Introduction
Union with Christ is a profound and foundational doctrine in Christian theology, describing the spiritual bond between Christ and believers. This union affects every aspect of the Christian life, from salvation and sanctification to identity and inheritance. Through scriptural examination, we’ll explore how being united with Christ shapes a believer’s identity, influences their spiritual journey, and ensures their eternal destiny.
In Christ: A New Identity
Union with Christ redefines the believer’s identity, anchoring it firmly in Him.
• A New Creation in Christ: 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV): “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
This verse highlights the transformative nature of union with Christ. Believers become new creations, indicating a radical change from their previous state. This newness is not just a moral improvement but a complete renewal of identity in Christ.
• Crucified with Christ: Galatians 2:20 (ESV): “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Paul’s words reflect the intimate nature of union with Christ. His own identity is so intertwined with Christ that he considers his old self as crucified with Jesus. This union impacts his daily life, lived by faith and characterized by Christ’s indwelling presence.
• Chosen in Him Before the Foundation of the World: Ephesians 1:3-4 (ESV): “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.”
This passage speaks to the spiritual realities and blessings conferred upon believers through their union with Christ. Being chosen in Christ before creation underscores the eternal nature of this union and its effect on our present and future holiness and blamelessness.
• United in His Death and Resurrection: Romans 6:4 (ESV): “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”
Union with Christ means sharing in His death and resurrection. This spiritual reality, symbolized through baptism, results in believers walking in newness of life, indicative of a profound transformation and a break from the power of sin.
The Role of Faith in Union with Christ
Faith is the means by which believers enter into and maintain their union with Christ.
• Saved by Grace Through Faith: Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV): “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
This foundational passage emphasizes that salvation – a key aspect of union with Christ – is received through faith. It is a divine gift, not a human achievement, underscoring that union with Christ is initiated and sustained by God’s grace.
• Baptized into Christ, Clothed with Christ: Galatians 3:26-27 (ESV): “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
Baptism symbolizes the believer’s entry into union with Christ, a spiritual reality accessed through faith. Being ‘clothed with Christ’ speaks to taking on His identity, righteousness, and mission.
• Abiding in Christ for Fruitfulness: John 15:5 (ESV): “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
Jesus uses the vine and branches metaphor to illustrate the necessity of remaining in Him for spiritual fruitfulness. This abiding, a facet of union with Christ, is maintained through faith and results in a life marked by productivity and purpose.
• Rooted and Built Up in Him: Colossians 2:6-7 (ESV): “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”
Union with Christ involves being rooted and built up in Him, a process that mirrors the growth of a plant. The believer’s faith, like roots, draws nourishment from Christ, resulting in spiritual growth and stability.
In the next part, we will delve into the indwelling of Christ in believers, the fruitfulness of abiding in Him, and the believer’s participation in Christ’s death and resurrection.
Christ in You: The Hope of Glory
The indwelling of Christ in believers is a profound aspect of union with Him, offering hope and transformation.
• The Mystery of Christ in You: Colossians 1:27 (ESV): “To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
This verse reveals the mystery and magnificence of Christ’s indwelling presence in believers, a reality especially impactful for Gentile Christians. This indwelling is described as the ‘hope of glory,’ indicating a future aspect of salvation and an assurance of eternal glory because of Christ’s presence within.
• United with Christ in Intimacy: John 14:20 (ESV): “In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.”
Jesus speaks of a mutual indwelling – believers in Christ and Christ in believers. This intimate union signifies a deep, personal connection that affects the believer’s identity, actions, and destiny.
• Life in the Spirit: Romans 8:10 (ESV): “But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”
Paul explains that even though believers still experience the consequences of sin in their physical bodies, the indwelling Christ brings life and righteousness through the Spirit. This verse highlights the transformative and life-giving effect of Christ’s presence within.
• God’s Love Perfected in Believers: 1 John 4:13 (ESV): “By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.”
John identifies the Holy Spirit as the evidence of Christ living in believers. This mutual abiding assures believers of their salvation and perfects God’s love in them, reflecting a dynamic and continuous relationship.
The Fruitfulness of Abiding in Christ
Abiding in Christ, a key element of union with Him, results in spiritual fruitfulness and growth.
