Galatians 1:15-16
But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
The pleasure and purpose of God for the life of the Apostle Paul is evident. God had separated this man from his mother’s womb for His special purpose. This purpose involved Apostleship, Sanctification, and Preaching of Christ to the heathen. This special calling is not on the basis of merit, but strictly upon the Grace of God.
While the Lord does not call men and women to be Apostles today, He certainly does call believers out of this world and to be identified with His dear Son. He as well calls all believers to be a preacher of the Gospel of His Son.
God desires that His Son Jesus would be revealed in each believer. Christ indwells the heart of the believer at the moment of his conversion. Sanctification is daily surrendering to God to let this indwelling Christ be seen in our earthen vessel. Christ should be revealed in the character, attitudes, conduct, and choices of each Christian. This goes beyond mere conformance to a religious system. This involves fellowship and knowledge of the Son of God and cooperation with the Spirit of God through the Word of God to see a believer conformed into the image of Christ.
Revealing Christ is to make Him known, to uncover, to disclose, to make manifest, to lay open that which is veiled. Is Christ being revealed in my life? Christ’s love, character, compassion all ought to be visible.
Christ revealed in the Christian’s life gives him a platform to preach this powerful gospel. The heathen will not listen to a preacher who does not bear the image of Christ in his conversation. How sad to hear of some who profess the name of Christ but their conversation does not reflect any manifestation of the indwelt Christ.
Galatians 4:19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you…
Paul not only bore the image of Christ in his life, but labored to see this same Christ formed into the lives of his hearers. He spiritually labored to see Christ formed in them. A mother endures much pain and agony in the labor of child bearing, but then extreme joy when she is able to hold the child who is brought into the world. In a spiritual sense Paul was able to travail over these believers in Galatia until Christ would be formed in them.
A good question of introspection: Is Christ being formed in me? Am I allowing this to take place? Is less of my fleshly nature visible today and more of the Spirit of Christ? Are the works of the flesh, or the fruit of the Spirit manifest? Is Christ revealed in me?
Let us pray today that Christ may be revealed and formed in our Christian life.
The Evangelist Gypsy Smith wrote the following hymn which touches upon this very Scripture:
Christ, the Transforming Light,
Touches this heart of mine,
Piercing the darkest night,
Making His glory shine.
Chorus:
Oh, to reflect His grace,
Causing the world to see
Love that will glow,
till others shall know Jesus,
revealed in me.
Here, Lord, I bring my heart,
My love, my strength, my will,
Cleanse me in every part,
With all Thy Spirit fill.
Life is no longer mine,
I yield it all to Thee;
Fill me, that I may shine,
Until Thy face I see.
Triumphant peace is mine,
Now Jesus reigns within;
He giveth joy divine,
And vict’ry over sin.