How Can I Change?/United With Christ

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}}When I was converted in 1972, in the wake of the  
+
}}When I was converted in 1972, in the wake of the charismatic and Jesus movements, I wasn’t impressed by logical arguments about God or the Christian life. Mine was an irreverent generation, a “get high and stay high” generation. I was more likely to mock any serious conversation on the subject of religion than listen.  
-
charismatic and Jesus movements, I wasn’t impressed  
+
-
by logical arguments about God or the Christian life. Mine  
+
-
was an irreverent generation, a “get high and stay high”  
+
-
generation. I was more likely to mock any serious conversation on the subject of religion than listen.
+
-
+
-
What I needed was an experience with God. And that is
+
-
exactly what I got.  
+
-
I met a Christian family whose joyful lives made a  
+
What I needed was an experience with God. And that is exactly what I got.
-
tremendous impression on me. They talked about Jesus as  
+
 
-
if he were right there, and they acted as if his life made a  
+
I met a Christian family whose joyful lives made a tremendous impression on me. They talked about Jesus as if he were right there, and they acted as if his life made a real difference to them. At first I thought it was quaint. But then I became curious. I was attracted by the quality of their lives. And when they explained that it had not always been this way for them, but that Jesus had changed their lives, I began to hope the same could be true for me.  
-
real difference to them. At first I thought it was quaint.  
+
-
But then I became curious. I was attracted by the quality  
+
-
of their lives. And when they explained that it had not  
+
-
always been this way for them, but that Jesus had changed  
+
-
their lives, I began to hope the same could be true for me.  
+
{{LeftInsert|'''Meditate on 2 Timothy 3:16-17. '''If you’re serious about change, here’s the ticket.}}By “changed life” I am referring to the difference Jesus Christ makes in a person’s manner, habits, and worldview, even down to the very core of his nature. This family was solid proof that God did indeed make a difference. And when I was born again and my life began to change, I too concluded that Jesus is alive.  
{{LeftInsert|'''Meditate on 2 Timothy 3:16-17. '''If you’re serious about change, here’s the ticket.}}By “changed life” I am referring to the difference Jesus Christ makes in a person’s manner, habits, and worldview, even down to the very core of his nature. This family was solid proof that God did indeed make a difference. And when I was born again and my life began to change, I too concluded that Jesus is alive.  
-
But I also learned that change involves more than a  
+
But I also learned that change involves more than a one-time experience. We need to understand how change happens, why it happens, and who makes it happen. These issues are squarely addressed in Scripture. Here’s where to go if you want to grow.  
-
one-time experience. We need to understand how change  
+
-
happens, why it happens, and who makes it happen. These  
+
-
issues are squarely addressed in Scripture. Here’s where  
+
-
to go if you want to grow.  
+
-
=== A Letter to Rome ===
+
=== A Letter to Rome ===
{{LeftInsert|<big>1</big> After you were born again, what was the first thing in your life that you knew needed to change?
{{LeftInsert|<big>1</big> After you were born again, what was the first thing in your life that you knew needed to change?
Line 48: Line 32:
-
}}How do we overcome sin and live victoriously in Christ?  
+
}}How do we overcome sin and live victoriously in Christ? Christians everywhere are looking for answers to this question...many of them in the wrong places. As you might expect, God has given the answer in his Word. The sixth chapter of Paul’s letter to the church at Rome has long been recognized for its essential contribution to the doctrine of sanctification. In it we find Paul contending for a proper understanding of what it means to live as a Christian. But it would be a mistake to try to discover Paul’s meaning in Romans 6 without regard for its context, so a brief review of the letter is in order.  
-
Christians everywhere are looking for answers to this  
+
-
question...many of them in the wrong places. As you might expect, God has given the answer in his Word. The sixth chapter of Paul’s letter to the church at Rome has long been recognized for its essential contribution to the doctrine of sanctification. In it we find Paul contending for a proper understanding of what it means to live as a Christian. But it would be a mistake to try to discover Paul’s meaning in Romans 6 without regard for its context, so a brief review of the letter is in order.  
+
-
Romans, more than any of Paul’s other letters, system-  
+
Romans, more than any of Paul’s other letters, system- atically sets out the doctrine of salvation. After some introductory remarks, he unleashes a stinging indictment of the entire human race, showing that all men are guilty as sinners before God. He then explains how God justifies those sinners through faith in Jesus Christ. This is the gist of the first four chapters.  
