by Garrett Glende
We’ve reached the final chapter in this section on the application of redemption, and while the believer’s union with Christ is not traditionally included under this heading, it bears a strong enough significance to study. After all, each of the benefits of salvation and each step in the application of redemption can only occur if there is union with Christ. Grudem defines it as “a phrase used to summarize several different relationships between believers and Christ, through which Christians receive every benefit of salvation. These relationships include the fact that we are in Christ, Christ is in us, we are like Christ, and we are with Christ.”
The first aspect of this doctrine is that all believers are said to be in Christ, but this is played out in different ways. Grudem explains that we are in Christ in the sense of God’s eternal plan, as seen in Ephesians 1:11 where Paul writes, “In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.” Elsewhere in Scripture we see that blessings have been given to us in Christ before the foundation of the world (2 Tim 1:9). The Bible also describes us as being in Christ during His life on earth. This is how He is able to be our representative, so that God sees us as having lived Christ’s life and His righteousness is imputed to us. We are treated as having lived Christ’s life because of our union with Him (Rom 5:19). Moreover, we are said to be in Christ during our lives now. The new lives that we live have been given to us in Christ Jesus (1 John 5:11, 2 Tim 1:1). This means that everything that we do can be done in Christ. The new life that is brought about in us should change our actions and motivations, giving us the power to live for His glory.
Another way in which we are united to Christ is that He is in us. Only those connected to the true vine are saved. Jesus says that “Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit” (John 15:5). The fact that Christ abides in us should have an external affect on our lives, as we will bear good fruit. Paul also testifies that “it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). He says that this is a mystery hidden from the people for ages and generations, but it has now been revealed that this mystery is “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col 1:26-27). It is this intimate relationship with Christ that causes us to live our lives in a manner worthy of the gospel.
Additionally, we are said to be like Christ. This goes along with the idea of being connected to Him as the vine and braches in order to bear fruit. John writes that “whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:6). Our likeness to Christ stems from the fact that we are in Him, for if we were not one with Him, then there would be no resemblance to Him in our actions. Throughout Scripture we see commands to live as Jesus lived in the way we love one another, in the way we respond to critics, in the way husbands love their wives, and in the way we handle suffering. All these areas of our lives are influenced by the fact that we are united to Him.
The last way that we are united to Christ is the fact what we are with Christ. When Jesus commissioned His disciples to go out to all the nations there must have been a measure of fear in their hearts. Yet Jesus, being the great comforter, promised that he would be with them always, even to the end of the age (Matt 28:20). Although He is not here physically, we do enjoy the fellowship that comes with the very presence of Christ. Working together with him, knowing him, being comforted by him, being taught by him, and living our lives in his presence are all different ways that Grudem places under the banner of being with Christ.
One of the personal application questions that are at the end of each chapter particularly caught my eye in regards to the church body. Grudem writes, “How can the idea of union with Christ increase your love and fellowship for other Christians, both those in your church and those in other churches?” For one, the reality that each believer is united to Christ also means that we are united together in one body. If the church is united to Christ, should we not also be united to one another? But what is our unity centered on? People are easily united by the things of the world, such as sports or politics, but are these things what the church should find its unity in? Personally, it’s easy for me to strike up a random conversation with any person I see on the street wearing a Giants hat. Why’s that? It’s because we are united in a mutual affection for Giants baseball. But I think many of us would be unable to feel similarly if we encounter a stranger who claims to be a Christian. Could I just as easily and just as passionately have a conversation about our Savior? So what is it that makes you feel united at church? Is it that you go to the same school, share the same interests, or are in the same stage of life? If that’s the case, then it’s necessary to shift the way you think about church unity. Start engaging people on a Christian level and not just a worldly one. Talk about distinctly Christian things. Interact with one another knowing that you are united in Christ. This is the way that we show love towards one another, seeking to encourage our brothers and sisters in their walks with Christ, just as they do the same for us. If we do this as a body, then our church will be bonded together by something truly worthwhile.