Abide in Me, and I in you. (John 15:4a) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Cor 5:17)
In Christ, by Christ, through Christ
The truth of the believer’s union with Christ is in the pages of Scripture for our encouragement, to answer life’s big questions, to propel us into worship, and to equip us for mission.
Joe Holland draws attention to the practical implications of this truth in terms of Identity, Story and Community:
• Christian, your identity is firm in Christ’s finished work. One of the bigger questions that everyone asks is, “Who am I?” That is especially true for folks who have grown to believe that their identity is contingent on what they do or what other people think of them. An ill-rooted identity becomes a bondage that even Christians are prone to taking upon themselves and suffering under. The knowledge that we are righteous in Christ produces for us an identity that cannot change. We are sons and daughters of God, beloved and blessed. Our frail works and incomplete spiritual résumés cannot alter what God thinks of us in Christ. Jesus’s finished work and identity becomes our identity.
• Christian, your story is now Christ’s story. God has decided that all things will work for your good as your life is masterfully guided to produce the most amount of glory possible for God. This answers another big question: “What am I here for?” Through your union with Christ you are here to glorify God, enjoy him forever, and live out the mission of the church until the return of Jesus.
• Christian, in Christ you belong to a group that cannot change. You are member of the church. Across the world there are those with whom you sharer a closer connection than the filial bonds of blood. You share with them the bonds of Jesus’s blood, more precious than gold or silver. It’s no shock that many people today flit from social group to social group longing for somewhere they can be accepted and loved. God has solved that frenetic social search by placing his dear ones in an unalterable and triumphant community.