Union in Christ the believers’ stronghold

Heshimu Colar

Union with Christ is the believers’ stronghold. As we able to see ourselves united with Christ as a body is united to a living head, then we are liberated to draw nigh unto God as His beloved children.

Painfully, God’s saints are aware of the depravity and sinfulness of our flesh (Eph 2:1-3). We mourn at who we once were, but we are even more grieved by the principle of sin that remains in these cursed bodies. In times past, we followed the lust of our flesh wholeheartedly having no rest unless our wills were accomplished. Some ran headlong into sexual immorality, drunkenness, and debauchery. Others were equally inclined towards sin, but their lust were dominated by self-righteous bloodless religion. Regardless of the direction the evil within us pursued, we all were guilty of not esteeming the Lord Jesus Christ. God could have left us in our sin, met us at the judgment, sent us into hell, and been forever justified. Instead, He chose to put our sins on Christ, meet us in mercy, raise us with Christ in heavenly places, and justify us with Christ (Eph 2:1-1-7). "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ… (Eph 2:4-5)."

When we were dead in the deceitfulness of our sins, God raised us together with Christ. "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, not sworn deceitfully (Ps 24:3-4)." Our Lord Jesus Christ was the perfect Son of God and the perfect Son of Man who never sinned. Although He was crucified, scorned, and ridiculed by the masses, He did not suffer for His own sins. Christ died for the ungodly. Every sinner God has ever loved out of Adam’s fallen race, was fully justified by the death of Christ, and we were raised together with Christ because our justification was complete (Rom 4:25). After His resurrection, He ascended back to the Throne of God as the ever-living God-man, and He did not ascend by Himself. In God’s justice & purpose, Christ ascended into the hill of the Lord WITH everyone of God’s elect. "Even when we were dead in sins, (God) hath quickened us together with Christ… And hath raised us up together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:5-6)."

God has dealt with His elect through the Lord Jesus Christ ONLY. You will find rest for your soul as you cease looking within yourself to find anything to please or persuade God. All of our spiritual blessings are in heavenly places (Eph 1:3). Everything God has stored for us has already been earned for us by His Son. The resurrection of Christ and our union with Him is the key message of the Scriptures. His is the righteousness that guarantees God’s free Grace towards us forever. Rest your soul. Cease from trying to improve your flesh. Draw nigh unto God by faith in His Son. Christ has already established perfection for sinners in the sight of God. God has long ceased to look for any satisfaction from you who believe. Even when we were dead in trespasses and in sins, He loved us. And according to this love His great mercy saved us with an unalterable salvation (Eph 2:4). God put us in Christ, and He looks upon us as being His sons. We can never do anything to disinherit ourselves from God’s inheritance. We are already positionally seated in heavenly places IN Christ (Eph 2:6).

We were captives of Satan because of our sin and guilt. We were servants of the devil because we so feared death. "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage (Heb 2:14-15)." Our fear of death was directly linked to our fear of God. Being fearful of God, we could not draw nigh unto Him. Therefore we lived like the devil himself in self-righteous enmity against Christ and those around us (Eph 1:1-3). Yet, Christ has fully represented us before God, put away our transgressions with His own redeeming Blood, and made us not only acceptable, but accepted. We who believe stand before God with clear consciences in the blessed knowledge that our union with Christ ensures all sin before the throne is gone. "To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved (Eph 1:6)."

We give thanks for the One Man who fought for us. We were far too weak to fight for ourselves against the accuser. Our consciences could never find enough solace in our own good works to expect good from the hand of the Lord. We were like the army of Israel being mocked by Goliath. The adversary troubled us by pointing to our shame. We struggled in the works of religion, but never found the true peace that passes all understanding. Yet, the Philistine Giant opened his mouth to his own doom when he demanded that one man represent all of Israel and fight with him saying, "…Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid (I Sam 17:8-11)." Yet, we who believe need not fear. It would have been far better for Satan to fight with all of heaven, than to fight with the Man God chose to be the covering for sin. "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil (I John 3:8)." "For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ (Rom 5:17)."

The Lord Jesus did not fight with the useless weapons of Adam- who fell by trusting in himself. The Spirit of Christ in David testified foreshadowing the deliverance of His elect and the establishment His eternal throne saying, "… I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom (God) thou hast defied (I Sam 17:45)." The Lord Jesus Christ endured everything as the representative of God’s elect by entrusting Himself unto God the Father. He endured temptations by mixing the Word of God with the perfection of love and faith for the Father. He never drew back from His responsibility to fulfill the law of righteousness in the tiniest degree (Matt 5:17-18). And this One Man, God manifested in the flesh, interceded for transgressors before going to His place of torment on the Cross. His prayer was that we would be one with Him. He was the One God looked to for all righteousness and all redemption; and He prayed that we would be one with Him. His prayer has been answered. Whenever God looks upon Christ, He sees us. Whenever God looks upon us, He sees Christ. "And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth (John 17:19). "And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me (John 17:22-23)."

True faith in your union with Christ produces rest in your walk with God. Numerous trials will purge your faith, but they can’t change Christ. "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God (Col 3:1-3).

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