By Abel Ukachi Amadi

Key verse: Galatians 4:19: “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,” (KJV).

God’s purpose for every Christian is for him/her to be like Christ. This was also Paul’s desire for the Galatians that Christ be formed in them. These converts were the fruit of his evangelistic efforts. He had laboured for their salvation, and now feels like a mother going through labour pains again: “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,” (Galatians 4:19).

Now, he longed for them to be transformed into the image of Christ. The Greek word for ‘formed’ is morphoô, which means morph into the image of something. This expression describes the Christian life as a kind of morphing of Christ in a believer’s life. We are to allow Christ to live in us and through us. God’s purpose for every believer is to be transformed into the image and character of Jesus Christ: “For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like His Son, so that, His Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters,” (Romans 8:29, NLT). Paul was eager to see his beloved spiritual children advance in that purpose, “growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of His body, the church,” (Ephesians 4:15, NLT). Paul would never cease caring and travailing in anguish until the life of Christ was formed in them.

Spiritual maturity is a gift of God to us. While we cannot earn this gift, we exert effort to receive it. The early church was not sustained by excitement, but by devotion. They gave themselves continually to doctrine, fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayer so that Christ would be formed in them. These were not the occasional practices; they were pillars upon which their lives were built.

At salvation, the life of Christ indwells believers and Paul affirmed: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me,” (Galatians 2:20). But the transformation “until Christ is formed in you” is a life-long process (1 John 3:2; Philippians 3:21; 2 Peter 1:4). Paul told the Colossians: “Put on your new nature and be renewed as you learn to know your creator and become like Him,” (Colossians 3:10). The process of spiritual growth was being hindered in the Galatians through outward religious performance instead of true inward change (see Colossians 2:20–23). Believers don’t become righteous through their own efforts, observing rules and regulations, but by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit: “And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image” (2 Corinthians 3:18, NLT).

Paul told the Philippians that nothing is more important in the Christian life than knowing Christ and becoming like Him ((Philippians 3:8–9, NLT). Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus, our Lord. Paul said, he discarded everything else for the sake of Christ and he described them as garbage, so that he could gain Christ and become one with Him. Christ is formed in you when there is nothing left to see, but Him living in you (Romans 8:9–11; Galatians 3:27). Christ is formed in you when He is everything to you and all you need (Romans 7:4). To lead members to Christlikeness should be the role of every Christian minister. The church should train and equip the saints until they come to the measure of the fullness of the stature of Christ.

• Today’s nugget: Knowing Christ Jesus, Our Lord. Prayer: Lord help me to come to the measure of fullness of Christ. Prayer lines: 08033299824. E-mail: [email protected], Rev. Abel Ukachi Amadi, General Superintendent, Assemblies of God Nigeria.