Picture of Union with Christ

by Nick Bibile

Union with Christ has to do with our new identity. Whenever you see the words ‘in Christ’ in the Bible it has to do with our union with Christ. Our English word union comes from the French word union and Latin unio, which means oneness, united.

There was a change when Christ came to our life. The union with Christ is an essential teaching, which you will not hear from many of the pulpits today.

Ephesians 2:5-6 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

See the words very carefully.

‘made alive.’ 2. ‘raise up’ 3. ‘Seated us with him’ in heaven. The results were this:

1. Greek - Synzoopoeio, which means ‘to make alive together with’
2. Greek - Synegiro, which means ‘to raise up together with’
3. Greek - Synkathizo, which means ‘to sit down together with.’

Professor John Murray in his book ‘Redemption accomplished and Applied’ said, “Union with Christ is really the central truth of the whole doctrine of salvation not only in its application but also in its once-for-all accomplishment in the finished work of Christ. Indeed the whole process of salvation has its origin in one phase of union with Christ and salvation has in view the realization of other phases of union with Christ.... Union with Christ is the central truth of the whole doctrine of salvation.”

Usually the common understanding is that when it says, the word raised up with Christ has to do with the resurrection and ascension. As Jesus was raised up from the dead and taken up to heaven, then we too are raised up with him and in heavenly places. This is not easy to understand, as our mortal eyes do not see that but to be taken spiritually.

We were spiritually dead before and now we are spiritually alive when God raised us up from the dead and we are given a new life as our condition has been changed. We have a new identity; we are not only creatures of this world but also new creatures of much greater heavenly realm because of our union with Christ. We are being transformed from the kingdom of this world, the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of heaven.

All this happened in Christ Jesus, which means our union with Christ. The union with Christ is an essential teaching, which you will not hear from many of the pulpits today. I am going to expose this most fundamental essential teaching which is very crucial for us to understand our new identity in Christ.

There was a radical change in our conversion.

Before                                                          Now

In Adam                                                        In Christ    

Dead in transgressions and sins                      Made alive with Christ

We were dead                                               Now we are alive

We were slaves to sin                                    Liberated by the power of sin

We were objects of God’s wrath                     We experience God’s love.

Kingdom of this world                                     Kingdom of heaven

The union with Christ exalts the grace of God and makes us humble and shows us it had nothing to do with our righteousness or our obedience but all of Christ! Man does not get an inch of glory but God gets it all.

There are metaphors of our union with Christ in the Bible. The union with Christ is described in John chapter 15:1-16 as of the union between the vine and branches. Also this union is compared as the head and the members of the body in Eph 4:15-16. Also we find the union of Christ with the believers as of the husband and wife Eph 5:21-32. Also we see the union of Christ with the believers as in a construction of a building in 1 Pet 2:4-6

Now as I said let us see in scripture how the union with Christ is so essential to the gospel.

• Grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world. (2 Tim 1:9)
• God chose us in him (Christ) before the foundation of the world that we should be holy without blame before him in love. (Eph 1:4)
• We were accepted in the beloved (Christ) because of God’s grace. (Eph 1:6)
• We are new creatures in Christ. (2 Cor 5:17)
• Our redemption is in Christ. (Eph 1:7)
• Forgiveness of sins in Christ. (Eph 1:7)
• All condemnation is removed in Christ. (Rom 8:1)
• We were made righteous in Him. (Christ) 2 Cor 5:21
• Our faith in Christ Jesus. (Col 1:4)
• Justified in Christ. (Rom 3:24)
• Sanctified in Christ. (1 Cor 1:2)
• Buried in Christ. (Col 2:12)
• We are raised up and seated in heaven in Christ. (Eph 2:6)
• We obtain an inheritance in Him. (Christ) (Eph 1:11)
• Love of God in Christ Jesus. (Rom 8:39)

Result.

• We live in Him. (Christ) 1 John 2:28)

• We walk with him and grow in Christ. (Col 2:6-7)
• Good works in Christ. (Eph 2:10)
• We pray to the Father in Christ’s name. (John 14:13)
• We live a godly life and suffer in Christ. (2 Tim 3:12)
• We rejoice in Christ Jesus. (Philp 3:3)
• Our good behavior and conduct in Christ Jesus. (1 Pet 3:16)
• We live unto the Lord, we die unto the Lord, we belong to Christ.  (Rom 14:8)

Seated with God in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.

We are united with Christ to the highest level that is heaven. Not only that we are seated with the glorious majestic God of the universe! This is our identity, our position in Christ, wow! The seat of God speaks of victory.