Union with Christ and Justification

Status
Not open for further replies.

WAWICRUZ

Puritan Board Freshman
I'd like to solicit some thoughts on the relationship of "union with Christ" and "justification".

Some hold that "justification" is the basis of "union", while others believe that "justification" is one of the benefits of "union" and therefore it would be amiss to stipulate the latter as being predicated on the former.

Thank you for the ideas.
 
I've always taken 1 Corinthians 1:30 to mean that justification is one of the benefits which flow from union with Christ, as it seems that righteousness is predicated upon life in Christ.

To what end are you wondering? Is there a particular issue which is pressing?
 
The Pauline "en Xristw" formula makes it clear that union with Christ is the basis upon which the counter-imputation of the elect's sins to Christ and His righteousness to the elect are transacted, and this ensures that the transaction is not a mere legal fiction. Rom. 8:1, 2, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." 1 Cor. 1:30, "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." 2 Cor. 5:21, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
 
Justification is union with Christ.

This is an area of a good deal of confusion. Union with Christ is often construed in a somewhat overly existential fashion and is placed in a temporal relation (either before or after) the judicial dynamic of justification. This is not wholly satisfying. Union with Christ can be understood as legal (justification), intellectual (having the mind of Christ), spiritual (indwelling of the Spirit), etc. Union with Christ is a variegated concept. But it is important to note that justification cannot be broken off from union and compared and contrasted with it as though they are separate pieces. Note carefully the following excerpt from the Westminster Larger Catechism:

Q. 69. What is the communion in grace which the members of the invisible church have with Christ?A. The communion in grace which the members of the invisible church have with Christ, is their partaking of the virtue of his mediation, in their justification, adoption, sanctification, and whatever else, in this life, manifests their union with him.

Notice that justification is said to be a “manifestation of union” not something before or after it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top