Union with Christ

In the so called "summer of about 6 weddings" (at least back at my home church among friends) and in light of my relatively recent wedding, it is a wonderful time to consider a different happy union. The union of the believer to Christ. What a crazy thought! Let me back up a bit before plunging though.

Let's consider Song of Solomon for a bit. There is a phrase in this short book that is often repeated throughout. The author says, "I am my lover's and he is mine." What a lovely thought about marriage! Belonging to each other, becoming one.

Now the question is what is this phrase about? Is it about a man and wife or Christ and the church? My answer is that ultimately it is about both. I would agree with Mark Driscoll (see his recent Peasant Princess sermon series) and others that Song of Solomon is about a man and his wife (see John MacArthur or most older commentaries for the opposing view). However, in light of Ephesians 5, where marriage is shown to be intended to be a picture of Christ and the church, we can apply this phrase to our happy union with our great Savior.

So let us plunge now, we are one with Christ! Can you really understand this truth and not revel in it? Christ has not only stooped to incarnate himself in human flesh, but he has stooped even further to join himself to us through his Spirit. There are so many blessed truths to the Christian life, but this one is my current favorite to consider that my heart will be humbled and soul made glad in God. He has united himself to us. I am Christ's and he is mine! We are now one. Wonderful, blessed union.

How can we apply this joyful truth?

First let us meditate on it, and our hearts be filled with thankfulness.

Second let us use this consideration as a motivation for purity. We are one with Christ. Read again 1 Corinthians 6:15-18 in light of this truth. Let us apply it especially in the area of sexual purity, but also in purity in the sense of keeping ourselves from sin. Christ has become one with us. Let us be faithful in our union with him.

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, "The two will become one flesh." But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.