Forming Christ in You
My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you. Galatians 4:19
suggested further reading: 1 John 2:12–29
In this text Paul soothes the anger of the Galatians. He does not set aside as useless their former birth but says that they must be nourished again in the womb, for they have not yet been fully formed.
Christ being formed in us is the same thing as our being formed in Christ, for we are born to become new creatures in him. He, on the other hand, is born in us so that we may live in him. Since the true image of Christ was defaced by the superstitions introduced by the false apostles, Paul labors to restore that image in all its perfection and brightness. This is done by the ministers of the gospel when they give milk to babes and strong meat to those who are of full age (Heb. 5:13, 14). In short, this is to be their goal in all of their preaching.
Paul here compares himself to a woman in labor, because the Galatians have not yet been completely born. This is a remarkable passage for illustrating the efficacy of the Christian ministry. True, we are “born of God” (1 John 3:9), but God uses a minister and preaching as his instruments for that purpose. So he is pleased to ascribe to them that work which he himself performs through the power of his Spirit in co-operation with the labors of man.
Let us always pay attention to the distinction that, when a minister is contrasted with God, he is nothing and can do nothing and is utterly useless. But because the Holy Spirit works efficaciously by means of the minister, the minister comes to be regarded and praised as an agent. Still, it is not what he can do in himself or apart from God but what God does by him that is here described. If ministers wish to do anything, let them labor to form Christ, not to form themselves, in their listeners.
for meditation: How often don’t we try to form ourselves, rather than Christ, in others? If someone should become like us and hold the same opinions as us, we would be quite satisfied with ourselves. But we should be laboring to form Christ in others so they might quickly surpass us in godliness and spur us on to have Christ formed in us more and more.[1]
[1] Calvin, J., & Beeke, J. R. (2008). 365 Days with Calvin (p. 257). Leominster; Grand Rapids, MI: Day One Publications; Reformation Heritage Books.
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