Our Union With Christ

Introduction

-Our union with Christ is one of two great truths in the NT, the other being Justification.

-The term “in Christ” occurs frequently in the teachings of Paul and sometimes means belonging to Christ but often means more than just belonging to Christ or being part of the Church. There is significant truth connected to being “in Christ” and understanding this truth leads to a victorious and fruitful Christian life. Knowing that Christ died for us leads to forgiveness of sins and salvation but understanding our union with Christ leads to freedom and victory over sin and the flesh and the experience of a full salvation.

In Christ from Eternity to Eternity

-God does nothing in us apart from Christ. John Murray writes, “In one sense, union with Christ is an inclusive term for the whole of salvation; the various other doctrines are simply subparts.”

-God chose us in Christ from eternity past. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.” (Ephesians 1.3-4) Before time existed, God chose us in Christ as His own.

-Notice too that it is in Christ that our salvation is realised. “In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will – to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” (Ephesians 1.5-7)

-It is in Christ that we are made new creations. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5.17) Being in Christ means that what we are is no longer what we were and what we now are is new. We are more than men cleaned up by forgiveness. We are a new creation because we are now in Christ.

-As believers we die in Christ. “We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.”

-It is in Christ that we are raised from the dead. “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. …So we will be with the Lord forever.” (1 Thessalonians 4.14,16, 17) “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15.22)

-Finally it is with Christ that we will be glorified. “Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” (Romans 8.17) “When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (Colossians 3.4)

-Our union with Christ begins with our election in eternity past, is the basis of our present salvation and new life, and continues with our glorification into eternity for ever and ever. All of our history with God is bound up in our union with Christ.

-There are many other verses that could be added to these. Suffice it to say that all that God does in us, He does in us by our union with Christ.

What is Being “In Christ”?

1)   A work of God

We are in Christ by the work of God. When God saves us from our sins, He also puts us “in Christ”. God takes us out of Adam and puts us in Christ by the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12.13

I said Baptism in the Holy Spirit (preposition ev) not Baptism by the Holy Spirit or Baptism of the Holy Spirit, because it is not the Holy Spirit who baptises us into the Body of Christ but Christ who baptises us into His Body. This teaching is consistent will the 4 references to Christ baptising with the Holy Spirit mentioned in the Gospels and the reference in Acts 1.4-5 to the coming Holy Spirit which Christ would give to His people to form the Church. The promise of the Father is the gift of the Holy Spirit given to the ascended Lord Jesus and poured out at Pentecost to form the Church the body of Christ. Acts 2.32-33.

This is also consistent with the sixth reference to baptism in the Holy Spirit mentioned in Acts 11.16-17 which quotes from the Gospels. So being put in Christ is God joining us to the Body of Christ by making us to drink of the Holy Spirit. We are joined to the One Spirit and made part of the Body of Christ.

Examples of union with Christ in Scripture – Like the oneness of the Father and the Son (John 17.21); Like being in Adam (Romans 5.12-16); Like a husband and wife (Ephesians 5.23, 30-32); Like a vine and branches (John 15.1-7); Like stones in a building connected to the chief corner stone (Ephesians 2.19-22; 1 Peter 2.4-5).

2)   A New Head

I want to try and explain what it means to be in Christ by using two  Styrofoam cups. The first cup is labelled “Adam”. It represents the first man God created. We are taught in Scripture that all of humanity is included in Adam. Turn with me to Hebrews 7.4-10 [Read].

Here the author is telling us that Levi paid tithes to Melchizedek before he was even born because he was in Abraham’s loins. What Abraham did, Levi did because Levi was in Abraham. We are taught the same truth about all of humanity in Adam. Romans 5.12-19 teaches us that when Adam sinned we all sinned. Turn with me to Romans 5.12 [Read].

When the verse says “because all sinned” it means that all sinned in Adam. Let me prove that to you with verses 16 (judgement followed one sin and brought condemnation), 18 (one trespass was condemnation for all men), 19 (the many were made sinners). So we see that all that Adam did is credited to us because we are in Adam. We have no choice in this. If we are born into the human race we are born into Adam and receive all that Adam has earned for us. We are all in this Styrofoam cup called Adam and in Adam we are credited as sinners and are condemned by God. That is our status before God in Adam and that is why we need salvation in Jesus Christ. Not only do we need to be forgiven of our sins but we also need to be delivered from our connection with Adam.

