Scriptural Sanctification - Media Sabda Org

then adds, "that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith," and "we through the Spirit
wait for the hope of righteousness by faith"; "Walk in the Spirit," etc.
3. In the passages quoted, and others that might be given, Paul chides them for their declension,
reminding them that they had "fallen from grace" -- the way of salvation by grace and faith, rather
than by works -- efforts of "the flesh." He then urges their return to the scriptural way of salvation
and to a better life.
4. He next assures them of his earnest prayer for their restoration: "My little children, of whom
I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed in you, I desire to be present with you now, and to
change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you." This prayer seems to have been (1) for their second
spiritual birth, or such a restoration as would place them where they were at their conversion: "I
travail in birth again." (2) For such a "forming" or enthronement of "Christ, the power of God," in
their hearts that they would not fall again: "Until Christ be formed in you." (3) The cause of this
anxiety and prayer was his "doubt" as to the soundness of their faith, and of their spiritual safety:
"For I stand in doubt of you." (4) One result of such restoration would be that he could "change his
voice" to them from one of censure to one of approval.
One is struck with the fact that Paul more than once here refers to their "receiving the promise of
the Spirit through faith," their being "made perfect" by faith, "living by faith," "waiting for the hope
of righteousness by faith," "walking in the Spirit," etc. He evidently refers to the "baptism of the
Spirit" which they needed, which comes by faith, and which, had they received it at or soon after
their conversion, would have so established them that they may not have backslidden, and which
would tend to save them from future relapses. And we need hardly add that what comes by faith and
in answer to prayer ordinarily, if not universally, comes instantaneously and not by growth.
We come back to the point that prayers, especially the most wonderful of them, were for such
churches as had not backslidden, but were in a good and growing spiritual condition, for which he
commended them. Also that the terms and tenses used indicate that answers to those prayers
involved a momentary and finished work in the heart, like "the baptism with," or "the gift of, the
Holy Ghost" -- the instantaneous coming into the soul of an Almighty "Power" that is henceforth to
strengthen and dominate the life of the believer.
This is what Paul tells the Galatians occurred in his own case: "I am crucified with Christ,
nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by
the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me." Here is a complete crucifixion
or domination [crucifixion is far the better and more Scriptural term. -- DVM] of his carnal nature
by the new Christ-life that is in him, and that continues there so long as he lives by faith. And in
another place he tells these Galatians how Christ came into his life -- by a sudden revelation of
himself to his consciousness. (Gal. i. 15, 16.) Here the "separation," "calling," and "revelation" are
all aorists, and indicate a momentary or single action. Dr. Steele says:
"After his birth and calling or conversion, there was an instantaneous revelation of the Son of God
within, to the spiritual eye, as there had been an objective revelation of the form of the Son of man
to Paul's physical eye on his way to Damascus. Both Ellicott and Alford insist that the sequence of