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Please turn in your Bible to .
I have been saying for a while that one of these days I’m going to preach a message about the believer’s union with Christ — though I have a used the phrase “In Him.” Well today is the day in which I do so.
If you were here last week you may remember that the message was titled THE DEFENSE OF THE GOSPEL PART 1.
And if so you may be expecting THE DEFENSE OF THE GOSPEL PART 2, well you can consider this part 2 — but that means that there will be a part 3 next week.
As a matter of fact that was the message I originally wrote for today.
But after completing the message it was impressed on my heart that I needed to preach this message first.
Why is that?
Because the doctrine of justification by faith, which is the thrust of the message I originally intended for today, is hinged on the doctrine of the believer’s union with Christ.
So for this morning we are going to look at the importance, the aspects, and the benefits of the believer’s union with Christ.
As we do so we will look at various passages, but we will start with .
THE IMPORTANCE OF UNION WITH CHRIST
Theologian Charles Hodge wrote:
In virtue of this union we are (in our measure) what He is.
We are the sons of God in Him.
And what He did, we did.
His righteousness is our righteousness.
His life is our life.
His exaltation is our exaltation.
Writing about our union with Christ, Martin Luther said:
“By faith you are so cemented to Christ that He and you are as one person, which cannot be separated but remains attached to Him forever.”
“By faith you are so cemented to Christ that He and you are as one person, which cannot be separated but remains attached to Him forever.”
John Calvin wrote:
“We must understand that as long as Christ remains outside of us, and we are separated from Him, all that He has suffered and done for the salvation of the human race remains useless and of no value for us.”
All of these thoughts on our union with Christ fly in the face of modern and post-modern thought.
“Self-esteem, self-improvement, self-fulfillment, self-indulgence — whatever you want, as long as it begins with your “self.””
The reason why the believer is declared righteous before God is that we are in Christ.
It is not our goodness that brings salvation.
It is Christ’s.
And since we are found in Him, His righteousness is credited to our account.
Because of our union with Christ, God is both just in demanding the death penalty for sin, and the justifier of the ungodly.
All of this is because we are in Christ.
As Paul wrote the to
THE ASPECTS OF UNION WITH CHRIST
UNITED IN DEATH
When Christ died we died
Our crucifixion frees us from enslavement to sin
UNITED IN RESURRECTION
When Christ rose from the dead, we rose from the dead
We are made alive in Christ because we have been forgiven all our sin
UNITED IN LIVING
Because Christ lives, we also live (sounds like a song)
Since our life is bound up in Christ’s then our lives should reflect His life — they should be consistent with the truth of the gospel
THE BENEFITS OF UNION WITH CHRIST
Turn with me to .
Throughout this Letter Paul states the various benefits of our union with Christ.
— Chosen in Him
— Redeemed in Him
— United in Him
— Obtained an inheritance in Him
— Sealed with the Holy Spirit in Him
— Built together in Him
— We have boldness, access, and confidence through faith in Him
In another place, a very familiar verse that I quote frequently, Paul stated:
John speaks of our union with Christ as well:
In peace, O Christ, I face the throne, Since I am found in Thee; I claim no merit of my own-- Thy blood my only plea-- A sinner justified by grace, Redeemed to look upon Thy face.
And now where'er my steps may go, Since I am found in Thee, O'er mountain or through vale below, Thy guiding hand I see; Yea, found in Thee I cannot stray Or stumble on my pilgrim way.
When tempted in an evil hour, Since I am found in Thee, Thou art more near than sin's dark power, My only purity; Ah! found in Thee, the tempter's dart Is hurled in vain against my heart.
When Thou at last my name shalt call, I shall be found in Thee, Redeemed before Thy feet to fall And own Thy victory-- Through all eternity to be Safe in the Father's house with Thee.
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