The Supplied Life Devotional for March 9
Christ formed in us by the Word
"But what does it say? The word is near you, even in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach)." Romans 10:8
As we come under the hearing of the Word, it becomes the agent that forms Christ in us. This Word brings us under the hearing of faith, and Christ is formed in our heart. He is formed in me because someone spoke Him into me by means of the Word. For example, Christ was formed in the Corinthians by means of Paul's speaking the gospel. He implies this in 1 Corinthians 4:15: "For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel."
Paul says, "The word is near you, even in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach)." How does the Word get into our mouth and into our heart? By being formed there as we sit, relax, and hear the Word. This is called "the hearing of faith" (Gal. 3:2, 5). Hear the wonderful words of life. Hear that Christ loves you. Hear that He died for you. Hear that He was raised for you. Hear that He will do everything in you. Just hear it. And the moment you say, "Lord Jesus," He is in your heart. He is formed there. How was He formed? He was formed by the spoken Word. So the way Christ is formed in us is not by works of law, but by the hearing of faith.
- Bill Freeman, The Supplied Life