Living in the Reality of Our Union with Christ

 

Summary

In Ephesians 2:4-7, Paul presents a profound and glorious truth about the Christian life, emphasizing the transformative power of God in believers. This passage reveals the spiritual reality that Christians, once dead in trespasses and sins, have been made alive, raised, and seated with Christ in the heavenly realms. This is not a future promise but a present reality, highlighting the believer's union with Christ. The Apostle Paul wants the Ephesians to understand the magnitude of this transformation, urging them to realize that the same power that raised Christ from the dead is at work in them.

The concept of being seated with Christ in the heavenly places signifies a complete change in status and identity. It means that Christians no longer belong to this world; they are no longer under the dominion of Satan or subject to the wrath of God. Instead, they are citizens of heaven, living under the influence and guidance of the Holy Spirit. This new position in Christ brings a sense of rest and victory, as believers are called to live in the reality of their completed redemption.

Being seated with Christ also implies a life of heavenly-mindedness, where believers are encouraged to set their affections on things above, not on earthly things. This heavenly perspective transforms how Christians live, think, and interact with the world. It is a call to live in the light of eternity, experiencing the first fruits of the heavenly life even now. This spiritual reality empowers believers to resist the devil, overcome sin, and live victoriously, knowing that they are secure in Christ.

Key Takeaways:

- Union with Christ: The believer's union with Christ is a profound spiritual reality. This union means that what happened to Christ physically happens to believers spiritually. We are made alive, raised, and seated with Him, signifying a complete transformation of our spiritual status and identity. [02:13]

- Present Reality: The truths of being quickened, raised, and seated with Christ are not future promises but present realities. This understanding should enlighten our spiritual eyes, helping us live in the fullness of our salvation and identity in Christ. [06:04]

- Heavenly Citizenship: As Christians, our citizenship is in heaven. This means we are no longer bound by the world's systems or under Satan's dominion. We are called to live as strangers and pilgrims on earth, with our hearts set on our heavenly home. [13:49]

- Victory and Rest: Being seated with Christ signifies victory and rest. The work of redemption is complete, and we are called to rest in this finished work, living in the victory that Christ has secured for us. [41:14]

- Heavenly-Mindedness: Christians are called to be heavenly-minded, setting their affections on things above. This perspective transforms our lives, enabling us to experience the first fruits of the heavenly life and empowering us to live victoriously in this world. [31:43]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:12] - Introduction to Ephesians 2:4-7
- [01:08] - The Power of God in Believers
- [02:13] - Union with Christ
- [03:08] - Quickened, Raised, and Seated
- [04:47] - Ascension and Seated with Christ
- [06:04] - Present Reality of Salvation
- [07:30] - Understanding the Heavenly Places
- [09:20] - The Third Heaven
- [10:06] - Contrast with Our Past State
- [11:24] - No Longer of This World
- [13:49] - Delivered from the Present Evil World
- [18:31] - No Longer Under Satan's Dominion
- [22:47] - No Longer Under God's Wrath
- [25:09] - Belonging to the Kingdom of God
- [29:44] - Led by the Holy Spirit
- [32:47] - Nearness to God
- [37:38] - Experiencing the Life of Heaven
- [41:14] - Rest and Victory in Christ

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Ephesians 2:4-7

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Observation Questions:

1. What does Paul mean when he says that believers have been "made alive, raised, and seated with Christ in the heavenly realms"? How does this reflect the transformative power of God in believers? [02:13]

2. In the sermon, it was mentioned that the truths of being quickened, raised, and seated with Christ are not future promises but present realities. How does this understanding change the way we view our current spiritual status? [06:04]

3. The sermon describes the concept of being seated with Christ as a change in status and identity. What are some specific ways this new identity is described in the sermon? [11:24]

4. How does the sermon explain the idea of heavenly-mindedness, and what impact does it have on a believer's life and interactions with the world? [31:43]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. The sermon emphasizes the believer's union with Christ as a profound spiritual reality. How does this union affect the way believers perceive their spiritual journey and relationship with God? [02:13]

2. What does it mean for Christians to be citizens of heaven, and how does this citizenship influence their daily lives and decisions? [13:49]

3. The sermon discusses the concept of victory and rest in Christ. How can believers practically experience this rest and victory in their everyday lives? [41:14]

