Union with Christ: A Spiritual Connection

 

Summary

In our exploration of the work of the Holy Spirit in the application of redemption, we delve into the profound doctrine of the Union of the believer with Jesus Christ. This union is intrinsically linked with the doctrine of regeneration, as they occur almost simultaneously. Our life and everything we derive spiritually come from Christ, making this union one of the most glorious doctrines of the Christian faith. It is a reminder that we are partakers of Christ and the divine nature.

The nature of this union is not a blending of our essence with Christ's, as some mystics suggest, but rather a spiritual union facilitated by the Holy Spirit. This union is not merely a shared interest or sympathy but a profound spiritual connection. It is a mystical, vital, organic, personal, and indissoluble union. The Holy Spirit indwells in us, joining us to Christ, making it a spiritual union. It is mystical, akin to the union between a husband and wife, and vital, as our spiritual life is drawn directly from Christ. This union is organic, involving a two-way relationship where we give and receive, and personal, emphasizing our individual connection with Christ. Importantly, it is indissoluble, meaning nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ.

The union is established primarily by the work of the Holy Spirit, with our faith playing a vital role in sustaining and developing it. It is not established by the church or sacraments, but these can help maintain and deepen our union. The consequences of this union are both federal and subjective. Federally, we are crucified, buried, and risen with Christ, seated in heavenly places, and complete in Him. Subjectively, we experience fellowship with Him, transformation into His image, fruit-bearing, and participation in His sufferings. This union calls us to a deeper understanding and realization of our high calling and privileged position in Christ.

Key Takeaways:

- The union with Christ is a spiritual connection facilitated by the Holy Spirit, not a blending of essences. This union is profound and transformative, reminding us that we are partakers of the divine nature, drawing our spiritual life directly from Christ. [04:35]

- Our union with Christ is mystical and vital, akin to the relationship between a husband and wife. It is a living, dynamic connection that sustains us spiritually, emphasizing the importance of understanding our high calling and privileged position in Christ. [11:23]

- This union is organic and personal, involving a two-way relationship where we give and receive. It emphasizes our individual connection with Christ, reminding us that we derive our spiritual life directly from Him, not through the church or sacraments. [18:48]

- The union is indissoluble, meaning nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ. This assurance provides a foundation for our faith, encouraging us to live out our high calling and privileged position in Christ with confidence and joy. [21:19]

- The consequences of this union are both federal and subjective, impacting our status and experience. Federally, we are crucified, buried, and risen with Christ, while subjectively, we experience transformation, fruit-bearing, and participation in His sufferings. [37:34]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:11] - Introduction to the Doctrine of Union
- [00:42] - Union and Regeneration
- [01:54] - Scriptural Terms for Union
- [02:27] - Nature of the Union
- [03:17] - Mystical Misconceptions
- [04:35] - Spiritual Union
- [06:04] - Beyond Sympathy and Interest
- [07:41] - Spiritual and Mystical Union
- [11:23] - Vital and Organic Union
- [18:48] - Personal and Indissoluble Union
- [22:08] - Establishing the Union
- [27:29] - Consequences of the Union
- [37:34] - Federal and Subjective Results
- [43:46] - Closing Prayer

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. 1 Corinthians 6:17 - "But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him."
2. John 15:5 - "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."
3. Ephesians 2:5-6 - "Even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus."

