of the Father. as our surety. He became our
surety in the counsels of eternity, in the covenant of mercy, in
the great purpose of grace. Christ received us. He became
responsible for us. He is our surety. The scripture
says he's the surety of a better testament. And then he receives
us as our representative. He came down here into the world
and took on himself bone of our bone, flesh of our flesh. He
became our representative. Before the law before the justice
of God, he represented his people. In all things it behooved him
to be made like unto his brethren. He was numbered with the transgressors,
that he might faithfully and lovingly and obediently represent
them. And then he received our sins
as our substitute. He took our sins in his body. He literally, actually took our
place. With his stripes we were healed.
He was wounded for our transgressions. He received our sins. And then
he receives us from the hand of the Holy Spirit as we're drawn
by the Spirit for which we are the called of Christ Jesus. We're
called to him and brought to him and given to him. So really
and truly the first and main work of salvation is he is receiving
us. But we do. It is true that the
believing sinner receives Christ. We're not dead logs. We're living
persons, responsible, accountable people. And we willingly, lovingly
receive him. We receive him as our Redeemer. To as many as received him, to
them gave he power to become the sons of God. We receive him. Rock of ages, cleft for me. Let
me hide myself in thee. Let the waters and the blood
from thy wounded side which flow, be of sin the double cure, save
me from its wrath and power. I receive thee. as my substitute. I receive thee as my Lord. All
hail the power of Jesus' name. Let angels prostrate fall, bring
forth the royal diadem, crown him Lord of all, receiving Christ."
All right, secondly, so salvation is more than a profession of
religion. It's more than just saying, I believe something.
It's to receive a person. All right, secondly, salvation
is more than making a decision. It's a new birth. In John chapter
3, verse 3, our Lord said to a religious man, a religious
leader, a religious teacher, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom
of God. Now changing my name, calling
myself Henry Smith, will not make me Mr. Smith's son. I'm
not his son, and I cannot make myself his son by calling myself
by his name. And changing my name and calling
myself a Christian will not make me a child of God. There's only
one way that I can be Mr. Smith's son, and that's to be
born into his family, begotten by him, receive his nature, his
likeness. And even so, that is the way
into the Kingdom of God. Now, the world may laugh at what
we call a born-again experience, but it's God's Word, it's the
teaching of Scripture. Except a man be born again, he
cannot see the Kingdom of God. Except a man be born of water,
the Word, and of the blood, and of the Spirit, and of the power
of God, he cannot be a child of God. He can call himself a
Christian, he can call himself this, that, and the other, child
of God, but a person has to be born again. And then secondly,
changing my mode of dress will not make me a Christian. I could put on an Indian costume
up here. I could have feathers in my bonnet
and I could paint my face like they did years ago and put on
an Indian garb and dress like an Indian. I wouldn't be an Indian.
I'm an Irishman. I'll always be an Irishman. And
I cannot, by changing my mode of dress, become another nationality.
And even so, a person cannot, by wearing the robes of religion,
make himself a child of God. The only way that we can become
children of God is to be born of God and in that birth, in
that regenerating process, receive the nature of God. Even as Jesus
Christ, though he were in the flesh and though he was a man,
he still was the brightness of God's image in person. He had
the nature of God. And the only way that you and
I, natural men, can become Christian is by the process of the new
birth whereby we receive the nature of God. And then changing
my language, I could learn Spanish and begin to speak fluent Spanish,
but that wouldn't make me a Mexican or a Spaniard. And changing my
language and my way of life, I could live in a Pueblo and
I could take up all of the habits of the natives, but that wouldn't
make me a Mexican. And even so, I can change my
way of life and my language and begin to attend church, and that
won't make me a child of God. I must, by the new birth, become
a new creature, and receive the life of God, the Spirit of God,
and the nature of God. Christ said that to the Pharisees.
He said, you're cleaning the outside of the cup, and you're
neglecting the inside. That's where the work needs to
be done. And when that new life and new nature The life of God
and the nature of God possesses the heart and the soul. The outside
will take care of itself. That's what our Lord is saying.
The world will make light of this. I realize this simply because
they do not understand it. That which is born of the flesh
is flesh. And the natural man receiveth not the things of the
Spirit. He doesn't comprehend them. He doesn't understand them.
They're a mystery to him. That's what the gospel is called
in the word of God, a mystery. But God hath revealed them unto
us by his Spirit. Now thirdly, in the seventh chapter
of John, verse 38, our Lord tells us that salvation is more than