• Abide to Bear Fruit: John 15:4-5 (ESV): “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”
In this analogy, Jesus emphasizes the necessity of remaining in Him for producing spiritual fruit. This abiding, an ongoing relational connection with Christ, is essential for a life that reflects godly character and effectiveness in ministry.
• The Fruit of the Spirit: Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV): “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
Paul describes the outcomes of living in union with Christ – the fruit of the Spirit. These virtues, produced by the Holy Spirit, evidence a life deeply connected to Christ and are markers of spiritual health and maturity.
• Strengthened with Power Through the Spirit: Ephesians 3:16-19 (ESV): “that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…”
This prayer by Paul connects the believer’s inner strengthening with the indwelling of Christ through faith. It shows that spiritual empowerment and understanding of Christ’s love are direct results of this union.
• Filled with the Fruit of Righteousness: Philippians 1:11 (ESV): “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”
Paul links the ‘fruit of righteousness’ directly to union with Christ. This righteousness is not self-derived but flows from the life of Christ within, leading to actions that glorify God.
Union with Christ in His Death and Resurrection
Believers are united with Christ not only in His life but also in His death and resurrection.
• United in His Death and Resurrection: Romans 6:5 (ESV): “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.”
Paul speaks of a mystical but real union with Christ in both His death and resurrection. This union signifies that believers share in the liberating effects of Christ’s death and the life-giving power of His resurrection, leading to transformation and newness of life.
• Buried and Raised with Christ: Colossians 2:12 (ESV): “having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.”
Baptism symbolizes the believer’s union with Christ in His death and resurrection. This act represents the believer’s spiritual death to sin and new life in Christ, affirming the transformative power of this union.
• Dying and Living with Christ: 2 Timothy 2:11 (ESV): “The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him;”
This verse encapsulates the Christian paradox of death leading to life. Union with Christ means sharing in His sufferings and death, but also in His eternal life, promising enduring hope and victory.
• Heirs with Christ: Romans 8:17 (ESV): “and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”
As co-heirs with Christ, believers are assured of sharing in His glory. This inheritance, however, is linked with sharing in His sufferings, reflecting the depth and complexity of union with Christ.
In the next part, we will examine the eternal aspects of being united with Christ and summarize the insights on this profound spiritual union.
Eternal Union with Christ
Union with Christ is not just for the present life; it extends into eternity, promising an everlasting communion with Him.
• Together with Christ Forever: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (ESV): “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.”
This passage offers a powerful assurance of the believer’s eternal future with Christ. The momentous event of Christ’s return will unite all believers, both deceased and alive, in a permanent reunion with the Lord, emphasizing the unending nature of our union with Him.
• One with Christ as He Is with the Father: John 17:21-23 (ESV): “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”
In Jesus’ prayer, He expresses the desire for believers to share in the unity He experiences with the Father. This profound union reflects the deepest spiritual intimacy, extending into eternity and grounded in divine love and purpose.
• God’s Dwelling with His People: Revelation 21:3 (ESV): “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.'”
The culmination of God’s redemptive plan includes His eternal dwelling with humanity. This eternal union with God, achieved through Christ, signifies the restoration and completion of all things, where God’s presence is fully and forever experienced by His people.
• Absent from the Body, Present with the Lord: 2 Corinthians 5:8 (ESV): “Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”
Paul expresses the confidence that being separated from the physical body through death means being present with the Lord. This reflects the believer’s continuous union with Christ, transcending physical death and promising immediate communion with Him in the afterlife.
Conclusion
Union with Christ is a central and glorious truth of the Christian faith, affecting every aspect of the believer’s life and eternity. It redefines our identity, shapes our experiences, and guarantees our eternal destiny. This union, initiated by faith and sustained by God’s grace, results in a life that bears spiritual fruit and shares in the sufferings and glory of Christ. It assures believers of their secure and everlasting relationship with Jesus, providing comfort, motivation, and hope. As Christians, understanding and deeply embracing this union with Christ is key to a vibrant and enduring faith journey, filled with the assurance of His unchanging love and the promise of eternal communion with Him.
