Looking at the relationships Christians have to Christ

Through

In

Under

With

For

To

Like

"Through Christ" focused on mediation

• Revelation– God has acted through Christ to bring man knowledge

of God and his will

• Redemption– God has acted through Christ to reunite sinful man to a

holy God

• Today we look at what it means to be “In Christ”– Does not mean “inside of Christ”

– Rather, “in union with Christ”

– NT metaphors demonstrate this

Jesus likened his followers to branches in union with a vine

John 15:1-8 NIV

• "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

John 15:1-8 NIV

• 5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Paul compared Christians to parts in union with a body

Romans 12:4-5 NIV

• Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

Union of Christian with Christ is like union of husband & wife

Ephesians 5:21-23 NIV

• Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.

Union is similar to the relationship within the Godhead

John 17:20-23 NIV

• "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

Metaphors of union of Christian & Christ

• Christian is united to Christ in the same way as – a branch is united to its vine

– limbs are united to their body

– a husband is united to his wife

– the Father and the Son are united to one another

Union with Jesus is more than a casual relationship

Union with Christ is indispensable to the Christian's identity

• 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

• The NT description of Christians is men and women "in Christ"

• Without being "in Christ", we are not Christians

Union with Christ is central to the NT message

• Paul uses expressions "in Christ", "in him", "in the beloved", "in the Lord", etc. 164 times

• In James Stewart's book about Paul's theology, "A Man In Christ", he states: – "The heart of Paul's religion is union with Christ. This,

more than any other concept – more than justification, more than sanctification, more even than reconciliation – is the key that unlocks the secrets of Paul's soul."

Paul got the idea from Jesus:

• John 15:4 NIV Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

Union with Christ is unique among the world's religions

• In no other religious system do the adherents claim a personal relationship with their mentor– Buddhist does not claim union with Buddha

– Moslem does not claim union with Mohammed

– Mormon does not claim union with Joseph Smith

– World views these as revered teachers of the past

• To Christian, Jesus is teacher, but he is more– Living Lord, who invites us into relationship with him

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

• "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Spiritual blessings we have in Christ

New status in Christ

Ephesians 1:3-8 NIV

• Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-- 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

Ephesians 1:3-8 NIV

• 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

Status seekers in the world

• Seek relationships with influential people that– Confer status

– Improve their self-image

• Bible offers a status more significant & satisfying than any human status that can be conferred– Status as a child of God

The Christian's self-image is bound up in Christ

• God chose us – in Christ– Ephesians 1:4 NIV For he chose us in him before the

creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

• God adopted us – in Christ– Ephesians 1:4b-5 NIV In love he predestined us to be

adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--

The Christian's self-image is bound up in Christ

• God accepted us – in Christ– Ephesians 1:6 NIV to the praise of his glorious grace,

which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

• God redeemed us – in Christ– Ephesians 1:7 NIV In him we have redemption through his

blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace

• No greater status than that as a child of God– Romans 8:1-2 NIV Therefore, there is now no

condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

New Life in Christ

In Christ, God has given us his Spirit – that energizes us and gives us new life

Ephesians 1:11-14 NIV

• In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.

Paul speaks of this regeneration

Ephesians 2:1-5 NIV

• As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts.

Ephesians 2:1-5 NIV

• Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved.

Elsewhere, he describes those in Christ as a new creation

• 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

New Community in Christ

United to Christ, we belong to a new community

Ephesians 2:11-22 NIV

• Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (that done in the body by the hands of men)-- 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 2:11-22 NIV

• 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.

Ephesians 2:11-22 NIV

• 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

In Christ, everyone is equal

• Galatians 3:28 NIV There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

• Every distinction that divides mankind dissolves in our community in Christ– Gender: Male & female

– Racial: Jew, Greek & modern race distinctions

– Class: Slave, free & modern class distinctions

Summing up – in Christ, we enjoy:

• New status – we are right with God

• New life – as God's Spirit works in our lives

• New community – as members of God's family

• How can we come into union with Christ, so that we can be described as "in Christ"?

Paul touches on it in this text

• Ephesians 1:13-14 NIV And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.

• Hearing, faith, reception of the Holy Spirit

He gives more detail about the faith that brings us into Christ elsewhere• Galatians 3:26-27 NIV You are all sons of God

through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

• Baptism is not something in addition to faith

• As far as Paul is concerned, baptism into Christ is the natural response of faith

• For those in Christ, it is necessary to remain in close union with Christ

John 15:1-8 NIV

• "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

John 15:1-8 NIV

• 5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Two questions reveal whether you are in union with Christ:

• Has your faith in Christ led you to be baptized into Christ?– F.F. Bruce: “The New Testament simply does not

entertain the idea of an unbaptized believer.”

• Having come into Christ, are you clinging to him for dear life?– The only way to have life is to cling to him, as a

branch clings to the life-giving vine.

• If your answer to either is not an unequivocal “Yes!” do something about it now!