-
atically sets out the doctrine of salvation. After some  
+
-
introductory remarks, he unleashes a stinging indictment  
+
-
of the entire human race, showing that all men are guilty  
+
-
as sinners before God. He then explains how God justifies  
+
-
those sinners through faith in Jesus Christ. This is the  
+
-
gist of the first four chapters.  
+
-
In Chapter 5 Paul begins to talk about the peace and  
+
In Chapter 5 Paul begins to talk about the peace and assurance that come to us as a direct result of Christ’s atoning work on the cross. We now have peace with God and can rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. We can even rejoice in tribulations that come our way because they develop our character and produce hope. God’s love has been poured out upon us through the Holy Spirit. And since these great things were done for us when we were his enemies, we can be all the more assured of God’s continued grace now that we’re his friends.  
-
assurance that come to us as a direct result of Christ’s  
+
-
atoning work on the cross. We now have peace with God  
+
-
and can rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. We can  
+
-
even rejoice in tribulations that come our way because  
+
-
they develop our character and produce hope. God’s love  
+
-
has been poured out upon us through the Holy Spirit.  
+
-
And since these great things were done for us when we  
+
-
were his enemies, we can be all the more assured of God’s  
+
-
continued grace now that we’re his friends.  
+
-
In the latter part of Chapter 5 Paul sketches a comparison and contrast between Jesus and Adam, showing that  
+
In the latter part of Chapter 5 Paul sketches a comparison and contrast between Jesus and Adam, showing that the sacrifice of Christ more than compensates for the misery caused by Adam’s sin. He ends the chapter with these two verses:  
-
the sacrifice of Christ more than compensates for the misery caused by Adam’s sin. He ends the chapter with these  
+
-
two verses:  
+
-
{{LeftInsert|'''For Further Study: '''Paul’s opponents convinced the church in Galatia that his message trivialized the Law. See how strongly Paul responds in Galatians 1:6-9 and 3:1-14.}}The law was added so that the trespass might increase. ''But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, ''so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Ro 5:20-21, emphasis added)
+
{{LeftInsert|'''For Further Study: '''Paul’s opponents convinced the church in Galatia that his message trivialized the Law. See how strongly Paul responds in Galatians 1:6-9 and 3:1-14.}}The law was added so that the trespass might increase. ''But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, ''so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Ro 5:20-21, emphasis added)  
-
Paul would like to go on describing the blessings of justification, but he pauses, realizing hislast statement  
+
Paul would like to go on describing the blessings of justification, but he pauses, realizing hislast statement could easily be misinterpreted. Thus he begins Chapter 6 with a frontal assault on those who would try to twist his meaning:<ref>D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, ''Romans Chapter Six: The New Man ''(Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1972), pp. 4-6.</ref> “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Ro 6:2).  
-
could easily be misinterpreted. Thus he begins Chapter 6  
+
-
with a frontal assault on those who would try to twist his  
+
-
meaning:<ref>D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, ''Romans Chapter Six: The New Man ''(Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1972), pp. 4-6.</ref> “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Ro 6:2).  
+
{{LeftInsert|"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"
{{LeftInsert|"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"
-
'''—Paul the Apostle (Romans 6:1-2)'''}}When rightly preached, the gospel of grace will always be open to the charge that it promotes lawlessness. Wherever Paul went he was hounded by opponents who accused him of teaching people that since they were forgiven, it did not matter how they lived. This was how they  
+
'''—Paul the Apostle (Romans 6:1-2)'''}}When rightly preached, the gospel of grace will always be open to the charge that it promotes lawlessness. Wherever Paul went he was hounded by opponents who accused him of teaching people that since they were forgiven, it did not matter how they lived. This was how they distorted his reasoning: “If God forgives us freely by grace (which he does) and if it is true that God’s grace is magnified in the forgiving of sin (which it is), then why not sin all the more so that more grace flows and God receives more glory?”  
-
distorted his reasoning: “If God forgives us freely by grace  
+
-
(which he does) and if it is true that God’s grace is magnified in the forgiving of sin (which it is), then why not sin  
+
-
all the more so that more grace flows and God receives  
+
-
more glory?”
+
-
“Not so fast.” says Paul. “You’re missing something  
+
“Not so fast.” says Paul. “You’re missing something fundamental. Through this gospel, we ''died'' to sin. And if that’s the case, how can we go on living in it?”  
