Some recent events in my life have been somewhat stressful and upsetting. My emotions have been very extreme. During this time I have questioned many aspects of my life and wondered about its purpose. In the course of my pondering I thought about the necessity of pain to bring about change. These kinds of experiences are actually needed to bring us to a place where we know that nothing satisfies but a true knowledge of God. God’s purpose is that Christ is formed in us. Paul writes in impassioned fashion in Galatians 4:19, “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.” Since the goal is that Christ is formed in us, I then wondered how Christ is formed in us. The context of the letter to the Galatians provides an answer to that question.
The central argument in Galatians is against the idea that being a Christian involves living like a Jew and observing the law, particularly circumcision. There is only one gospel and it is a gospel of grace (1:6-9). Circumcision is not a part of the gospel (2:1-5). The gospel unites Jew and Gentile (2:11-13). No one can be justified by the law but only by faith (2:15-16). God grants us his Spirit because of faith not because of law-observance (3:1-5). Indeed Jesus has taken the curse of the law upon himself so that believers can receive the Spirit (3:10-14). The covenant is based on a promise and its fulfilment is through faith (3:15-18). The function of the law is to keep people prisoner until Christ appeared (3:19-25). But in the fullness of time the Son of God was born under the law to redeem those under the law (4:1-7).
With this background in mind we have come to the section where Paul speaks of Christ being formed in us.
Galatians 4:8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years! 11 I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain. 12 Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong. 13 You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, 14 and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. 15 What then has become of the blessing you felt? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17 They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. 18 It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, 19 my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! 20 I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.
Up to this point Paul has emphasised that the gospel is not a series of rules to be obeyed but rather something based on promise and received by faith. Yet the Galatians had gone back to “worthless elementary principles” which enslave people (v 9). They were trying to live like Jews by observing special days and seasons and years (v 10). This was clearly a backward step, since they had previously been so keen to obey the gospel that they would have given Paul their own eyes in order to enable him to proclaim the gospel to them (vv 14-15). Instead of relying on the gospel the Galatians had begun to listen to false teachers who desired to sell them circumcision and Jewish observance.
When the Galatians deviated from the gospel the form they took was that of legalistic individuals, who desired to please God through obeying Jewish rules, particularly circumcision and festival observance. Paul, however, wants them to again have Christ formed in them. This passage is a statement about a corporate formation rather than Christ being formed in individuals. It is the whole church which has Christ formed in her. This implies that churches may take the form of legalistic entities or take the form of Christ. How is Christ formed in the church?
The fact that Paul says he is again in the anguish of childbirth suggests that at one time the churched was formed in the shape of Christ. But he must again bring them to birth. How does this birthing process happen? In 1 Cor 4:15 Paul writes, “For though you may have ten thousand guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus through the gospel I have begotten you [become your father].” It was the proclamation of gospel which brought the Galatian church to birth in the first place. It is the gospel which forms Christ in the church. Any other means of shaping the church will bring about a shape which is not that of Christ.
What follows in the letter after this statement about Christ being formed in them is a comparison of the two sons of Abraham (4:21-31). Both sons were brought to birth, but they were brought to birth in different ways. Ishmael was brought to birth “according to the flesh” but Isaac was brought to birth “by promise” (4:23). The son born according to the flesh is a slave (4:24) but the one born according to promise is free (4:26). The children born of the gospel are free not slaves. So it makes no sense for them to want to live according to the flesh and desire to follow the law as if that were not slavery.
In chapter 5 the Galatians are told that Christ cannot be formed in them through undergoing circumcision, but only “through faith expressing itself in love” (5:1-6). Although they once knew this truth they were led astray (5:7-10). Christ frees us and that freedom is expressed in love to one another (5:13-14). Living by the Spirit overcomes the flesh and hence we do not need to live under the law (5:15-18). Walking in the Spirit results in the fruit of christlikeness (5:22-24). Christians are to help one another to be like Christ (6:1-5). What you become depends on what you sow to (6:7-10). Finally, Paul exhorts the church to only boast in the cross (6:14) since it is through the cross, and not through circumcision, that he bears the marks of Jesus (6:17).
Conclusion
The goal of God our Father is that Christ is formed in the church. This must also be the goal of Christian leaders. The church in Galatia gives us the example of how this is not done. They had drifted away from the gospel and replaced the preaching of the gospel with teaching that the way to Christian maturity was through observance of Jewish festivals and by undergoing circumcision. These things produce a shape in the church which is not Christ. The Australian church does not teach that maturity will be achieved through circumcision, but it does teach other things which are not the gospel. When the gospel is watered down or replaced by preaching about lifestyle or health and wealth or by platitudes with a Christian veneer, then the church will be formed into the wrong shape.
If we are to see Christ formed in us then the grace of God in Christ must be uncompromisingly proclaimed in the gospel. Proclamation of law does not transform, but proclamation of grace empowered by the Holy Spirit produces the fruit of righteousness lived out in holy lives expressed in love. The people of God can then boast in nothing but the cross, rejoicing that they bear the marks of Jesus, whose likeness we grow ever closer towards.