The Most Beautiful Union

The Most Beautiful Union ñ Various Passages

∑ Outline:

I. What is it?

II. What does it mean?

∑ Living Stones

ìAs you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.î 1 Peter 2:4-5

∑ Marriage

ìTherefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.î This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.î Eph. 5:32-33

∑ Vine And Branches

ìAbide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothingî John 15:4-5
∑ Hiding Place

ìIf then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.î Col. 3:1-4
∑ ìThe believerís solidarity or association with Christ, by the Holy Spirit and through faith, by virtue of which believers partake of his saving benefits.î Richard Gaffin, Jr.
∑ ìThe reality of all the ways that the Bible pictures our human connectedness to Christ, in which He is indispensable for every good that we enjoy.î John Piper
∑ ìUnion with Christ means that you are in Christ and Christ is in you.î Rankin Wilbourne
∑ I. What does it mean that you are in Christ?

∑ ìAgainst the prevailing mindset of our dayóyou are what you make of yourselfóunion with Christ tells you that you can discover your real self only in relation to the One who made you. You are not, you cannot be, self-made. Union with Christ tells you that you can only understand who you are in communion with God and others. And that is a wildly countercultural claim.î
∑ II. What does it mean that Christ is in you?

Thatís it. Thanks for all you do! Iíve also attached my manuscript below.