David M. Williams |
| Union with Christ By David M. Williams (davidmwilliams@oocities.com) |
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INTRODUCTION
The evangelical standpoint on "Union with Christ" is that a spiritual union of the regenerate believer with Christ has occurred.
Adherents of evangelicalism perceive a "Federal" union, where Christ is identified in a general way with mankind as the second Adam. This identity is viewed as a physical fact. However, the evangelical doctrine of "union with Christ" per se relates to the spiritual, so-called, "Vital" union. Walvoord (1960, p. 275) defines this so,
. . . identification with Christ relates a Christian to the person and work of Christ by divine reckoning, by the human experience of faith, and by the spiritual union of the believer with Christ effected by the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
The basis for this standpoint is various Scriptures that regard Christians as being "in Christ", and analogies provided for the relationship between Christ and the Church.
FEDERAL UNION
Thiessen (1979, p. 282) explains the federal, or representative, union with Christ thusly,
By this legal union Christ, as the second Adam (1 Cor. 15:22), assumes those broken obligations which the first Adam failed to discharge, and fulfills them all in behalf of mankind. The results of this union with Christ are the imputation of our sins to him and of his righteousness to us, and all the forensic benefits involved in them.
This union is an essential soteriological concept, and a necessary prerequisite to a vital union with Christ. Reid (1960, p. 537) uses the phrase "a qualitative metaphysical difference . . . [and] an ethical separation" to describe the non-comparability of God and man. Man is not only of a different essence to God, but is also in conflict with Him. The evangelical view sees that the only unity which man may have with God is through God's action of reconciling man to Himself through Christ.
VITAL UNION
The relationship of being "in Christ" was first announced by Jesus to His disciples in the Upper Room, "you in Me, and I in you" (John 14:20). The wording "I in you" makes clear this relationship was not simply a reflection of a position created by divine reckoning, as with the Federal union above.
Evangelicals label this relationship the "Vital" union with Christ (Thiessen, 1979, p. 282). It is further expressed by Paul who again speaks of believers as being in Christ, in Romans 6:11; 8:1; II Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:13 and Colossians 2:11f. John employs similar terminology in I John 2:6 and 4:13. Often Scripture speaks of Christ as being in the believer (John 14:20; Romans 8:10; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 1:27). Jesus declared that both He and the Father dwell in the believer (John 14:23). Furthermore, the believer is represented as partaking of Christ (John 6:53; 56f; I Corinthians 10:16f) and of the divine nature (II Peter 1:4), and as being one spirit with the Lord (I Corinthians 6:17).
Important theological truths are related to the doctrine of union with Christ. The believer is identified with Christ in His death (Romans 6:1-11), His burial (Romans 6:4), His resurrection (Colossians 3:1), His ascension (Ephesians 2:6), His reign (II Timothy 2:12) and His glory (Romans 8:17). The evangelical may well say one is co-crucified with Christ, co-resurrected with Christ, and co-seated with Christ in the heavens.
SCRIPTURAL FIGURES
Scripture employs various figures to illustrate the believer's union with Christ. In John 15:1-6 the union is manifested by communion, spiritual life and fruit because of the union of branch and vine. The branch is in the vine and the life of the vine is in the branch.
Paul provides the figure of the head and the body in Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:12-16; 5:23-32. Again, an organic union depicts the living union of Christ and the Church. The figure expresses the notion that the identification of the body with the head does not imply equality but instead carries the obligation of recognising the head as the one that directs to the body.
In addition, Paul compares the relationship to the identification of a husband and wife in Ephesians 5:23-32, stated in the declaration that they are "one flesh". Similarly, there is a marriage relation of Christ and the Church.
Other Scriptural figures include the union of a building and its foundation (Ephesians 2:20; Colossians 2:7; I Peter 2:4f) and the union between the shepherd and the sheep (John 10:1-18; Hebrews 13:20; I Peter 2:25).
These figures all contribute to an understanding of the meaning of the evangelical standpoint on union with Christ.
