When Christ Is Formed In Us
By: Francis Frangipane
The intercessory prayer of the Apostle Paul was not just a prayer
for protection or for a few blessings to rest upon the saints.
He said, "My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ
is formed in you" (Gal 4:19). Paul was "in labor" to bring forth
the actual spirit of Christ within the church. Let me say it
again: his goal was Christ, not merely Christianity!
Any mother can relate to the focused intensity of labor pains.
This was how the apostle prayed for the church, as though he
were giving spiritual birth and would continue to be in labor
until the person, power and nature of Christ Jesus Himself was
functionally formed in the disciples.
We know "theologically" that Jesus is within us. But has He taken
over our form? It is one thing to accept Him as our source of
help in time of need; quite another dimension to have Him dwell
in us as God in His earthly temple.
We must realize that Jesus wants more control over us than an
occasional thank-you during life or merely the right to our souls
at death. Our Lord desires to be FORMED in us--take our form
and be manifested through us. We are to literally, substantially
and physically become Jesus' body upon the earth.
Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me,
the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than
these shall he do; because I go to the Father" (Jn 14:12).
It is one thing to have faith in Jesus; it is quite another thing
to have the faith of Jesus, where He expresses His assurance
of the miraculous through us! It is marvelous when we share with
Him isolated moments of loving fellowship, but it is something
else when His love, after conquering us, conquers and liberates
our world around us!
We must perceive the awesome connection, the flow of power, the
oneness Jesus came to establish between Himself and His body.
Though He is not on earth in His own earthly body, He is on earth
in our bodies! There is no separation between Jesus and His believing
church! (See Rom 8:38-39)
A Body God Has Prepared
In the tenth chapter of Hebrews we see again, in principle, this
reality: "Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, 'Sacrifice
and offering Thou hast not desired, but a body thou hast prepared
for Me; in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou
hast taken no pleasure.' Then I said, 'Behold, I have come (in
the roll of the book it is written of Me) to do Thy will, O God'"
(Heb 10:5-7).
When the Spirit of Christ comes into the world, He comes not
just to exchange an old religion for a new one. Rather, He comes
to inhabit, actually take the form of man, and "to do God's will"
within us!
We have been "set apart" by God not just to become good people,
but to have Christ's love, His faith and His power revealed through
us. Paul urged us to be "transformed by the renewing of your
mind" (Rom 12:2). Mark's gospel tells us that Jesus "...appeared
in a different form" to two disciples. (See Mk 16:12) It is not
unlike Jesus to take a different form. Jesus took over Paul's
form, Peter's form, John's form--His disciples lost the limitations
of who they were prior to Christ's indwelling them. Yes, each
retained his unique personality, appearance and history, but
even there the influence and fulness of Christ could be seen.
They actually became His body, His temple, His bride, His branches
the very extensions of Himself in the earth!
Jesus wants to take over our form as well. He wants to give us
a new identity in Him. This is what Paul meant when he wrote,
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who
live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in
the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God" (Gal 2:20).
From the moment you were saved, another Person, Christ Jesus
Himself, entered your life! The objective of Christianity is
not merely to get you to stop smoking and going to clubs, but
to fill your life with Jesus! This is why Paul's concern was
not simply a prayer for the Galatians' physical or financial
well-being. He knew God's plans were for Christ to come forth
in them. Paul was in labor, travail, to give birth to Christ
in the church.
At the same time, it was not really Paul who was in labor, but
Christ within Paul who desired to come forth in the Galatians.
For too long we have looked to men to guide us, but as Jesus
is truly formed in His people, we will not look to mere men for
constant care and guidance. For Jesus Himself wants to empower
us and lead us on into His glory.
This must be the goal and prayer of every church leader: to see
Christ take over the church. We must go beyond possessing doctrines
about Jesus and become a dwelling place for Jesus. We must not
cease our pursuit until Christ is formed in us.
Francis Frangipane
http://www.InChristsImage.org
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