The Forming of Christ in Us

A third step toward arriving at the first resurrection from the dead is the forming of Christ in us. My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, (Galatians 4:19)

The forming of Christ in the saint is the most important aspect of the new covenant; in fact, it is the new covenant. Everything else in Christianity is secondary to the forming of Christ in the believer. Everything else is scaffolding, a means to the forming of Christ in us.

When Christ has been formed in us, then the new covenant has been established in our personality. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Only Christ, and that which has been wrought in Christ and is an inseparable, integral part of Christ, inherits the Kingdom of God.

Christ is the Resurrection. Christ is the Life. Christ is the Kingdom of God. As Christ is formed in us the Resurrection is formed in us. As Christ is formed in us the eternal Life from God is formed in us. As Christ is formed in us the Kingdom of God is formed in us.

The Christian who is so occupied with other matters that he is not attending to the development of the Life of Christ in him is dying. He or she is not attaining to the first resurrection. He is ignoring the very resurrection that he is hoping will be presented to him at the last trumpet.

The first resurrection from the dead is Christ. He is being formed in us now. If He is not, then we are not attaining to the first resurrection.

Either we are gaining the resurrection today or else we are losing the resurrection today. The Day of the Lord will not cause a change in our personality; rather, it will be an unveiling of that which has been wrought patiently throughout our pilgrimage on the earth.

Christ is formed in us as His body and blood become our spiritual life. It is that body and blood, that eternal life, that will raise us up to meet Him in the clouds.

Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:54) Are you attaining to the first resurrection? Or are you dying because you are living according to the appetites of your fleshly body?

Leaving the World and Entering Into Union With the Lamb of God