Let Christ Be Formed in Us VS. The Inner Parts of Our Whole Being

 

Let Christ Be Formed in Us VS. The Inner Parts of Our Whole Being

Galatians 4:19 My little children, for you I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.

Ephesians 3:17a That Christ may make His home in your hearts through faith.

Col 1:27 To them God wanted to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: Christ in you, the hope of glory;

2 Cor 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding and reflecting like a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord Spirit.

 

Aspect	Let Christ Be Formed in Us	The Inner Parts of Our Whole Being	Relationship	Detailed Scripture Analysis
Meaning	Christ saturating and possessing the believer's whole being, so that Christ can be expressed through the believer	Refers to the components of one's inner being, including mind (thoughts), emotion, and will	Christ being formed is the goal, the inner parts are the scope to be saturated and possessed by Christ	Gal 4:19: "My children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you." Shows this is a process Eph 3:17a: "That Christ may make His home in your hearts through faith" indicates Christ dwelling in our inner being
Distinction	A dynamic process, emphasizing Christ's constituting work in the believer's life	A static description of the inner structure of man, emphasizing the components of human being	"Christ being formed" is a dynamic process, "inner parts" are the scope where Christ is formed	Col 3:10-11: "Have put on the new man... where Christ is all and in all" shows Christ fills all our parts Phil 2:5: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" points to the mind as an inner part
Examples	Paul says: "My children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you." (Gal 4:19)	"Therefore gird up the loins of your mind and be sober" (1 Pet 1:13) - mind as an example of inner part	Christ saturates our mind, enabling us to "have the mind of Christ" (Phil 2:5)	Gal 2:20: "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" Christ replaces our life 1 Cor 2:16: "Who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ." Shows the mind possessed by Christ
Application	Pursuing spiritual growth, allowing Christ to fill and transform us	Practicing the surrender of our mind, emotion, and will to Christ	When the inner parts are possessed by Christ, our living expresses Christ	Eph 4:23: "Be renewed in the spirit of your mind" - the process of mind renewal Ps 51:6: "Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts" emphasizes the true state of the inner being
Relationship	Christ being formed is the goal and process	The inner parts are the scope and object to be saturated by Christ	Christ being formed in us is realized through possessing and saturating our inner parts	Gal 3:2-3, 14: Concerning the work of the Spirit and the relationship with faith 2 Cor 3:18: "We all... are being transformed into the same image" transformation is from inside out
Ultimate Goal	Our whole being constituted with Christ's element, displaying Christ's image	Each part having Christ's shape and image, with no more natural self	Christ becomes the life and content of our inner parts	Rom 8:29: "Predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son" God's will is for us to be conformed to Christ's image Col 1:27: "Christ in you, the hope of glory" Christ indwelling is the hope of glory
Process of Realization	Christ gradually saturates us through the Holy Spirit until He is completely mingled with us	Starting from the mind, extending to emotion and will, finally reaching the whole being	Christ extends to the whole person through saturating each part	1 Cor 6:17: "But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him"  Being one spirit with the Lord is the foundation Col 3:4: "Christ who is our life" Christ becomes our life and person

 

The Process of Christ Being Formed in Us: 

1.          Starting Point: Christ enters into us through faith (Gal 3:2-3)

2.          Process: Christ saturates and possesses our inner parts (Eph 3:17)

3.          Method: Through the operation of the all-inclusive Spirit within us (Gal 3:14)

4.          Scope: Beginning with our mind, emotion, and will (Phil 2:5, Eph 3:17a)

5.          Goal: Christ completely mingled with us, becoming our life and person (Col 3:4)

6.          Result: We are constituted with Christ, displaying Christ's image (Rom 8:29)

 

The relationship between Christ being formed in us and the inner parts of our whole being is intrinsic and interdependent. The process of Christ being formed must be realized through His possession of our inner parts, and the degree to which our inner parts are filled and constituted by Christ determines the degree to which Christ is formed in us.

 

*Please refer to the July 2024 Anaheim, California, USA training Experiencing, Enjoying and Manifesting Christ (II) Week 18 God’s Grace and the All-Inclusive Spirit