#### Observation Questions
1. What does 1 Corinthians 6:17 suggest about the nature of our union with Christ? How is this union described in the sermon? [08:27]
2. According to John 15:5, what is the result of abiding in Christ, and how does this relate to the concept of a "vital union" as discussed in the sermon? [11:38]
3. How does Ephesians 2:5-6 describe our position in Christ, and what does this imply about the federal consequences of our union with Him? [33:27]
4. What are some of the scriptural terms used to describe the union between believers and Christ, and how do these terms help us understand the nature of this union? [01:54]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of a "spiritual union" with Christ challenge or affirm your understanding of your relationship with Him? Consider the role of the Holy Spirit in this union. [07:57]
2. In what ways does the analogy of a husband and wife help us understand the "mystical union" between Christ and believers? How might this affect our view of marriage and spiritual relationships? [10:36]
3. What does it mean for our union with Christ to be "indissoluble," and how does this assurance impact our daily faith and confidence in God's love? [21:19]
4. How do the federal and subjective consequences of our union with Christ differ, and why is it important to understand both aspects? [28:03]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on the idea that our spiritual life is drawn directly from Christ. How can you cultivate a deeper awareness of this "vital union" in your daily life? [11:38]
2. The sermon emphasizes the personal aspect of our union with Christ. How can you ensure that your relationship with Him remains personal and not just corporate or ritualistic? [18:48]
3. Considering the "organic" nature of our union with Christ, what are some practical ways you can contribute to the body of Christ while also receiving from it? [16:22]
4. How does the assurance of an "indissoluble union" with Christ encourage you to live out your faith with confidence and joy? What specific fears or doubts can you surrender to this truth? [21:19]
5. The sermon discusses the transformation into Christ's image as a consequence of our union with Him. What specific areas of your life do you feel need transformation, and how can you actively seek this change? [38:28]
6. Reflect on the idea of participating in Christ's sufferings. How can you develop a deeper empathy and concern for the suffering of others in your community? [40:08]
7. How can the understanding of being "seated in heavenly places" with Christ influence your perspective on earthly challenges and priorities? [33:27]

Devotional

Day 1: Spiritual Union with Christ
The union with Christ is a profound spiritual connection facilitated by the Holy Spirit, not a blending of essences. This union is transformative, reminding believers that they are partakers of the divine nature, drawing their spiritual life directly from Christ. It is through this spiritual union that believers experience the fullness of life in Christ, as they are connected to the source of all spiritual blessings. This connection is not based on human effort or merit but is a gift of grace, allowing believers to live in the reality of their identity in Christ. [04:35]

Ephesians 1:13-14 (ESV): "In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory."

Reflection: How can you actively acknowledge and embrace your spiritual union with Christ in your daily life today?


Day 2: Mystical and Vital Connection
Our union with Christ is mystical and vital, akin to the relationship between a husband and wife. It is a living, dynamic connection that sustains believers spiritually, emphasizing the importance of understanding their high calling and privileged position in Christ. This union is not just a theological concept but a reality that impacts every aspect of a believer's life. It calls for a deeper awareness of the intimate relationship with Christ, where believers are invited to experience His love, guidance, and presence in a personal and transformative way. [11:23]

Colossians 2:6-7 (ESV): "Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving."

Reflection: In what ways can you deepen your awareness of your mystical and vital connection with Christ today?


Day 3: Organic and Personal Relationship
This union is organic and personal, involving a two-way relationship where believers give and receive. It emphasizes the individual connection with Christ, reminding believers that they derive their spiritual life directly from Him, not through the church or sacraments. This personal relationship with Christ is characterized by mutual love, communication, and growth, where believers are invited to engage with Christ in a way that is unique to their own journey of faith. It is a call to cultivate a personal and intimate relationship with Christ, where His presence becomes the guiding force in their lives. [18:48]

John 15:4-5 (ESV): "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

Reflection: How can you intentionally nurture your personal relationship with Christ today, ensuring it remains a two-way connection?


Day 4: Indissoluble Assurance
The union with Christ is indissoluble, meaning nothing can separate believers from the love of God in Christ. This assurance provides a foundation for their faith, encouraging them to live out their high calling and privileged position in Christ with confidence and joy. It is a reminder that no matter the circumstances or challenges faced, the bond with Christ remains unbreakable, offering peace and security in the midst of life's uncertainties. This indissoluble union invites believers to rest in the assurance of God's unwavering love and faithfulness. [21:19]

Romans 8:38-39 (ESV): "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Reflection: What specific fears or doubts can you surrender to God today, trusting in the indissoluble nature of your union with Christ?


Day 5: Federal and Subjective Consequences
The consequences of this union are both federal and subjective, impacting the believer's status and experience. Federally, believers are crucified, buried, and risen with Christ, while subjectively, they experience transformation, fruit-bearing, and participation in His sufferings. This dual aspect of the union calls believers to a deeper understanding of their identity in Christ and the transformative power of His presence in their lives. It is an invitation to live out the reality of being united with Christ, embracing both the privileges and responsibilities that come with this profound connection. [37:34]

Galatians 2:20 (ESV): "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Reflection: How can you actively participate in the transformative consequences of your union with Christ today, both in your personal life and in your interactions with others?

