Living in Freedom: Our Union with Christ
Summary
In Romans 7:4, we find a profound truth about the Christian life: we are dead to the law through the body of Christ, enabling us to be united with Him who is resurrected. This union with Christ is not merely a theological concept but a transformative reality that redefines our existence. As Christians, we have undergone a spiritual death and resurrection, paralleling Christ's own death and resurrection. This new life in Christ means we are no longer bound by the law's demands, as we have died to it through Christ's sacrifice. Our relationship with the law has been severed, and we are now free to live in the newness of life that Christ offers.
This freedom from the law is not a license for lawlessness but a call to a deeper, more profound relationship with Christ. The law, while holy and good, could not bring about the righteousness it demanded. It is through our union with Christ that we are empowered to live a life that bears fruit for God. This union is likened to a marriage, where we are now joined to Christ, our new husband, and are called to live in fidelity to Him. This relationship is characterized by love, obedience, and a shared life that reflects the glory of God.
The implications of this union are vast. We are no longer under the condemnation of the law; instead, we live under the grace and love of Christ. This truth should fill us with assurance and joy, knowing that our salvation and sanctification are secure in Him. We are called to live out this reality daily, reminding ourselves of our identity in Christ and the freedom we have in Him. This understanding should transform our perspective, leading us to live lives that honor and glorify our Savior.
Key Takeaways:
1. Union with Christ: Our union with Christ is central to our identity as Christians. This union means we have died to the law and are now alive in Christ, sharing in His resurrection life. This profound truth should shape our understanding of salvation and sanctification, as it is through this union that we are empowered to live a life that pleases God. [06:51]
2. Freedom from the Law: Being dead to the law means we are no longer under its condemnation. This freedom is not an invitation to sin but a call to live in the grace and love of Christ. Understanding this freedom is essential for experiencing true assurance and joy in the Christian life. [19:16]
3. The Role of the Law: While we are free from the law's condemnation, the law itself is not dismissed. It remains holy and good, serving as a guide that points us to Christ. Our relationship with the law is transformed through our union with Christ, who fulfilled the law on our behalf. [26:56]
4. Living in Newness of Life: Our new life in Christ calls us to live differently. We are to live as those who are married to Christ, reflecting His love and character in our daily lives. This involves a conscious effort to align our thoughts and actions with our new identity in Him. [30:23]
5. Eternal Security in Christ: Our union with Christ is permanent and unbreakable. This assurance should fill us with confidence and hope, knowing that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. This eternal security is a source of great comfort and motivation to live faithfully for Him. [43:47]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:12] - Introduction to Romans 7:4
- [01:03] - The New Life in Christ
- [01:57] - The Incarnation and Resurrection
- [04:20] - Our Relationship to Christ
- [05:57] - Union with Christ Explained
- [07:31] - Dead to the Law
- [09:41] - The Finality of Our Death to the Law
- [12:39] - Christ's Fulfillment of the Law
- [14:32] - Freedom from the Law's Demands
- [17:13] - No Longer Under the Law's Dominion
- [19:16] - No Condemnation in Christ
- [22:36] - Married to Christ
- [30:23] - Living as Christ's Bride
- [43:47] - Eternal Security in Christ
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Romans 7:4
- Galatians 2:19
- Ephesians 5:25-32
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Observation Questions:
1. According to Romans 7:4, what is the significance of being "dead to the law" through the body of Christ? How does this relate to our new life in Christ? [00:12]
2. In the sermon, how does the pastor describe the relationship between the law and the believer's union with Christ? [06:51]
3. What analogy does the pastor use to explain our new relationship with Christ, and how does it help us understand our spiritual transformation? [22:36]
4. How does the pastor explain the concept of "no condemnation" for those in Christ, and what is its importance for believers? [19:33]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the pastor's explanation of being "dead to the law" challenge common misconceptions about the role of the law in a Christian's life? [08:31]
2. What does the pastor mean when he says that our union with Christ is like a marriage? How does this metaphor deepen our understanding of our relationship with Jesus? [23:54]
3. How does the pastor's emphasis on the resurrection of Christ influence our understanding of eternal security in Him? [42:14]
4. In what ways does the pastor suggest that our new identity in Christ should transform our daily lives and interactions with others? [30:23]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your understanding of being "dead to the law." How does this truth impact your daily walk with Christ, and what changes might you need to make to live in this freedom? [09:41]
2. Consider the metaphor of being married to Christ. How does this perspective influence your commitment and faithfulness to Him in your daily life? [22:36]
3. The pastor speaks about the assurance and joy that come from knowing there is no condemnation in Christ. How can you remind yourself of this truth when you feel guilty or condemned? [19:33]
4. Identify an area in your life where you might still be living under the "old husband" of the law. What steps can you take to fully embrace your new identity in Christ? [30:55]
5. How can the understanding of your eternal security in Christ motivate you to live more boldly and confidently in your faith? [43:47]
6. The pastor emphasizes the importance of living in the newness of life. What specific actions can you take this week to reflect Christ's love and character in your interactions with others? [30:23]
7. Reflect on the pastor's call to apply these truths to ourselves daily. What practical steps can you take to preach these truths to yourself and live in the light of your union with Christ? [46:54]
Devotional
Day 1: Union with Christ Transforms Our Identity
Our union with Christ is a transformative reality that redefines our existence as Christians. This union is not just a theological concept but a profound truth that shapes our understanding of salvation and sanctification. Through Christ's death and resurrection, we have undergone a spiritual death and resurrection, freeing us from the law's demands. This new life in Christ empowers us to live in a way that pleases God, as we share in His resurrection life. Our identity is now rooted in this union, and it should influence every aspect of our lives. [06:51]
"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." (Romans 6:5, ESV)
Reflection: How does your understanding of being united with Christ influence your daily decisions and interactions with others?
