Participation in The Life of Chirst is an Effect of Faith

...That Christ may dwell

in you hearts

through faith;

that you, being rotted

and grounded 

in love.

Ephesians 3:17

     This union with Christ is participation in His life, by faith, it is an effect of faith. We are partakers of His death and resurrection (Romans 6:4-10). Jesus Christ is in us: "And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness" (Romans 9:10). Jesus gave an illustration of this life as branches being grafted into the vine (John 15:1-16). As with any grafted branch into the vine, the life of the vine is diffused to and through the branches. This means that the children of God are partakers of this life, this spiritual and eternal life. Paul illustrates the same when using the example of the body (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). Christ is the head: "And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church" (Ephesians 1:22). It is the body that is joined to the head and edifying all parts in love giving life and energy to the whole body. the indwelling of the Spirit is the indwelling Jesus Christ. Paul writes: "But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you" (Romans 8:9-11). 

     We should never explain this mystical union which is vital between Jesus Christ  and His people as a mere union of thought and feeling, this is absolutely inadmissible. It is contrary to the plain meaning of the words. An example would be that to use Plato as dwelling in men, that it is his life that is their life, that man can do nothing without him, and that their holiness, happiness and eternal life is in him, would be fallacious and inadmissible to any sentient person. If one supposes that this union is of feeling and thinking as that our union is analogous as one man to another, their supposition is contrary to Scripture. This union is a relation between men and a divine person, who has Himself given His life to as many as He wills to give. Further it ignores  all that Scripture teaches of the work of the Holy Spirit and of His indwelling in the hearts of men. Finally, to think that this union is one of feeling and thought is to overlook the supernatural character of Christianity.  This thinking then would reduce Christianity to nothing more than a mere philosophical and ethical system.

     This union with Jesus Christ bring peace: "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). God promises pardon, to be received into His favor, and salvation to all who would believe that God is reconciling us.  Our faith may be weak or strong, and peace may be intermitting and tremulous, but it is assured.

Blessed are those whose

     lawless deeds are forgiven,

and whose sins are covered;

    Blessed is the man to whom

The LORD shall not impute

     sin.

                         Psalm 32:1-2

May God's love be with you

Richard L. Crumb