-
fundamental. Through this gospel, we ''died'' to sin. And if  
+
-
that’s the case, how can we go on living in it?”  
+
-
Paul spends the rest of Chapter 6 countering this charge  
+
Paul spends the rest of Chapter 6 countering this charge of lawlessness, or antinomianism. In doing so, he not only answers his critics but supplies us with some of the richest teaching to be found in the New Testament. For here we discover what it means to be united with Christ, a status that radically alters our relationship to sin.  
-
of lawlessness, or antinomianism. In doing so, he not only  
+
-
answers his critics but supplies us with some of the richest  
+
-
teaching to be found in the New Testament. For here we  
+
-
discover what it means to be united with Christ, a status  
+
-
that radically alters our relationship to sin.  
+
=== Were You There? ===
=== Were You There? ===
 +
 +
{{LeftInsert|'''For Further Study: '''Colossians 3:3 says “your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” That brings tremendous security—a truth David captures beautifully in Psalm 91.}}We can all look back on individuals who have influenced
 +
our lives: our parents, a special friend, or perhaps an
 +
effective elementary school teacher. But Jesus Christ is
 +
different from any other. It’s certainly true that many who have never been born again have been influenced by our Lord’s example and teaching, but the New Testament has always held that real faith in Jesus Christ leads to a relationship much more penetrating and infinitely more significant than mere moral influence. Paul talks about our being “in Christ” and Christ being “in us.” And the impli- cations of this mysterious union are, without any exaggeration, astounding.
 +
 +
John R.W. Stott has written,
 +
 +
The great theme of Romans 6, and in particular
 +
verses 1-11, is that the death and resurrection of
 +
Jesus Christ are not only historical facts and significant doctrines, but personal experiences of the
 +
Christian believer. They are events in which we ourselves have come to share. All Christians have been united to Christ in his death and resurrection.
 +
Further, if this is true, if we have died with Christ
 +
and risen with Christ, it is inconceivable that we
 +
should go on living in sin.<ref>John R.W. Stott, ''Men Made New ''(Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1966, 1984), p. 30.</ref>
 +
 +
{{LeftInsert|<big>2</big> If you could share in the accomplishments of one of these famous individuals, who would it be?
 +
 +
❏Martin Luther King, Jr.: Civil rights leader
 +
 +
❏Winston Churchill: British politician
 +
 +
❏Thomas Edison: Prolific inventor
 +
 +
❏Beverly Sills: Opera singer
 +
 +
❏Michael Jordan: Basketball legend
 +
 +
❏Madame Curie: First person to win two Nobel prizes
 +
 +
❏Jesus Christ: Creator, Savior, and Lord}}Below are the verses from Romans chapter six that highlight our union with Christ: Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried ''with him ''through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united ''with him ''like this in his death, we will certainly also be united ''with him ''in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified ''with him ''so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. (Ro 6:3-6, emphasis added)
 +
 +
That our Lord actually conquered death is an over-
 +
whelming truth. Yet, as amazing as this is, it is perhaps
 +
more remarkable that ''we ''are considered as being united
 +
with him in his death, burial, and resurrection. Paul reiterates this truth in another letter:
 +
 +
''I ''have been crucified ''with Christ ''and I no longer
 +
live, but Christ lives ''in me''. The life I live in the
 +
body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me
 +
and gave himself for me. (Gal 2:20, emphasis added)
 +
 +
Note the phrases “with Christ” and “in me” in the pas-
 +
sages above. They point to our union with Jesus Christ.
 +
Paul uses the act of baptism to remind us of these truths.
 +
What he is eager to show, however, is not baptism, but the faith that leads to baptism. It’s upon this faith that our present union with Christ is built.
 +
 +
{{RightInsert|'''For Further Study: '''Note the places in John 17 where Jesus refers to being “in” his disciples and vice versa (vs. 21, 23, and 26).}}So what are the implications of this relationship? Somehow we are connected to Jesus Christ himself. And this is one of those cases where ''who ''you know is a lot more important than what you know—a lesson I learned in a Connecticut deli.
 +
 +
In 1974 my younger sister Joyce and I visited our aging
 +
grandmother in Bridgeport, Connecticut. One day Joyce
 +
suggested we go across the street to the deli and get some
 +
subs. But Grandma’s neighborhood had been deteriorating,
 +
and as soon as we walked in I knew we had made a big
 +
mistake. The place was packed with hardened, menacing-
 +
looking teenagers. Things got quiet as all eyes fixed on
 +
us—and no one was smiling.
 +
 +
A number of thoughts crossed my mind. ''Do they think
 +
we’re invading their turf? I wonder if they’re old enough
 +
to know you can get in trouble for murder?''
 +
 +