4. How does the sermon suggest believers should set their affections on things above, and what practical steps can they take to cultivate a heavenly-minded perspective? [31:43]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your current understanding of your spiritual identity. How does knowing you are seated with Christ in the heavenly realms change your perspective on challenges you face? [02:13]

2. In what ways can you remind yourself daily of your heavenly citizenship, especially when faced with worldly pressures and temptations? [13:49]

3. The sermon speaks of resting in the finished work of Christ. What are some areas in your life where you struggle to find rest, and how can you apply the concept of Christ's completed work to these areas? [41:14]

4. Consider your current priorities and affections. How can you intentionally shift your focus to align more with heavenly values and less with earthly distractions? [31:43]

5. Identify a specific situation where you can practice living victoriously in Christ this week. What steps will you take to approach this situation with a mindset of victory and rest? [41:14]

6. Think of a recent decision or action that was influenced by worldly thinking. How might a heavenly-minded perspective have changed your approach or outcome? [31:43]

7. How can you encourage others in your small group or community to embrace their identity in Christ and live out the reality of being seated with Him in the heavenly realms? [02:13]

Devotional

Day 1: Union with Christ: A Spiritual Reality
The union with Christ is a profound spiritual reality that transforms the believer's identity and status. This union signifies that what happened to Christ physically—His death, resurrection, and ascension—happens to believers spiritually. Christians are made alive, raised, and seated with Him, marking a complete transformation of their spiritual status and identity. This transformation is not just a theological concept but a living reality that should shape how believers view themselves and their relationship with God. Understanding this union helps believers grasp the depth of their salvation and the power at work within them. [02:13]

Ephesians 1:19-20 (ESV): "And what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places."

Reflection: How does understanding your union with Christ change the way you see your daily struggles and victories?


Day 2: Present Reality of Salvation
The truths of being quickened, raised, and seated with Christ are not future promises but present realities. This understanding should enlighten the spiritual eyes of believers, helping them live in the fullness of their salvation and identity in Christ. Recognizing this present reality empowers Christians to live with confidence and assurance, knowing that they are already partakers of the divine nature and have access to the spiritual blessings in Christ. This perspective encourages believers to live out their faith actively, experiencing the transformative power of the gospel in their daily lives. [06:04]

Colossians 3:1-3 (ESV): "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

Reflection: In what ways can you remind yourself daily of the present reality of your salvation and live in its fullness?


Day 3: Heavenly Citizenship: Living as Strangers on Earth
As Christians, our citizenship is in heaven, meaning we are no longer bound by the world's systems or under Satan's dominion. This heavenly citizenship calls believers to live as strangers and pilgrims on earth, with their hearts set on their heavenly home. This shift in identity and allegiance transforms how Christians interact with the world, encouraging them to live by the values and principles of the Kingdom of God. It is a call to live with an eternal perspective, prioritizing spiritual growth and heavenly treasures over earthly gains. [13:49]

Philippians 3:20-21 (ESV): "But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself."

Reflection: How can you practically live as a citizen of heaven in your daily interactions and decisions?


Day 4: Victory and Rest in Christ
Being seated with Christ signifies victory and rest. The work of redemption is complete, and believers are called to rest in this finished work, living in the victory that Christ has secured for them. This rest is not passive but an active trust in the sufficiency of Christ's work on the cross. It empowers believers to face life's challenges with confidence, knowing that they are more than conquerors through Him who loved them. This victory and rest in Christ provide a foundation for a life of peace and assurance, free from the burdens of self-effort and striving. [41:14]

Hebrews 4:9-10 (ESV): "So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his."

Reflection: What areas of your life are you striving in, and how can you begin to rest in Christ's victory today?


Day 5: Heavenly-Mindedness: Setting Affections on Things Above
Christians are called to be heavenly-minded, setting their affections on things above. This perspective transforms their lives, enabling them to experience the first fruits of the heavenly life and empowering them to live victoriously in this world. Being heavenly-minded means prioritizing spiritual growth, eternal values, and the pursuit of God's kingdom over temporary, earthly concerns. It is a call to live with an eternal perspective, allowing the realities of heaven to shape thoughts, actions, and priorities. This mindset fosters a life of purpose and fulfillment, rooted in the eternal promises of God. [31:43]

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV): "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Reflection: What practical steps can you take to cultivate a heavenly-minded perspective in your daily life?