Doctrinally this union with Adam and Christ is called Federal Headship. That means that as our head, Adam’s decisions become our decisions. As the head goes so goes the human race. The same truth applies to us in Christ. Christ’s decisions and life become our life. As Christ goes so goes the new human race. All of humanity is either under the headship of Adam or Christ, either in the old humanity or in the new creation.

When the Bible says that we are in Christ it means that we are no longer in Adam but have a new head. Just like we received in Adam all that Adam earned in his disobedience, so in Christ we receive all that Christ earned by his obedience to God. Romans 5.12-19 makes this contrast quite clear. If we are born again we are no longer in Adam but are in Christ. We can only be under one head, in one person at a time. We are born into Adam and we are born-again into Christ. If we are not born- again into Christ we die in Adam the condemned race.

How does God move humanity in Adam to a new humanity in Christ? The Bible teaches us that Christ is the last Adam and the second man. Turn to 1 Corinthians 15.45-49 [Read]. God has created two men, two heads, Adam and Christ, and both lead a race of men, the old race and the new race.

In Christ the last Adam, God brought the sinful race of Adam to an end at the cross (condemnation applied). And in Christ the second man, God brought a new godly humanity into existence in the resurrection (justification/glorification). Christ is the transition from the old humanity in Adam to the new humanity in God. So in Christ we die to our life in Adam at the cross, and we are raised to a new life in Christ at the resurrection. We move from the first Styrofoam cup marked Adam to the new Styrofoam cup marked Christ. Whatever Christ is and has before God is credited to us in Christ.

-In Christ is not an experience but an abiding reality before God and the basis for our new life in Christ. “…‘being in Christ’, ‘crucified, dead, raised, seated in heaven with him’, obviously does not have the sense of a communion that becomes reality only in certain sublime moments, but rather of an abiding reality determinate for the whole of the Christian life, to which appeal can be made at all times, in all sorts of connections, and with respect to the whole church without distinction.” Herman Ridderbos

Implications/Applications/Blessings

1) General Truths

There are many implications and applications and blessings to being in Christ. We will never sound the depths of being in Christ. All that we have in God is ours in Christ. In the NT we are told of many of these. The Christian life is learning how to live in Christ. Walking in the Spirit is walking in Christ. Let me name a few of these implications/ applications/blessings.

-Every spiritual blessing; Ephesians 1.3

-Seated in heavenly places; Ephesians 2.6

-Justification/Sanctification/Glorification; 1 Cor 1.30, Galatians 2.16

-Adoption, redemption; Ephesians 1.7

-Heirs of God; Romans 8.17

-Resurrection; 1 Corinthians 15.22; Romans 65

-Daily strength; Ephesians 6.10

-Fellowship with God as Father; John 14.20-23

2) Victory Truths

-Turn to Romans 6.5-11 [Read] Very important verses.

V6, “our old man was crucified” – All that we were in Adam has been put to death. We no longer have any connection with Adam. We are dead to our old life in Adam. Because we are no longer in Adam, our body that served sin in Adam is no longer a slave to sin. The power of the flesh over us is “rendered powerless; brought to nothing”. “Might be destroyed” translation gives the wrong teaching for the body that served sin is not destroyed but the power of sin (the flesh) over us is nullified so that we are no longer enslaved to sin. The flesh continues to attempt to rule us in sin.

V7, We have died in Christ to Adam so we have been set free from sin. Dead to sin in Christ.

–Romans 7.4 [Read]. We are dead to the Law in Christ.

–Romans 8.1-4 [Read]. Power to live the new life by the Spirit.

Resurrection power. Walk in the Spirit.

–Romans 6.11 [Read]. Consider/Reckon yourselves dead to sin and alive

to God in Christ Jesus. That is our status before God. When sin/flesh comes calling we know that it no longer has power over us and that by the Spirit we can say no and live in obedience to God. We sin because we want to, not because we have to.

-So we have the NT commands “to put off the old man” and “to put on the new man” in Ephesians 4.22-24 and Colossians 3.9-10.

Knowing and believing our union with Christ is crucial to living a holy and godly life, in overcoming the flesh and sin and being obedient to God.