Has the church forgot about a central doctrine: Union with Christ? Recently the emphasis within the popular reformed circles has been the Gospel and culture. We have listened to wonderful descriptions of the Gospel. We have heard the Gospel articulated as that which transcends and condemns legalism. Thus, in being impacted by the reality of the Gospel we think that the Gospel gives permission to participate in greater liberties found within culture. However, aren't we speaking of a reduced Gospel if it condemns legalism without articulating a Christlike walk. The Gospel must not be used as an excuse for the very sin Christ has saved us from. Union with Christ brings us to recognize our need to discover the Gospel afresh yet at the same time it provides a trajectory of discernment.
I like to understand union with Christ (in a practical way) as this. First, in John 8 Christ describes his complete fidelity to his Father in doing everything that is pleasing to his Father. Christ never - not one day- woke up thinking " hmmm... what do I feel like doing today?". Every morning Christ sought his Father's will. Union with Christ is a union that puts to death your agenda for the sake of embracing God's agenda. Second, in John 8, Christ mentions the fact that he alone sets people free. But the example Christ is setting is a life of bondage to his Father's will. Thus, Christ is literally saying that freedom come from bondage - bondage to the agenda of the one who you were created for. God wants you to find your greatest functionality in him. But be careful, God's loving will was demonstrated to the Son in sending him to the cross. Which will mean that God's loving will for you is to incurr Christ-like difficulty and suffering. To be brought into union with Christ is not a safe place to be but it is exactly were we find God's good thoughts and intentions for us in Christ. For Christ purchased up all the grace necessary to supplying strength, endurance and love amidst suffering.