CHARACTER, METHOD AND RESULTS OF ThE UNION
The above Scriptures and figures clearly describe a relationship between the believer and Christ. The evangelical interpretation is that this union is spiritual (I Corinthians 6:17; Romans 8:9f; Ephesians 3:16f); it is inscrutable (Ephesians 5:32; Colossians 1:27) and it is indissoluble (John 10:28).
Further, the union is vital. Paul writes in Galatians 2:20,
It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and delivered Himself up for me.
and in Colossians 3:3f,
You have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
The life of Christ is now the life of the believer.
Through the union with Christ, the believer is called to put to death the carnal life, and partake of the life Christ gives (John 6:32-58; Galatians 2:20), through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit (John 15:1f; 16:7-15; 16:21-23; Romans 8:5-17; Colossians 1:27).
The evangelical denies that the union is mystical, constituting an identity of the believer with Christ in essence where the distinction of the participants is not preserved. Similarly, the evangelical denies that the union is merely moral or sympathetic without any interpenetration of the life of Christ and the believer.
Scripture has little to say directly about how the union with Christ is established, but the evangelical standpoint does note certain things. From Ephesians 1:4 ("He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world") it is concluded that the union has originated in the purpose and plan of God. Paul speaks of having become "united with Him in the likeness of His death" (Romans 6:5) and I Corinthians 6:17 refers to the fact of being joined to Christ, but does not say how one is thus joined.
Nevertheless, the union becomes concrete in the symbolism of the Lord's Supper (Matthew 26:26-28; I Corinthians 11:23-26) and the believer derives many consequences of this union.
In particular, union with Christ provides security - those whom Jesus has given eternal life to shall not perish and nor shall anyone be able to snatch them from His hand (John 10:28). Union with Christ means fruitfulness (John 15:5). Union with Christ means endowment for service - believers are members of Christ with various endowments and offices, directed by Him who is the head (I Corinthians 12:4-30). Finally, union with Christ means fellowship with Christ. The believer is taken into His confidence and made acquainted with His purposes and plans (Ephesians 1:8f).
CONCLUSION
Christ is identified with the human race in His incarnation, but only true believers are identified with Christ. This identification results in certain aspects of the person and work of Christ being attributed to the believer. This does not extend to possession of the attributes of the Second Person of the Trinity, nor does this erase the personal distinctions between Christ and the believer.
Christian conversion is commitment to Jesus Christ as divine Lord and Saviour, and this commitment means reckoning union with Christ to be a fact and living accordingly (Romans 6:1-14; Colossians 2:10-12, 20ff; 3:1ff).
WORKS CITED
Nave. nd. ‘Righteous, Union Of, With Christ’, in Nave’s Topical Dictionary, BibleWorks for Windows, Hermeneutika Computer Bible Research Software, Big Fork, Montana.
Packer, J. I. 1980. ‘Conversion’, in The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, ed. J. D. Douglas, Inter-Varsity Press, Leicester.
Pecota, D. 1994. ‘The Saving Work of Christ’, in Systematic Theology: A Pentecostal Perspective, ed. S. M. Horton, Logion Press, Springfield, Missouri.
Reid, W. S. 1960. ‘Union with God’, in Baker’s Dictionary of Theology, ed. E. F. Harrison, G. W. Bromiley and C. F. G. Henry, Baker Book House Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Stott, J. R. W. 1989. The Cross of Christ, 2d. ed., Inter-Varsity Press.
Thayer, J. H. 1981. The new Thayer’s Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament, Hendrickson Publishers, Massachusetts.
Thiessen, H. C. 1979. Lectures in Systematic Theology, rev. ed., Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Walvoord, J. F. 1960. ‘Identification with Christ’, in Baker’s Dictionary of Theology, ed. E. F. Harrison, G. W. Bromiley and C. F. G. Henry, Baker Book House Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Wright, D. F. 1968. In Understanding be Men, 6th. ed, Inter-Varsity Press.
Zodhiates, S. 1992. The Complete Word Study New Testament, 2d. ed., AMG Publishers, Chattanooga, Tennessee.
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David M. Williams |