Day 2: Freedom from the Law's Condemnation
Being dead to the law means we are no longer under its condemnation. This freedom is not an invitation to sin but a call to live in the grace and love of Christ. The law, while holy and good, could not bring about the righteousness it demanded. Through our union with Christ, we are empowered to live a life that bears fruit for God. Understanding this freedom is essential for experiencing true assurance and joy in the Christian life. [19:16]
"For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:2, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you embrace the freedom from the law's condemnation to live more fully in the grace and love of Christ today?
Day 3: The Law as a Guide to Christ
While we are free from the law's condemnation, the law itself is not dismissed. It remains holy and good, serving as a guide that points us to Christ. Our relationship with the law is transformed through our union with Christ, who fulfilled the law on our behalf. This understanding helps us appreciate the law's role in leading us to a deeper relationship with Christ, where we are called to live in fidelity to Him. [26:56]
"So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith." (Galatians 3:24, ESV)
Reflection: How can you view the law as a guide that leads you to a deeper relationship with Christ rather than a set of rules to follow?
Day 4: Living as Christ's Bride
Our new life in Christ calls us to live differently, as those who are married to Christ. This relationship is characterized by love, obedience, and a shared life that reflects the glory of God. We are to live as Christ's bride, reflecting His love and character in our daily lives. This involves a conscious effort to align our thoughts and actions with our new identity in Him. [30:23]
"For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called." (Isaiah 54:5, ESV)
Reflection: What specific actions can you take today to reflect the love and character of Christ in your relationships and daily life?
Day 5: Eternal Security in Christ
Our union with Christ is permanent and unbreakable. This assurance should fill us with confidence and hope, knowing that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. This eternal security is a source of great comfort and motivation to live faithfully for Him. It reminds us that our salvation and sanctification are secure in Him, and we are called to live out this reality daily. [43:47]
"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6, ESV)
Reflection: How does the assurance of eternal security in Christ motivate you to live faithfully and confidently in your daily walk with Him?
Quotes
Now then there is the first thing and we spent a good deal of Last Friday evening in emphasizing that because my friends there is no experience possible apart from that and any desire on our parts to on our parts to rush past that in order that we may come to ourselves is indeed a very bad sign. [00:02:42]
The position of the Christian is that he died with the Lord Jesus Christ once and once and for all when? Well, when he died upon the cross when he died in that body which he had taken unto himself when he died there in the body on the cross we were Christians died with him. [00:10:08]
The statement therefore is this that when our Lord was there dying and did die upon the cross he was dying to the law not only dying to sin and to death but he was dying to the law. Well, how is that possible says someone? Well, it's possible like this. [00:12:00]
The moment he rose again he was no longer under the law that's why the Apostle emphasizes and keeps on emphasizing his resurrection. The resurrection is the Declaration that the law has been fully fulfilled and satisfied that he's finished with it he is no longer under the law. [00:13:35]
Now this is one of the most glorious and I use again the term liberating truths that we can never grasp it's so important that I want to give it to you as the same Apostle has stated it elsewhere there is a very perfect statement of this in the epistle to the Galatians. [00:14:56]
The law cannot point a finger at us it can cannot accuse us it cannot condemn us the fact is that as Christians we are entirely outside the jurisdiction of the law we have we've become dead to that we are in the position that he has already Illustrated in his illustration of marriage. [00:19:41]
You cannot have a real sense of freedom and Assurance in the Christian life until you realize that you're completely dead to the law now we're not afraid of being called antinomian because we say that the apostle was charged with that but he's asserting it he says this is our position. [00:20:34]
We are no longer married to the law we are married to Christ what does this mean beloved Christian people let's look at it let's see the position in which we are at this moment every one of us who's a Christian in this congregation is is married to the Lord Jesus Christ. [00:30:10]
The nature of our Union with the Lord Jesus Christ as we are married to him well here it is one it is a real Union it is a complete Union the Apostle Paul fortunately has put this for us very clearly as you remember in his epistle to the Ephesians. [00:36:00]
There is no more intimate relationship than that and that is our relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ shame on us Christian people that we don't live in the light of these things that we don't live in the glory of these things shame on us that we don't live perpetually rejoicing. [00:38:01]
We are married to the Lord Jesus Christ for how long is it only until I fall into sin does that mean I drop out of the relationship and have to be married again to him and then sin and drop out what utter nonsense isn't it no no let's realize that this thing is legal. [00:41:19]
We have been married to Christ eternally he will never let us go we are his forever and forever from him who loves me now so well what power my soul shall s shall life or death or Earth or hell no I am his forever that I say is the nature of the Union. [00:44:41]
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