{{LeftInsert|"How can a person who lived nearly two thousand years ago radically change a human life here and now?...Does the Jesus of the past become, in fact, the Jesus of the present? The Apostle Paul says that he does. And this is the difference between his influence and that of any other influential person. He touches us here and now, not merely by the ripples of the historical currents he once set in motion, ''but by entering into union with us personally ''(emphasis added).<ref> Lewis Smedes, ''Union with Christ ''(Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1970; revised edition, 1983), p. xi.}}I still get nervous thinking about it. Joyce, on the other
 +
hand, was cool as a cucumber. Although attractive and
 +
very feminine, she had spent a couple of years as a direc-
 +
tor at a Job Corps training camp in Montana where she
 +
gained valuable experience handling punks. And in future
 +
years she would go on to serve as a public health nurse in Alaska, hike much of the Appalachian Trail, and work as a shock trauma nurse. (These are just the highlights.) I guess you could say she was fearless.
 +
 +
But not I. As we stood there, surrounded by imminent danger, Joyce sensed my apprehension. She said in a voice I thought much too loud, “What’s the matter? You scared?”
 +
 +
I didn’t feel like answering, at least not then.
 +
 +
We somehow managed to get our subs and left a few minutes later without incident. Safely outside, I said to her, “Joyce, this is a dangerous part of town. I’m glad
 +
you’re with me. I need the protection.”
 +
 +
It’s not what you know, but ''who ''you know that counts.
 +
 +
=== The Meaning of Union ===
 +
 +
{{RightInsert|'''Meditate on Ephesians 4:7-8. '''What better captivity than to be hostages of Christ Jesus.}}All Christians—not just the spiritual elite—are united with Jesus Christ. If one is not united to Christ, he is not a Christian.<ref>D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, ''Romans Chapter Six,''p. 39.</ref>
 +
 +
{{LeftInsrt|<big>3</big> Meditate on the following biblical facts. Which of these encourages you most?
 +
 +
❏“I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go” (Ge 28:15)
 +
 +
❏“Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Mt 28:20)
 +
 +
❏“Neither death nor life, nor angels nor demons...will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ro 8:38-39)
 +
 +
❏“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Heb 13:5)}}Our union with Christ is a living relationship that provides us with the grace to overcome sin and live victorious lives. Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith, the captain of our salvation. He is the pioneer who has gone before us and has even conquered death. Sinclair Ferguson describes him as the lead climber of a team scaling the holy mountain of Zion. We’re roped to him. And just as surely as he has triumphed, so will we.<ref>Sinclair Ferguson, ''Christian Spirituality: Five Views of Sanctification, ''Donald L. Alexander, ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), p. 49.</ref>
 +
 +
This relationship can also be seen in the imagery our Lord himself uses when he says, “I am the vine; you are the branches” (Jn 15:5). We are told to abide in him, for apart from him we can do nothing. The King James Ver- sion brings this out as well: “For if we have been ''planted together ''in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of [his] resurrection...” (Ro 6:5 KJV, emphasis added). Our union with Christ is dynamic, not static. He has grafted us into a ''growing ''relationship.
 +
 +
{{RightInsert|'''Meditate on Philippians 2:1. '''Though our union with Christ is a fact, the awareness of that fact should generate plenty of feeling.}}Whether or not we ''feel ''united with Christ is of secondary importance; the fact is, we are. This is our status as believers. Does a marriage cease to exist just because a husband and wife feel distant from each other? Of course not. They remain legally united even if their affections grow cool for a season. Feelings—or the lack thereof—in no way jeopardize the fact of our union with Jesus.
 +
 +
Marriage offers a beautiful analogy of our bond with
 +
Christ. In marriage, two people come together to form a
 +
new entity, a union. They retain their individual identities
 +
while merging in a way that is unique and mysterious.
 +
The woman takes the name of her husband, showing her
 +
submission to him. The husband assumes responsibility
 +
for his wife’s support and protection. They hold all assets
 +
and liabilities in common, and wear rings as symbolic evidence of their special relationship.
 +
 +
So it is when we are wed to Jesus Christ. Though we
 +
retain our own personalities, our natures are dramatically
 +
changed as we become partakers of the divine nature. We
 +
are no longer the same people we were before. We belong
 +
to Christ, having taken his name. We have identified our-
 +
selves with him, desiring to be known as his, no matter
 +
the cost. We bring all our assets and liabilities into the
 +
relationship and so does he. (What an apparently bad deal
 +
for the Lord—he gets our sin and we get his righteousness!) And lastly, baptism is the “wedding ring” which tells a watching world we belong to him.