Quotes


In our consideration of the work of the Holy Spirit in the application of redemption, the Redemption that has been worked out and purchased by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we've arrived now at a consideration of the doctrine of the Union of the believer with the Lord Jesus Christ. I was at pains in introducing this Doctrine last Friday evening to emphasize is the fact that it is a Doctrine which of necessity must be taken always in conjunction with the doctrine of regeneration. [00:00:11]

We are regenerated in a sense because of our Union with Christ. It is from him we derive our life; it is from him we derive everything, and therefore we are looking together at one of the most glorious of all the doctrines of the Christian faith. There is none which is more Sublime than this in which we are reminded that we really are made partakers of Christ, that we are partakers of the divine nature. [00:00:55]

The union between the believer and Christ is not merely a union of sympathy or a union of Interest. It isn't merely a loose General Association of separate persons who happen to have the same interest or the same enthusiasm, if you like. Now that again is very important because there are some who in their anxiety to avoid the errors of mysticism have represented this Union as merely being some kind of General external sympathetic Union of interests. [00:06:04]

The first thing we have to say here is that it is a spiritual union. Now this is where the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, of course, is so vitally important. We are joined to Christ, and we are in Union with him by means of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in us. It is the function, the work, the special work of the Holy Spirit to join us thus to Christ, and we are joined to Christ by his presence in us. [00:07:41]

What do we mean by a mystical Union? Well, the best way to explain in that surely is to take that comparison which the Apostle himself uses in the fifth chapter of the epistle to the Ephesians, that last portion of that chapter which is sometimes read at marriage services and rightly so. Certain orders of service tell us that the relationship between a husband and the wife signifies unto us the mystical Union that is between Christ and his church. [00:09:49]

What I mean by saying that it's a vital Union is this: that our spiritual life is drawn from the Lord Jesus Christ directly. It's a vital Union; we draw our life from him. Indeed, we are sustained by him through the indwelling Holy Spirit. There is nothing more important, I think, in the Christian life than to realize this: that our Union with him is a vital one. [00:11:23]

The term organic suggests, if I may use a current phrase, that it's a kind of two-way traffic, that it is a union of a type in which we give as well as receive. Now the statement of this, the best statement of this in many ways, is the one that's to be found in the fourth chapter of the epistle to the Ephesians. Let me read to you first of all verses 15 and 16. [00:15:26]

It's a personal union. Now I use that in order to say this: it's the way of emphasizing that every one of us separately is in Union with Christ. Now this needs to be emphasized today because there is a teaching very popular and very popular amongst all types and kinds of Catholics, not only Roman Catholics but Anglo Catholics, and indeed I notice it's insinuating itself into those who like to call themselves liberal evangelicals. [00:18:48]

It is an indissoluble Union. It is inconceivable to me that we can be joined to Christ in this way by the spirit and then go out of that Union and then come back and enter into it again and then go out again and keep on coming in and going out. This is once and forever. Nothing, no one, neither things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. [00:21:19]

The consequences of the Union of the believer with his Lord. Now we can subdivide this, fortunately, in the two main things. You can think of this objectively and you can think of it subjectively. Or let me give you parallel terms: put by the side of objective, Federal. Federal, put by the side of subjective, spiritual. Now let us just glance at these things. [00:27:29]

There are certain things that result, we are told, from our Union with our Lord quite outside the realm of our experience. They apply to our status, our standing, our position. Now this term Federal is the term that Paul has in his mind, of course, in that fifth chapter of the epistle to the Romans that we read together at the beginning. We by Nature, all of us, were joined federally to Adam. [00:29:45]

The mystical Union, in other words, is that he enters into this mystical Fellowship of the sufferings of Christ. There were people living in the Middle Ages of whom it was said that they so meditated upon and contemplated their lord and all that he had done for them that some of them even developed in their literal physical hands the imprint of nails, the stigma. I don't know; it's not impossible. Such things do happen. [00:41:19]

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Transcript
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