This series of blog posts is intended to grow into a book on what I believe to be the most neglected yet most important doctrine of the New Testament: Union with Christ.  My prayer is that these posts will drive you into Scripture where the Holy Spirit will illumine you to the knowledge, understanding, and application of this most-foundation of doctrines.   I hope that you will be overwhelmed that you have been studying the New Testament your whole Christian life and have missed the centrality of Union with Christ.  But, more importantly, my hope is that Union with Christ will over-turn and replace the foundation of your theology.   That you will never see your relationship with Jesus Christ or with others the same.  I further hope that this will lead you to replace your compartmentalized systematic theology and your command-oriented obedience to Christ!

This doctrine is more than interesting knowledge.  Union with Christ is the way the God has given us Jesus Christ, given us to Jesus Christ, and created our relationship to each other in the church (and I don’t mean local church!).  It is central to how we fight sin, how we grow to be like Christ, how we disciple and counsel, and how we live in awe of God has given us in Christ.

If I sound dogmatic and bold, it is only because this is the way the New Testament speaks to Union with Christ. Why have we missed it?  I believe that we have missed Union with Christ because it is too common in the phrases used to portray it.  We look at passages and verses for the meat of truth/doctrine and assume that the references to Union with Christ simply mean “by Christ,” or “through Christ” – saying that the truth we see is simply because Jesus Christ accomplished something for us.  Yes, He did accomplish the truths we seek, but He did so through our spiritual union with Him – and that is a whole different meaning than just doing something for us.

As I study this subject through more and more exegesis and materials written, I will be updating previous sections.  I plan on keeping a revision history, per section, that will at least mark the date I made changes.  Yes, this is a work-in-process!

Finally, thanks for joining me on this journey.  I pray these posts will help you in your growth in Christ until Christ is formed in you (Galatians 4:19).

Bill Vaughan

April, 2018