Union with Christ
At the heart of the Christian life is union with Jesus Christ. Scripture says:
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me." — Galatians 2:20
"Christ in you, the hope of glory." — Colossians 1:27
Christian faith is more than an outward name or religious identity. To be Christian means confessing Jesus as the Son of God, belonging to Him, and remaining in Him.
The Vine and the Branches
Jesus described this union through the picture of a vine and its branches:
"Abide in Me, and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself but must remain in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me." — John 15:4
"I am the vine, you are the branches… apart from Me you can do nothing." — John 15:5
Just as a branch cannot live apart from the vine, a Christian cannot have true spiritual life apart from Christ. Through Him, believers receive new life and become children of God:
"As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God." — John 1:12
Those who belong to Christ also have His Spirit:
"If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him." — Romans 8:9
The Spirit assures believers that they are God's children, leads them in His way, and glorifies Christ.
One Body, Sharing the Table
Union with Christ is personal, but it is never private. It also joins believers to one another:
"By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body." — 1 Corinthians 12:13
"You are Christ's body, and individually parts of it." — 1 Corinthians 12:27
Those who are united with Christ belong to His body and share one life and one hope in Him. Jesus also connected life in Him with sharing in His flesh and blood:
"The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him." — John 6:56
When believers share in the Lord's Supper, they remember His death, share in Christ, and recognize their unity as His body:
"Is the cup of blessing which we bless not a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is the bread which we break not a sharing in the body of Christ?" — 1 Corinthians 10:16
"Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body." — 1 Corinthians 10:17
Union with Christ is not merely a religious identity. It is life in the crucified and risen Lord — remaining in Him, walking by His Spirit, and sharing sincerely in communion with Christ and His body.
In Section 3, you can explore more fully what it means to remain in Christ, become a child of God, be led by the Spirit, belong to one body, share one hope, and share in the Lord's Supper with faith, repentance, and reverence.