Quotes

We come back once more to this Mighty and marvelous statement then which surely we can say without any hesitation whatsoever there is nothing more glorious in the entire range of scripture it is one of the great and greatest Evangelical statements the full content of the scripture being presented and therefore it behaves us to consider it carefully together that we may understand and receive something of its rich and abounding content. [00:20:24]

The Apostle here is working out an analogy he has been praying for these Ephesians that the eyes of their understanding may be enlightened he wants them to know three things what is the hope of their calling the riches of the glory of their of God's inheritance in the Saints and especially the exceeding greatness of God's power to us word that believe now he's elaborating that third petition he wants us to realize that the power that works in US is nothing less than the self-same power that was exercised in the raising of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. [00:65:92]

The idea is in other words that what happened to our Lord physically is the very thing that happens to all spiritually who are truly Christian nothing less than that becoming a Christian is a profound operation which is worked in the Soul by God we were dead in trespasses and sins Etc and God but God in spite of that even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ and so you see he elaborates again this great doctrine of his of the Union of the believer with the Lord Jesus Christ. [00:126:36]

The question is what is it that's happened to the Christian what is it that makes us Christian well we've seen already that the first thing that must happen is this that we be quickened we need life we are helpless we are dead we can do nothing we must have life spiritual life well he gives it us he quickens us then that is generation then we noticed last Sunday morning that it goes beyond that we've not only been quickened but we've been raised as life was put into that lifeless body of Our Lord in the grave and then he came out of the Grave leaving the grave clothes behind and appeared the grave was empty he was no longer in it. [00:189:59]

The Apostle goes on to say that this also has happened to the believer and of course it must happen to the believer I say it must happen for this reason that the doctrine of our Union with Christ insists upon this as we have been quickened with him and raised with him so it must follow that everything else that has happened to him must happen to us spiritually therefore we have of necessity been made to sit with him in the Heavenly places. [00:299:88]

The Apostle is anxious about I say is that these Ephesians should realize at this moment that this is true of them he says I want the eyes of your understanding to be enlightened that you may know this thing it has taken place it's already something that is actually a fact and again I say it must be because of our Union with our lord well very well the next common point to the three statements is this we have seen that the quickening and the raising together have got to be considered objectively and subjectively. [00:361:60]

The Christian is seated with Christ in the heavenlies well the first thing is that is true is this he no longer belongs to this world what a statement he did before belong entirely to this world you were he quickened to were dead in trespasses and sins wherein in time past ye walked how according to the C of this world you remember we've seen that he was bound by this world in every respect in his mind and Outlook and understanding in his enjoyment in his hopes in his desires the man who's not a Christian is entirely confined to this world. [00:680:24]

The Christian is a man who is delivered from this present evil world now he's still in it but he's no longer of it he's no longer bound by it his whole outlook is no longer determined by it or the Apostle John is equally definite about this and equally reing is in it as we all ought to this is the victory that overcometh the world the difference between a non-Christian and a Christian is this the non-Christian is overcome by the world he's absolutely controlled by it. [00:848:27]

The Christian is taken right out of it he's already passed from judgment into life it won't touch him it won't affect him it won't harm him at all he didn't fear it in any sense he's already out of that Realm because he is in the heavenlies with Christ well there are your negatives let me hurry to the positives which are glorious the first thing that is true of us then on the positive side is that we belong to the kingdom of God we now belong to a Heavenly sphere now this I say is actual this is fact it isn't that I'm going to belong to it I'm already. [00:1488:48]

The Christian is of necessity a Heavenly minded man the life of God has come into him and his mind is changed as we've seen he used to be governed by the desires the lusts of the mind and of the flesh no longer he's not governed by those they tempt him they try him he's not controlled by them there is this other influence he's aware of it he knows it the spirit of God is dealing with him and working in him and moving him and drawing him and wooing him from there to this heavenly minded LED by the spirit. [00:1912:51]

We are in the heavenlies therefore it means we are in a realm where we are near to God before we were dead in trespasses and sins in the grave of this world away from God estranged from him aliens and enemies in our minds not knowing him now in the heavenlies we are near to God and therefore you see the the Apostle James can write a thing like this he says draw nigh unto God and He will draw nigh unto you. [00:1992:51]

Christian people because we are seated with Christ in the Heavenly places the Apostle Paul can say this about us in Romans 6:4 13 sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the law but under grace well there it is do you know that you are in the heavenlies are you aware of the separation are you aware of the presence can you draw nigh unto God and know that he's with you and you are with him and all your fears are taken away. [00:2717:55]

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Transcript
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