Galatians 4:19. my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!
Paul’s love for the Galatians is evident throughout this letter. Yes, his tone can get a bit testy at times, but it cannot be denied that Paul has invested his heart and soul into this church.
Galatians 4:19 not only demonstrates this real love for them, it also gives us another great metaphor for the life of Christ in us—pregnancy. It may seem strange that Paul equates himself with a pregnant mother in labor. Then, Paul pictures us as the ones in the midst of a pregnancy where Christ is the embryo being formed in us. This may be a bit shocking and uncomfortable as a picture for us, but it demonstrates a crucial truth of the Christian faith—Christ is being formed in us.
It is of value for us to pause here and remember that our union with Christ is both the state of being in Christ and having Christ in us. Galatians 2:20 presented us as being in Christ. Because we are in Christ, we have been crucified with Christ. Here in 4:19, we see Christ in us. Christ lives in us as a growing life. Because we are in Christ, we now have the life of Christ in us. An understanding of both of these truths is essential for living the Christian life. With just one or the other of these incredible truths, you will be imbalanced. You will either have grace without growth, or growth without grace (which isn’t real growth).
Yes, you are in Christ by grace through faith. Everything that ever needs to happen to you to secure salvation has already happened. It is finished. The pressure is off. It’s all of grace. And yet, this does not leave us as we are, simply coasting until “glory day.” We have Christ in us, being formed in us, growing in us, and changing us. Just as with a pregnant woman, Christ in us is actually producing an outward change by an inward reality.
Our reality changed once and for all by our being in Christ. Now Christ in you creates an ongoing experiential change based upon your new reality. Paul doesn’t say, “I’m so glad you guys are saved by grace at least. Now, try to be nice and I’ll see you in Heaven someday.” No! He expects real, sustainable transformation into the image of Christ, a striving by grace for the life of Christ to be formed in us.
And as Paul shows us, it is striving, even in “anguish,” for the life of Christ to be formed in others too.
You: How would you describe your spiritual formation?
You in Christ: How does being in Christ give us all that we need to be formed into Christlikeness?
Christ in you: Where can you see the life and love of Jesus growing in your life?
Pray: Father, you placed us into Christ and placed Christ into us. Form Christ in me! Change me from the inside out. Amen.