Revision as of 12:53, 30 May 2008

 

Notice: This template is no longer in use. Please use {{Info}} instead.

When I was converted in 1972, in the wake of the charismatic and Jesus movements, I wasn’t impressed by logical arguments about God or the Christian life. Mine was an irreverent generation, a “get high and stay high” generation. I was more likely to mock any serious conversation on the subject of religion than listen.

What I needed was an experience with God. And that is exactly what I got.

I met a Christian family whose joyful lives made a tremendous impression on me. They talked about Jesus as if he were right there, and they acted as if his life made a real difference to them. At first I thought it was quaint. But then I became curious. I was attracted by the quality of their lives. And when they explained that it had not always been this way for them, but that Jesus had changed their lives, I began to hope the same could be true for me.

Meditate on 2 Timothy 3:16-17. If you’re serious about change, here’s the ticket.

By “changed life” I am referring to the difference Jesus Christ makes in a person’s manner, habits, and worldview, even down to the very core of his nature. This family was solid proof that God did indeed make a difference. And when I was born again and my life began to change, I too concluded that Jesus is alive.

But I also learned that change involves more than a one-time experience. We need to understand how change happens, why it happens, and who makes it happen. These issues are squarely addressed in Scripture. Here’s where to go if you want to grow.

A Letter to Rome

1 After you were born again, what was the first thing in your life that you knew needed to change?




How do we overcome sin and live victoriously in Christ? Christians everywhere are looking for answers to this question...many of them in the wrong places. As you might expect, God has given the answer in his Word. The sixth chapter of Paul’s letter to the church at Rome has long been recognized for its essential contribution to the doctrine of sanctification. In it we find Paul contending for a proper understanding of what it means to live as a Christian. But it would be a mistake to try to discover Paul’s meaning in Romans 6 without regard for its context, so a brief review of the letter is in order.

Romans, more than any of Paul’s other letters, system- atically sets out the doctrine of salvation. After some introductory remarks, he unleashes a stinging indictment of the entire human race, showing that all men are guilty as sinners before God. He then explains how God justifies those sinners through faith in Jesus Christ. This is the gist of the first four chapters.

In Chapter 5 Paul begins to talk about the peace and assurance that come to us as a direct result of Christ’s atoning work on the cross. We now have peace with God and can rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. We can even rejoice in tribulations that come our way because they develop our character and produce hope. God’s love has been poured out upon us through the Holy Spirit. And since these great things were done for us when we were his enemies, we can be all the more assured of God’s continued grace now that we’re his friends.

In the latter part of Chapter 5 Paul sketches a comparison and contrast between Jesus and Adam, showing that the sacrifice of Christ more than compensates for the misery caused by Adam’s sin. He ends the chapter with these two verses:

For Further Study: Paul’s opponents convinced the church in Galatia that his message trivialized the Law. See how strongly Paul responds in Galatians 1:6-9 and 3:1-14.

The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Ro 5:20-21, emphasis added)

Paul would like to go on describing the blessings of justification, but he pauses, realizing hislast statement could easily be misinterpreted. Thus he begins Chapter 6 with a frontal assault on those who would try to twist his meaning:[1] “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Ro 6:2).

"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" —Paul the Apostle (Romans 6:1-2)

When rightly preached, the gospel of grace will always be open to the charge that it promotes lawlessness. Wherever Paul went he was hounded by opponents who accused him of teaching people that since they were forgiven, it did not matter how they lived. This was how they distorted his reasoning: “If God forgives us freely by grace (which he does) and if it is true that God’s grace is magnified in the forgiving of sin (which it is), then why not sin all the more so that more grace flows and God receives more glory?”

“Not so fast.” says Paul. “You’re missing something fundamental. Through this gospel, we died to sin. And if that’s the case, how can we go on living in it?”

Paul spends the rest of Chapter 6 countering this charge of lawlessness, or antinomianism. In doing so, he not only answers his critics but supplies us with some of the richest teaching to be found in the New Testament. For here we discover what it means to be united with Christ, a status that radically alters our relationship to sin.

Were You There?

For Further Study: Colossians 3:3 says “your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” That brings tremendous security—a truth David captures beautifully in Psalm 91.