believing a doctrine. It is a refreshing experience. It's more than believing a doctrine.
Our Lord said in John 7, 38, listen, He that believeth on
me, as the scripture has said, out of his innermost being, shall
flow rivers of living water. Now the joy of the Lord is not
a head work, it's a heart work. We can memorize scripture, we
can be catechized and indoctrinated and learn the creed, but the
joy of the Lord is a heart work. And the peace that passeth understanding
is a heart work. And the love for Christ and the
love for his people is a heart work. It's not something that
you can learn in your head. It's something you experience
in your heart. That's what he's talking about. The person that
is regenerated, the person who is brought to a living union
with Christ, has a well of living water springing up within. Forgiveness,
mercy, tenderness, gentleness, kindness, that's a heart work.
It's not a head work, it's a heart work. Growth in grace is a heart
work. All you have to do to see this
is to look at the life of Saul of Tarsus. Look carefully at
his life. He was brought up in religion.
He said, I was a Hebrew of Hebrews. I was born of the tribe of Benjamin.
He was a Hebrew of Hebrews. He was catechized. He was indoctrinated. He sat at the feet of the greatest
religious teacher of his day, Gamaliel. He graduated from the
most outstanding religious university of his day. He was a man who
said of himself, I exceeded many my equals. Concerning the law,
I was blameless. He was a student of the scriptures,
he was zealous for orthodoxy, he was a defender of his denomination,
but as empty as a tin can, and as lost as a pagan, and as without
God as a heathen. So he had all of this in his
head. He had the brilliance of religious orthodoxy, and he had
the keen mind of a religious debater, but he didn't have God
in his heart. We must not neglect the study
of the Word of God. God's Word says, study to show
thyself approved unto God. And most of the times when we
err, we err because we don't know the power of God, nor the
scriptures. We must not avoid, we must not
neglect the study of God's Word, nor the preaching of doctrine.
A thing has to have a foundation in order to build a hope, a house.
But also, a right knowledge of Christ is a hard work. With the
heart, man believeth unto righteousness. With the mouth, confession is
made unto salvation. And the fruits of the Spirit
is a heart work. That's where this takes place,
this joy and peace and happiness and assurance and contentment
and humility and patience. And these things take place in
the heart. Now fourthly, turn to John 6, verse 53. Now this,
this is a difficult scripture. And I may be able to help you
right here. I think this helped me a great deal. But salvation
is more than form. It's more than kneeling at the
right time. It's more than crossing yourself
at the right place. It's more than saying the right
words at the right time. Salvation is more than form.
How can we please God with our forms when the Jewish people
had all of the God-given Moses-ordained ceremonies and the credentials,
and Sabbath days, and feasts, and sacrifices, and ordinances,
and rituals, and God says, I'm sick of these things. I'm sick
of these things. So in John 6.53, salvation is
more than form, it's feeding on Christ. He says, Verily, verily,
I say unto you, now listen carefully, except you eat the flesh of the
Son of Man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoso
eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life. I raise him up at the last day."
Now, I'm not surprised when people don't understand that. You say,
well, I certainly don't understand that verse. Christ said he that
eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life. He that eateth not my flesh and
drinketh not my blood hath no life." I'm not surprised that
you don't understand it. They didn't understand it when
he spoke these words. In fact, these people to whom
he uttered that statement replied, how can this man give us his
flesh to eat? How can this man give us his
blood to drink? Now, you only understand this
verse of Scripture when you have a new man who lives and feeds
on Christ, who needs Christ. Now, we know what it is to have
a fleshly nature. We know what this fleshly nature
craves. It craves clothing to keep our bodies warm. And when
our bodies are not warm, we know, we're aware of it. We need something
to drink when we get thirsty. Our throats get parched and we
need water. And we know what it means to
be thirsty. And we get hungry. We go without food for a few
hours and we begin to experience hunger pangs. With that old nature,
that old man needs to be fed. He needs something to drink.
Even so, this new birth, we were talking about a moment ago, this
regeneration of the Holy Spirit which creates a new man. You'll
find the Bible talking about putting off the old man and put
on the new man created in righteousness in Christ Jesus. That which is
born of the flesh is flesh and its needs are met by flesh. They're
supplied by flesh. That which is born of the Spirit
is what? Is Spirit. Is Spirit. The soul doesn't need water.
It doesn't need food. It doesn't need clothing. What
does it need? It needs Christ. And that new spiritual man must
have spiritual food. Just like the old man needs physical
food, the new man needs spiritual food. And Christ is that food. I'm thirsty. Christ said, I'm
the water of life. I'm hungry, Christ said, I'm
