Union with Christ

[00:00:02] Speaker A: Okay, so this morning, I want to start with maybe a guessing game of sorts. I want you guys to guess, so you're gonna have to guess the movie that this line comes from. Speed. I am speed. Shout it out. Cars. Cars. That's right. Now, I'm not gonna do impressions just for the record. I'm gonna try to just read it Pl. So don't. So don't read too much into how I'm saying it. That's all I'm saying. But that was good. Yeah. That comes from cars, right? That's pretty famous. Tried to pick easy ones. I am one with the Force. The force is with me. More specific. There you go. There you go. There you go. You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it. Molded by. That's right. That would have been a good impression to do, but it would make it even easier than it already is. I am the Senate. That's right. Good job. Good job. Okay, those are easy. I tried to think of as many examples as I could just off the top of my head. That was all I could think of. But all of these lines, at least somewhat, we can't stretch it too far. Reveal a character that is equating himself with or unifying himself with something else, saying, I am something. You know, Lightning McQueen is one with speed itself. Bane is basically saying he's one with darkness. He doesn't say that exactly. Palpatine is, in essence, the Senate. He's one with the Senate, but he really is supreme over it. Now, again, we don't want to stretch this too far, but today we're talking about union with Christ. You know, Palpatine may have thought he was the Senate. We don't think we are Christ, but we know and believe that Christians are one with Christ. We are one with him through faith. That's the idea of union with Christ. The topic. But first, let's review. Before we get into the usual stuff. What is theology again? What is it? You start. I think you may have said it, but I guess. Asher. Yeah, you. You answer every week. So I was giving someone else a chance, but you can answer it. I'm happy with you answer. Yeah, yeah. [00:02:29] Speaker B: Theology is the study of God and. [00:02:31] Speaker A: How to be more like. Bingo. That's good. Maybe that'll be. You're the theology guy. He's Psalms of the Day. Theology. The white. The white boys are claiming up all of the. The things. All right. You know, so theology, that's kind of the biggest umbrella of what we've been studying. Yeah, it covers everything we've Been doing. But then we have these smaller but not the smallest umbrellas that cover other categories. And all of our lessons fall in those. These are kind of categories. This is systematic theology, people call it. So what kind of broad category or doctrine which is a what kind of broad category are we studying? I've mentioned a few times. Yes, yes. The doctrine of salvation. That's right. So all these lessons are sub lessons of the doctrine of salvation. So what have we studied so far under salvation? Election. That's right. We did election reprobation last week. Yeah. How the Spirit works. Yeah, well, we talked about that probably a little bit, but probably mostly under the Spirit because we did study the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. So we might be crossing lines a little bit. There's one other. It was a kind of grace, maybe common grace. That's right. We talked about common grace. I think that's all. We've only done those two. That's right, yeah. So common grace, which does not warrant salvation, it's different from saving grace, but it's related to salvation because one of its uses is that it points people to and guides people towards salvation. It gives evidence for the Creator, God. And then election. We talked about how different people view that and all of that stuff. So if you want to hear it again, you can listen to the recording. We won't rehash it all, but this week we're turning to union with Christ. I find this very edifying and important concept to study because I believe that union with Christ is the heart of salvation. So of all of salvation, I think this is the absolute core, the central piece. Now it's a little interesting because we don't talk about it that much. You don't necessarily hear that phrase all the time, but I think it's the heart of salvation. Now here's the summary of what union with Christ is. So the main idea of the summary, union with Christ is the mighty work of God to join his people in eternal covenant with the Son. So union with Christ is the mighty work of God to join his people in eternal covenant with the Son who accomplished their salvation through the Holy Spirit who applies their salvation. So being united with the Son who accomplished salvation, this happens through the Holy Spirit who applies salvation. So this also gives us a little info about the Son and the Holy Spirit as a reminder. The Son accomplishes the Spirit applies is kind of the basic scheme, but with that, let's do our major affirmations. So number one, union with Christ is the heart of salvation. So I did just say this. Union with Christ is the heart of salvation. A theologian named John Murray, he said that union. I thought this was helpful. He said that union with Christ is the central truth of the whole doctrine of salvation. So that's another way of putting it. Kind of the central truth. If you're kind of looking at what is the absolute core and then everything else kind of flows from there. That's what I'm saying. Now again, I want to acknowledge maybe if I were to have asked, what do you think is the heart or the central part of salvation, you might have been a little hard pressed. Or maybe we would have guessed things like grace, mercy, forgiveness, sacrifice, justification, adoption, redemption. All of those words, right? And those are all great words and I don't mean to say