How Does "Union With Christ" Work?

You can hardly make sense of your salvation if you don't understand the doctrine of Union with Christ.  James Grant helps us do this.  He writes:

Watch the way this works out. Since Paul was approved by God because he was united to Christ, it changed the way he lived. He didn’t come into Thessalonica to fill a need of approval from men. Because he didn’t have to seek the approval of men, it completely changed his approach to ministry. First, Paul says in verse five: “I didn’t come with flattering words.” I wasn’t trying to gain your money like the traveling philosophers. Second, he didn’t come with a “pretext for greed.” In other words, he wasn’t using his ministry to hide his greed or his coveting. He didn’t have to. He was approved by God and he didn’t have to live that way. Third, he didn’t seek glory from men, whether from you or from others because he had the greatest glory anyone could have: he was hidden in Christ in heaven. He had glory unspeakable. Fourth, he didn’t make demands (although he could have) because he rested in God’s plan and approval for his particular situation. He decided to work to demonstrate to them an example (reference).

Do you see the connection? Make sure you see it. If Paul is united to God’s Son Jesus, if he is in God’s Son, then Paul looks at his life through His union with Christ. Did God approve of His Son Jesus? Yes! And if you are in him, he approves of you. God doesn’t approve you because of your life and greatness. He approves you because he sees you through his Son. Since he was approved by God in Jesus, Paul’s life is transformed, and his life ends up looking similar to the life of Jesus. Jesus didn’t come with flattering words, he didn’t come with greed, he didn’t seek glory from men, and he didn’t make demands upon people in terms of money.

All of Paul’s actions flow out of his identity with Jesus Christ, his union with Christ. We must see these connections and realize that Paul didn’t just “gut it out.” He didn’t just “pull himself up by his bootstraps.” Paul saw his obedience in light of his union with Christ, you must see your life in relation to Jesus Christ. Let your identity be shaped by your union with Christ and not your struggle.

This should help us see the importance of living our life as a Christian from the reality of union with Christ. This passage is not just about Paul. He is writing this to help the Thessalonians and us. He states it clearly in verse fourteen: “For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea.” There it is again. They became imitators of the church in Christ Jesus. They are imitating other churches that are living out their union with Christ as well.

Paul is helping them to learn how to interpret their life in terms of what God says about them because they are united with Christ. He is trying to make them stop interpreting the gospel in terms of their own life and experience and struggle. He is trying to get them to stop looking at the gospel in terms of everything going on around them and look at it in terms of union with Christ.

If you are a Christian, you are no longer just a human being created in the image of God. You are now a person who is hidden in Christ and part of a new creation. That is your life. You have been transformed by God. And the life you now live is not your own. The life you live now, is the life of Christ being lived out in you. This is what Paul calls you to learn.

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