the bread of life. I'm weary, Christ said, come
unto me and rest. I'm burdened, Christ said, peace
be unto you. I'm guilty, Christ said, though
your sins be as scarlet, I'll make them white as snow. I'm
ignorant, Christ is my wisdom. You see what I'm saying? That's
what it is to feed on Christ. And that new man gets hungry.
Now I know people who don't care anything about preaching. They
grow weary listening to preachers, and I grow weary listening to
many of them, but they grow weary and bored and tired. What's wrong? They don't have a spiritual nature
that needs to be fed. That spiritual nature can only
feed on Christ. It can only be satisfied by the
Word of God. Desire the sincere milk of the
Word that you may grow thereby. It's not surprising to me that
you grow bored listening to the Word of God because you have
no spiritual appetite. You are flesh. You don't have
a spiritual nature. If you had a spiritual nature,
it could only be satisfied by the Word. And it yearns for the
Word and hungers for the Word. Blessed are they that hunger
and thirst for righteousness, they'll be filled. How? By the
Word of God. Eat my flesh, drink my blood.
You have eternal life. Christ is our wisdom, righteousness,
sanctification, bread of life, water of life. All right, in
John 15, 5. Now listen to this. Salvation
is more than an isolated experience. Now this is going to apply very
candidly and very positively to religion as we know it today.
You're watching all these folks walk the aisle and make professions
of faith. This is what I'm saying. That salvation is more than an
isolated experience. It is abiding in Christ. John 15, 5. Christ said, I am
the vine, you are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I
in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit. Without me, you can
do nothing. No man is redeemed unless he
abides in Christ, unless he continues in Christ. It doesn't matter
how many professions of faith, or decisions, or times he's been
down the aisle, or baptized, or joined the church, unless
he abides in Christ. Listen to Hebrews 3, verse 6.
Christ is the Son over his house, whose house we are if we hold
fast the confidence and the rejoicing firm unto the end, if we continue. Men are being led today to believe
that a decision for Christ, or a profession of religion, or
to pray the sinner's prayer gives them a title to heaven. They're
being led to believe that to walk down an aisle and say, I
believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross, was buried and
rose again, I accept him as my Savior, that gives me a title
to heaven. No matter what type of life I live, no matter what
type of journey I pursue, no matter what kind of course of
life I walk, I'm fixed up now, I've made my decision. The Scriptures
do not teach that. The Scriptures teach that salvation
is a life that continues, it's a race that's completed, It's
a faith that is held and kept and grows. We have been saved,
we are being saved, and we shall be saved. Repentance is not an
isolated act that happened 20 years ago. We have repented,
we are repenting. We shall repent. We have believed,
we are believing, we shall believe. Listen to John, 1 John 2, verse
19. He's talking about some folks
who left the faith, who departed from the assembly. who left the
people of God. He says they went out from us.
They went out from us, but they were not of us. If they had been
of us, they would no doubt have continued with us. Now multitudes
of people are resting in and trusting in what they call one-time
professions, first-time decisions. They join the church, they call
themselves saved. Not so. Not so. Not unless they
continue in the faith of Christ. Christ is the son over his house,
whose house we are if we continue. Not unless they abide in Christ.
Now that's so. To abide in Christ. When Paul
came to the end of his journey, he said, the time of my departure
is at hand. I've fought a good fight. I've
kept the faith. Henceforth is laid up for me
the crown of righteousness. It's to abide in Christ. To be
in him and to continue in him. These messages are on cassette
tape recording. If you'd like to have any of
the messages preached on this program, if you'll write to me,
the address will be given to you by the announcer. There'll
be a small charge, but we'll be happy to send it to you. Until
next week at the same time, I bid you a very pleasant good day.

Until Christ Be Formed In You

What does the Bible say about self-examination for Christians?

How do we know if we are truly saved?

Why is being born again important for Christians?

How does salvation relate to a living union with Christ?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Music

Recent Comments

About

Legal

Subscribe

Account

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Recent Comments

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Collections

Music

About

Legal

Subscribe

Until Christ Be Formed In You

What does the Bible say about self-examination for Christians?

How do we know if we are truly saved?

Why is being born again important for Christians?

How does salvation relate to a living union with Christ?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

More from Henry Mahan

Related Sermons

Same Scripture

Articles by Henry Mahan

Books by Henry Mahan

Where this book stands in the tradition

Plato

Augustine

The Western Christian Tradition

This Book