We can all look back on individuals who have influenced our lives: our parents, a special friend, or perhaps an effective elementary school teacher. But Jesus Christ is different from any other. It’s certainly true that many who have never been born again have been influenced by our Lord’s example and teaching, but the New Testament has always held that real faith in Jesus Christ leads to a relationship much more penetrating and infinitely more significant than mere moral influence. Paul talks about our being “in Christ” and Christ being “in us.” And the impli- cations of this mysterious union are, without any exaggeration, astounding.

John R.W. Stott has written,

The great theme of Romans 6, and in particular verses 1-11, is that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are not only historical facts and significant doctrines, but personal experiences of the Christian believer. They are events in which we ourselves have come to share. All Christians have been united to Christ in his death and resurrection. Further, if this is true, if we have died with Christ and risen with Christ, it is inconceivable that we should go on living in sin.[2]

2 If you could share in the accomplishments of one of these famous individuals, who would it be?

❏Martin Luther King, Jr.: Civil rights leader

❏Winston Churchill: British politician

❏Thomas Edison: Prolific inventor

❏Beverly Sills: Opera singer

❏Michael Jordan: Basketball legend

❏Madame Curie: First person to win two Nobel prizes

❏Jesus Christ: Creator, Savior, and Lord

Below are the verses from Romans chapter six that highlight our union with Christ: Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. (Ro 6:3-6, emphasis added)

That our Lord actually conquered death is an over- whelming truth. Yet, as amazing as this is, it is perhaps more remarkable that we are considered as being united with him in his death, burial, and resurrection. Paul reiterates this truth in another letter:

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Gal 2:20, emphasis added)

Note the phrases “with Christ” and “in me” in the pas- sages above. They point to our union with Jesus Christ. Paul uses the act of baptism to remind us of these truths. What he is eager to show, however, is not baptism, but the faith that leads to baptism. It’s upon this faith that our present union with Christ is built.

For Further Study: Note the places in John 17 where Jesus refers to being “in” his disciples and vice versa (vs. 21, 23, and 26).

So what are the implications of this relationship? Somehow we are connected to Jesus Christ himself. And this is one of those cases where who you know is a lot more important than what you know—a lesson I learned in a Connecticut deli.

In 1974 my younger sister Joyce and I visited our aging grandmother in Bridgeport, Connecticut. One day Joyce suggested we go across the street to the deli and get some subs. But Grandma’s neighborhood had been deteriorating, and as soon as we walked in I knew we had made a big mistake. The place was packed with hardened, menacing- looking teenagers. Things got quiet as all eyes fixed on us—and no one was smiling.

A number of thoughts crossed my mind. Do they think we’re invading their turf? I wonder if they’re old enough to know you can get in trouble for murder?

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Template:LeftInsrtOur union with Christ is a living relationship that provides us with the grace to overcome sin and live victorious lives. Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith, the captain of our salvation. He is the pioneer who has gone before us and has even conquered death. Sinclair Ferguson describes him as the lead climber of a team scaling the holy mountain of Zion. We’re roped to him. And just as surely as he has triumphed, so will we.[3]

This relationship can also be seen in the imagery our Lord himself uses when he says, “I am the vine; you are the branches” (Jn 15:5). We are told to abide in him, for apart from him we can do nothing. The King James Ver- sion brings this out as well: “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of [his] resurrection...” (Ro 6:5 KJV, emphasis added). Our union with Christ is dynamic, not static. He has grafted us into a growing relationship.

Meditate on Philippians 2:1. Though our union with Christ is a fact, the awareness of that fact should generate plenty of feeling.

Whether or not we feel united with Christ is of secondary importance; the fact is, we are. This is our status as believers. Does a marriage cease to exist just because a husband and wife feel distant from each other? Of course not. They remain legally united even if their affections grow cool for a season. Feelings—or the lack thereof—in no way jeopardize the fact of our union with Jesus.

Marriage offers a beautiful analogy of our bond with Christ. In marriage, two people come together to form a new entity, a union. They retain their individual identities while merging in a way that is unique and mysterious. The woman takes the name of her husband, showing her submission to him. The husband assumes responsibility for his wife’s support and protection. They hold all assets and liabilities in common, and wear rings as symbolic evidence of their special relationship.

So it is when we are wed to Jesus Christ. Though we retain our own personalities, our natures are dramatically changed as we become partakers of the divine nature. We are no longer the same people we were before. We belong to Christ, having taken his name. We have identified our- selves with him, desiring to be known as his, no matter the cost. We bring all our assets and liabilities into the relationship and so does he. (What an apparently bad deal for the Lord—he gets our sin and we get his righteousness!) And lastly, baptism is the “wedding ring” which tells a watching world we belong to him.


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