Union with Christ: The Foundation of our Faith

What it Means to be a Disciple of Christ: Union with Christ

Today's blog post was inspired by a comment I received from an Instagram follower (if you are not following me on instagram, follow here) who DM'd me that she appreciated my linking Christianity with business; she had never really thought about those two things being connected as she had always compartmentalized her faith away from everything else.  And she certainly didn't think that her business had anything to do with her faith.

To be honest, I have heard this sentiment quite a few times. And I am sure there are a lot more people with a similar view.

This is quite unfortunate, and I attribute it to false or incomplete teaching.

Many things haven’t been taught well in Christianity, leading to confusion among Christian groups about what it means to be saved and a disciple of Christ. Some Christians act like or seem to think that Christianity is merely going to church on Sundays, while other parts of our lives appear untouched by the Gospel. 

However, union with Christ is at the heart of what it means to be one of His disciples. We are called to offer ourselves as living sacrifices, allowing God’s will to take precedence over ours. Following Jesus is about more than going to church: it’s about living lives wholly for God.

And oh boy! Business has EVERYTHING to do with faith, because our faith encompasses our whole being.

If He is not God of all, then He is not God at all.

It is not enough to just accept Jesus as Savior, we ought to accept Him as Lord as well.

What is Union with Christ?

Union with Christ is when He is living through us. Galatians 2:20 reminds us, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Jesus told His disciples to pick up their cross and follow him. This was not a clever play on words, but a real call to sacrifice everything in service of Him. When we live in union with Christ, it is no longer us who live but Christ living in us.

Myles Monroe is quoted, saying, “God’s plan was to rule the visible earth from the invisible through His invisible Spirit living within the visible man.” While God does not take on a visible human body today, He lives through the visible lives of those who believe in Him and do His will.

Understanding God’s Kingdom

The Kingdom of God (sometimes referred to as the Kingdom of Heaven) was brought to us during Jesus’ earthly ministry. Matthew 4:17 tells us that Jesus preached, telling the people to repent because the kingdom of heaven has arrived.

Here, Jesus announced to the local communities that the Kingdom of God was at hand. This was not some far-off future event, but a current reality. By telling the people to repent, Jesus is telling them that they need a new mindset and way of behaving because of the reality of the Kingdom of God. 

Just like a king influences those in the kingdom under his domain, the King of Heaven has an impact on those under His Lordship. We are called to be good citizens of the Kingdom of God, living out the principles He’s given us in Scripture. 

When we allow God to work through us, we’re able to expand God’s kingdom here on earth. Just as ambassadors work to bring improved relations between nations, we act as heavenly ambassadors for the Kingdom of God. What we do is done as representatives of Christ.

How the Kingdom of God Influences God’s People 

How does serving as citizens and ambassadors of the Kingdom of God influence our discipleship under Christ?

The reality of the Kingdom of God should radically change our lives. After all, this reality has been made clear through the life of Jesus and the Word. When we’ve truly experienced the work of Jesus in our hearts, our lives (and actions) will be radically changed.

We have a choice: live for God or live for our own idols and desires. God has made it clear in His Word that you cannot serve two masters. You’ll love one and hate the other.

The Old Testament tells us to serve no idols. An idol is anything that takes the place of God our lives.  Anything we desire (and seek to fulfill us) more than God.  Our world is full of idols: ourselves, social media influence (and likes), fame, success, money, relationships, approval, and so many more. All of these things distract us and take us away from our worship of Him.

It is not hard when we look around to see that we have become a culture that lives for itself. All too often, we live as if we are the heroes in our own story (without a need for God), modeled after the heroes we see in movies and other media. Pursuing and realizing our purpose is replaced with the desire to be the best and to do all things for our own desires.

Which is not surprising.  

2 Timothy 3: 1- 4  states:

      "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:  For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,  unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,  traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,"

Scripture calls us to a counter-cultural way of thinking. Instead of living for ourselves, we’re called to surrender our will for God’s plan. We’re called to partner with Him to extend His Kingdom on earth.

Conclusion 

When we live out the call to union with Christ, it will change everything about our lives. Our families, our marriages, our businesses, and everything else will be reshaped by the Potter’s hands.

Instead of living for our own desires, a person and a family surrendered to God will serve Him first.  They understand what it means to truly pray for God’s will to be done (even if that goes opposite to their own desires). A family surrendered to God’s will is shaped by the desire to follow Him no matter where it leads.

When we surrender our marriages, home and our businesses to God, we trust that His plan for our lives is better than our own. Instead of working for our own earthly desires, a business surrendered to Christ is open to all possibilities. When God asks us to change how we do business, lives yielded to Christ will pivot to His desires.  I know this all too well.

And just incase you're thinking this sounds hard or impossible, there's GOOD NEWS!!!

Which is that we don't have to do any of this in our own strength! Actually we can't.  The beauty of the Good News is that we are under a new covenant.  We are no longer in Adam but by accepting the saving grace of Jesus's death on the cross, we have been transferred over and are now in Christ.  This means that we no longer need to rely on our works in order to EARN our salvation.  Jesus has already DONE the work for us; we just get to accept it and live FROM that redemption.  How great is that!??!  

When we abide in Him, it is HE that gives us strength to live like Him.

If this is new to you and you want to know more about this, I would love to chat further! DM on instagram and let's chat!