Christ Being Formed in Us VS Our Becoming Mature Sons

 

Christ Being Formed in Us VS Our Becoming Mature Sons

"I am again in travail until Christ is formed in you." (Gal. 4:19)

"For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus." (Gal. 3:26)

"And if you are of Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise." (Gal. 3:29)

"Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave, though he is lord of all; but he is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father." (Gal. 4:1-2)

 

Item	Christ Being Formed in Us	Our Becoming Mature Sons
Meaning	Refers to Christ gradually occupying and transforming our entire being, so that Christ is concretely expressed in us, from inner life to outward manifestation	Refers to believers growing to maturity in life, from the infant stage to mature sons who can inherit the inheritance, having full sonship
Distinction	Emphasizes Christ's work and process in us, the development of His life within us	Emphasizes the maturity of our identity and position in God's family, the transformation from infants to mature sons
Examples	1. Paul said: "I am again in travail until Christ is formed in you" (Gal. 4:19) 2. From Christ being revealed in us, to Him living in us, and finally being formed in us 3. Like the pregnancy process, from conception to formation, and finally birth	1. From slaves under law to sons under grace (Gal. 4:1-7) 2. From enjoying the Holy Spirit as a pledge to fully inheriting the inheritance 3. From being under guardians and stewards to fully exercising the rights of sons
Applications	1. Let Christ saturate and permeate our entire being 2. Reject all religious regulations and live in union with Christ 3. Draw near to the Lord daily, being possessed and occupied by Him 4. Live in the life-giving Spirit, giving Christ ample space to grow in us	1. Know and exercise our sonship 2. Inherit and fully enjoy the Triune God as our inheritance 3. Cry "Abba, Father" through the Holy Spirit 4. Grow to maturity in the divine life, becoming responsible members in God's household
Interrelationship	Christ being formed in us is the cause, becoming mature sons is the effect. Christ being formed in us is the process, our becoming mature sons is the result. The two complement each other and neither can be missing. When Christ is fully formed in us, we reach maturity in the divine sonship.
Relevant Scripture Passages	1. "But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me..." (Gal. 1:15-16a) 2. "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me." (Gal. 2:20)	"But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son...that we might receive the sonship. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father!" (Gal. 4:4-6)

 

Conclusion:

l   According to the Bible, Christ needs to be formed in us so that we may become mature sons, heirs who inherit God's promised blessing, and mature in the divine sonship. When Christ matures in us, we become heirs (Gal. 3:29) to fully enjoy the Triune God as our inheritance (Eph. 1:14, 1 Pet. 1:4). The Holy Spirit is the pledge of this inheritance (Eph. 1:13-14).

l   The book of Galatians reveals that God's intention is to work Christ into His chosen ones so that they may become sons of God. To become sons of God, we need to be saturated and permeated by Christ; Christ must occupy our entire being. However, the Galatians had been distracted and turned from Christ to the law. Believers should return to Christ, who is the seed that fulfills God's promise to Abraham and is also the good land, the all-inclusive Spirit, for our enjoyment. We believers in Christ need to fully enjoy this blessing, which is to fully enjoy the life-giving Spirit. We need to be permeated, possessed, and fully occupied by this Spirit.

l   Christ has been born in us, that is, revealed in us, and now lives in us, and will be formed in us unto maturity. May the Lord lead us into the experience and enjoyment of Christ; He has been born in us, is now living in us, and will be formed in us unto maturity, so that we may become mature sons, heirs who inherit God's promised blessing, and mature in the divine sonship.

 

*Please refer to the July 2024 Anaheim Training in California, USA Experience, Enjoy and Manifest Christ (II) Week 19 The One Formed in the Believer