those are unimportant at all. Right. They are all intricately linked in a way. If you take one piece, the tower would fall. But I think that just at the heart of it we see union with Christ. So now here's why I'm concluding that this union idea, the idea of being one with Christ is so important. It's because of two words that we see frequently in the Bible. In Christ. Christ. You just think in Christ. You've probably seen that. I don't know how many times I should have looked up to see how many times it's used. I did not do that. So I don't know the answer. But let's flip around to some, some verses. So we're going to be in the New Testament for this. Go to second Timothy 2, verse 10 to start. Second Timothy 2 10. Does someone want to read second Timothy 2 10? Thank you. Therefore I endure everything that they may also obtain salvation that is in Christ Jesus. Great, thank you. So what we're seeing here is pretty clearly that, so he's enduring this all for the sake of the elect, that they may obtain salvation that is in Christ Jesus. So salvation is in Christ. Salvation is in Christ. Let's go now to Ephesians 1:7, Ephesians 1:7. And when someone else read that, when we get there, Ephesians 1:7. Yeah. Okay, so here, what do we see? We see that redemption is in him. So salvation for the elect is in Christ. Redemption is in Christ. So and if we include the phrase in him, not just look for in Christ, we see even more examples of this phrase happening. Now let's go to First John. We're doing. This is like a New Testament sword drill. First John 5:11. First John 5:11. Someone can take that when you get there, who wants to read it? You can Go again. Levi? Yeah, you're there. First John 5, 11. Thank you. Yes. So eternal life. This life. Eternal life is in His Son. In other words, it is in Christ. So salvation is in Christ. Redemption is in Christ. Eternal life is in Christ. 2nd Corinthians 8 or not 8, 5, 17. 2 Corinthians 5:17. Maybe someone knows this one. Has anyone memorized this? Oh, Caleb, you can read it. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come. Thank you. Yeah. So becoming a new creation is in Christ. The other fancy word for this is regeneration. Being made into a new creation is in Christ. Salvation is in Christ. Redemption's in Christ. Eternal life is in Christ. Regeneration is in Christ. All of these themes are being wound and bound together in Christ. We're going to do more Romans 8, 1. We're going to keep going and see. We're not going to read every example. We're going to look through several. Romans 8, 1. So someone want to read that? It's just a little to the left in your Bible. Yes, Lincoln. [00:10:56] Speaker B: There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. [00:11:04] Speaker A: Thank you. So there's no condemnation for those in Christ. And this is all built on a. This specifically is built on an argument for justification. So we could say that justification is in Christ because Christians are justified. There's now no condemnation for those in Christ. So all of these things. Another one. First Corinthians. First Corinthians, right after Romans. So don't go too far. 1 Corinthians 1:30. Who wants to read that? Yes, Kinsler. [00:11:42] Speaker C: You are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God through righteousness and sanctification and redemption. [00:11:52] Speaker A: Thank you. Yeah. So because of him, in him we see righteousness, sanctification, redemption. We've talked about some of those, but now we're seeing sanctification even is in Christ. So becoming holy is in Christ. Look at verses. Or I'll read these because I'm going to pick if you look, same chapter, verses four through five. I give thanks to my God always for you, because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him, in all speech and all knowledge. Verse 7. So that you are not lacking in any gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. So here we're talking about gifts from the Spirit are in Christ. They're given to those in Christ. Now look finally at the First Corinthians 15, 1 Corinthians 15. That's the second to last chapter of the book. First Corinthians 15:22. Can someone read that? Jeremiah. You can read it. First Corinthians 15:22. What are you reading? Do you have an English Bible? Oh, that's a Hebrew name. That's okay. Yeah. You got Corinthians, First Corinthians 15:22. Yes. For as an Adam, all die, even so in Christ, all shall be made alive. Yes, that does make more sense with the context. Yeah. So we see resurrection is in Christ. So let's just run that down again. Salvation for the elect is in Christ. Redemption is in Christ. Eternal life is in Christ. Regeneration, being a new creation, is in Christ. Justification, having no condemnation is in Christ. Sanctification is in Christ. Spiritual gifts are given to those in Christ. Resurrection of the body is in Christ. Spirit. So all of this is summed up then, in Ephesians 1:3. You don't need to flip there. I'll just read it. It says, 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. So I think what we're seeing here is that every good and perfect gift from God comes to you through Christ alone as something merited by union with Christ. Without union with Christ, there is no salvation. This is, I believe, the heart. So number two, second major affirmation. Union with Christ means that believers are united with Christ in His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. So union with Christ means that believers are united with Christ in His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. This is so fundamental to salvation that I think we can't really appreciate the beauty of God's plan of salvation unless we see union with Christ uniting us to him in those four aspects. The good news is that God has made this truth evident. So he not only teaches us these things in the Bible, but we see this portrayed to us frequently in the church. It is a visible sign of an inward grace. In other words, we see these things in baptism and in the Lord's Supper. So as often as we practice those, we are seeing examples of union with Christ because God wants it to be in front of our eyes. He wants us to see it. So go to Romans chapter six. We'll read a few verses from there to help us understand this. Romans 6. We're going to read verses three through five. All right, I'll read them Romans 6, starting in verse three. Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 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. 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. So this is a beautiful truth. This is something that we cannot forget as we see those ordinances practiced in the Church, that by being united to Christ in his death and burial, depicting, you know, depicted as going down into the water. So it's a very literal going down into death. It's like you're being buried when by being united to Christ in death and burial, you die to your sinful life. An actual death is occurring. It has been buried, it is dead, it is gone. We read 2 Corinthians 5:17. The old creation is gone, a new one has come. By being united to Christ in his resurrection and ascension, the lifting up out of the water, your new life has been raised by the spiritual presence of Christ. He has been raised. And you will reign with Christ in heaven, where he reigns today. So you're no longer when this happens. This is what is being depicted. You're no longer in Adam. That's how we're born. In Adam is kind of the theological term. We're born in Adam. You're now in Christ. Your union with sinful, fallen man is dead. Your union with the perfect man is alive forever. That's union with Christ. That's what we're being. That's what's being seen in baptism. Does that make sense? Again, I'm not saying it is magically happening through the water, but baptism is a visible sign of inward grace. Does that make sense? Now, the Lord's Supper I added on, and I think that is helpful because it shows us the continuing reality of this. It is the continual covenantal reminder that we have died to Christ. We are participating spiritually in his sacrifice, reminding us of his death, which led to resurrection, which killed our former selves and raised us to newness of life. That is what is being commemorated, what is being shown. And that is why we practice it. And that is why only Christians must practice the Lord's Supper. So union with Christ shows that we are united in his death, burial, resurrection and ascension. The third affirmation I want to make union with Christ means that believers are united to the triune God. Not just any God, not necessarily just Christ. But this is a union with God, triune. So that'd be T R I U N E. So that's A different way of saying the God who is Trinity. Triune means Trinity. Greg Allison, who wrote the book that has helped me kind of organize these lessons, he explains it well. He wrote Christ is in believers, living in them because of his intimate union with the Father. As Christ the Son dwells in believers, so too does the Father. The Holy Spirit affects this indwelling as he fills believers through Christ's best baptism of believers with the Spirit in the Spirit's indwelling, the triune God dwells in believers. So we don't want to ever parse out the persons of the Trinity too much anyway. But it's. I don't want to say it's not a mere union with Christ. That is a wonderful thing. But it is truly a union, an indwelling of the Godhead, Father, Son, and Spirit in the believer. And that is an amazing thing. It's kind of hard to wrap our minds around how incredible this is. It's difficult for me to find words to help you understand how incredible and amazing that really is that the God of the universe, the triune God, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, is pleased and happy to dwell in men and women that are sinful. So if you put your faith in Christ, then the supreme and most powerful being in the universe dwells in you. His fullness dwells in you. That is amazing. The fourth affirmation I want to make. Union with Christ means that believers are united to one another. Union with Christ means we're united to other believers. That's right. Both of those come together. They're not separate things. It's not. I'm a Christian, and then I might be a part of the church. No, it's all one. If you are one with Christ, you are one with his body. Look at where you might still be in Romans 6. Go to Romans 12, Romans 12. Can someone read verses 4 and 5? Romans 12, 4 and 5. Yeah. Lincoln, you can do that. [00:21:30] Speaker B: For as in one body, we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function. [00:21:38] Speaker A: So we. [00:21:40] Speaker B: Are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. [00:21:46] Speaker A: Thank you. That's great. Yeah. So what we learn here is that though Christians are different members of the church, they become one body through Christ. So we even see the phrase in Christ. So with union with Christ, the many become one, the many become the body of the head who is Christ. So we get this whole body image. Now flip over just a little to Galatians 3. Can someone read Galatians 3, 27, 28. Hadley 27 through 28. Yeah. [00:22:41] Speaker C: For as many as you were baptized in Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek. There is neither slave nor free. There is no male in female. For you are all one in Jesus Christ. [00:22:57] Speaker A: Thank you. Very good. So all who are baptized into the church upon a profession of faith become one with each other. That's the reality. It is not