What Is the Doctrine of Union with Christ?

Our Position in Christ

Union with Christ refers to the believer’s position in Christ established at conversion, experienced in all of life, and enjoyed forever. Every part of that requires unpacking. You think of the believer’s position in Christ, and this is a statement about what’s fundamental to our identity, our status, who we are.

And the reality is all of us came into this world absolutely hopeless, absolutely helpless, condemned before God, ruled by sin, and destined for everlasting death. But in his mercy, God has brought us into a whole new position. He’s brought us into Christ, where we are now justified before God, ruled by grace, and destined for everlasting life. And this is every believer’s position. This is true of every believer in Jesus Christ. And this new reality came into existence in our lives personally at our conversion. It was established at conversion. From the moment we believed, we came into Christ.

As Paul says in 2 Corinthians, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” This transformation has taken place, and we experience it now in all of life, especially in the way we fight against sin and engage holiness. We’ve been set free from bondage to sin. We’re not ensnared or enslaved by it anymore. Sin does not rule over us. Christ rules over us now.

In that freedom we have real power, real ability, and real responsibility to run hard after holiness and righteousness. We fumble, falter, and struggle along the way. But we also have this strong assurance that our union with Christ is never going to end. When God brings you into Christ, he will not let you out. And therefore, it’s the believer’s position in Christ—established at conversion, experienced in all of life, and enjoyed forever.

Brad Wetherell is the author of Saved to Sin No More: How Union with Christ Empowers a Life of Holiness.

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