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).

Paul’S plea in Galatians 4:19 is the cry of a heartbroken, loving pastor: “My little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!” Paul spent his life sharing the gospel. He loved these believers deeply. Now, he watches them drift away from God’s grace and fall into legalism. He does not yell at them. Instead, he goes to his knees in spiritual labour. He prays and pleads for them. His ultimate desire is not just that they attend church, but that they truly become like Jesus. The Christian life is meant to be a journey of growth. When the Apostle Paul planted the church in the region of Galatia, the believers started strong. They trusted in Jesus, experienced the freedom of grace, and felt the joy of the Holy Spirit. But after Paul left, false teachers came in. They told the Galatians they needed to follow old rules and man-made laws to be truly saved. The believers began to believe these lies, stepping out of grace and right back into the chains of religion. When Paul heard the news, he was confused and deeply sad. He loved them like a parent loves a child.
In Galatians 4:19, Paul uses the heavy, agonising imagery of a mother giving birth to describe his emotional and spiritual pain. He is labouring in prayer all over again. His goal is clear: he wants Christ to be formed in them.

Salvation is just the beginning of the Christian journey, but it does not end there. When we are born again, we become new creation, but being a new creation does not mean we are instantly mature. Just like a physical baby must learn to walk, talk and grow, a new Christian must also grow up.
Salvation is the start of a beautiful journey, not the finish line. Many Christians mistakenly believe that going to church or reading a Bible here and there is enough. But God wants to change our hearts. He wants the love, patience, and character of Jesus to shine through our everyday lives. Paul uses the Greek word “morphoomai” when he talks about Christ being “formed” in us. This word means to develop into a specific shape or distinct form. It is like clay being moulded on a potter’s wheel until it takes the shape the potter wants. The goal is to form us to look less like the world and more like Jesus every single day.

When Christ is truly formed in a believer, they act, talk and think like Him. Their inner faith matches their outer actions. Why did Paul have to go through the pain of spiritual childbirth a second time? This is because the Galatians had stopped looking at Jesus and started looking at a list of legal rules. Legalism—the belief that we can make ourselves holy by following man-made rules; it is dangerous. Paul calls this a “deformed” spiritual state. He wants to pull them away from dead religious works and back to a living relationship with Jesus. Paul’s anguish shows us the deep, loving heart of a true spiritual leader. He did not give up on the Galatians when they made mistakes. Instead, he laboured in prayer for them. Discipleship and spiritual growth are never passive. They require deep, agonising and loving personal investment. True Pastors and mentors long for the people to reflect the nature of God. They stand by them, correct them in love and pray that Christ will be fully developed in their lives.

•Today’s nugget: Reflect the nature of Christ. Prayer: Lord help me walk in Your ways. Prayer lines: 08033299824. E-mail: [email protected], Rev. Abel UkachiAmadi,
General Superintendent, Assemblies of God Nigeria.