just becoming one with Christ. It is not just an individual personal salvation. There is a corporate that means like a congregational church wide reality that changes you become one with the church. So it unites us to one another. We even see because of that there is, you're able to say Jew and Greek, which would have been the most clear dividing line in the church between different peoples, Jews and Greeks, slaves and free people, males and females, all these people become one. The distinctions don't become nearly as important being one in Christ. So it's not that being a male or female doesn't matter anymore, for example, it matters. But that distinction becomes far less important than whether or not you are in Christ. And so the whole idea of unity, which people naturally, even non Christians want unity in the world, it makes no sense apart from Christ. Christ makes it actually possible in the church because he makes the many one. And it's a wonderful truth that he unites us to one another, doesn't just unite us to Himself and have us individually running around. He brings us together for mutual support. Okay, so those are the major affirmations. Let's go over a couple of errors we want to avoid. We don't want to make these. Number one, we must not neglect the intimate union that believers enjoy with the triune God. You know, we don't, may not maybe you don't often think about that if you are a believer, even if you are thinking about Christianity at all. But we cannot forget is there. It's wonderful for us to glory in God as being high and above us. But he has graciously provided justification and sanctification for those he loves. We should, we need to take time to glory and enjoy that the mighty God draws near to us. He is not just high and above us, which is true, but he comes near in the most intimate of ways, dwelling within his people. So we should maybe think on that, you know, pray on that reflect. Number two, we must not overemphasize union with Christ as a mystical intimacy. I don't mean so I'm emphasizing it quite a lot. But we don't want to make it this mystical. You can even put it in quotes. Mystical intimacy. So in church history, different groups have Promoted things like this. Basically, the goal would be to detach yourself from the world, to search out some mysterious bliss through union with Christ. It was kind of like becoming a monk. This would be one of the goals of some monks through history. Now, in form, this would look much more like Buddhism than Christianity detaching from the world. Whereas in the New Testament, we don't see believers told to detach from the world. They're very much in the world even as they are believers. God has given us everything we need for life and godliness through His Word. We don't need to search out some secret bliss that is unknown in the Bible to make us feel more enlightened. That is not what the Bible is teaching us to do. That's not what this doctrine of union with Christ is teaching us. It's teaching us union with Christ just is when you turn from your sins and trust in Christ, it means you are united to Christ. It is the reality of being one of his children, of being justified and adopted into his family. That is union with Christ. To have the Spirit, to have the holy God dwelling in you, it is not something that you do after the fact that you search out over years and become more and more unified with Christ. That's not how the Bible ever portrayed it. So we must not overemphasize that to the point where we become monks. Sorry for crushing your dreams. Now, let's talk about enacting the doctrine. How can we live this out? Well, that's one way we shouldn't live it out, but. Well, first we can imitate Christ. If you trust. If you are a Christian, if you have turned from your sins and trusted in Christ, this means that you are united to Him. You should imitate Him. You need to read the Word, know what it says. You need to seek to live like Christ in your own life and context. So this can mean a lot of things. I encourage you to reflect on that. Think about how it would look for you to imitate Christ in your life. Second, if you have believed in Christ, then be baptized, join the church and take the Lord's Supper. And in that order is what I want you to remember. Do those things in that order. If you believe in Christ, then you should be baptized. And when you are baptized, I believe that's not something we do as individuals. It's something you proclaim, but it's also something that the church is saying about you. The church is saying that, yeah, we believe that you have believed. So it's a both parties are active sort of thing. So that's why being baptized is one with joining the church. And only after that should you take the Lord's Supper as a baptized believer, someone who has obeyed Christ by declaring to the Church, and the Church declaring to you that you are one with Christ. So that's why I do think the order is important. I can talk about that more if you want, at a later time. Any questions before we close? No. Well, again, you're always welcome to ask me questions afterward and I'll see if I have an answer. Let's pray. Father, thank you for your word and that you are pleased to dwell in men and women, sinful creatures through Christ. Lord, thank you for this doctrine and how you have revealed it in your word. Lord, we pray that at. At the end, all of us in this room would be truly found in Christ. Lord, if any of us are not in Christ, we pray that you would call them to yourself today, that they might turn from their sins and trust in you. Lord, thank you again for revealing how you are high and lifted up and you dwell near to us. You approach us even in our sin. Lord, thank you for this reality. And we pray this all in your Son's name. Amen.