How would you answer someone who asks, “What difference does union with Christ make, anyway?”
John 15:4-6 teaches us that union with Christ is the difference between being a Christ follower and not being a Christ follower. In other words if there is no union with Christ there is no Christian. Union with Christ is the central core thread of everything pertaining to being a Christian.
Take salvation, sanctification, community & mission for example. Where there is no union with Christ salvation is understood & pursued through worldly & faulty false gospels; holiness becomes legalism or license; community disintegrates due to individualism or externalism & mission becomes a means for selfish gain.
What we learn as we examine our union with Christ is that salvation is the completed work of Christ whom we are united to. Sanctification is the continuing work of Christ whom we are united to. Community is a representation of our union with Christ. Mission is pursued because of our union with Christ.
Union with Christ is the core of the gospel and it affects how we understand our identity, purpose & function. Without union with Christ this basic framework becomes twisted. My identity becomes rooted in what I do or what crowd I am a part of. My purpose becomes rooted in bettering or furthering my own causes. My function becomes self-satisfaction or loving myself.
When we truly are united with Christ our identity isn’t found in what we do or what crowd we are a part of it is defined & found in being a son or daughter of God in Christ. Being united with Christ affects the purpose of our lives & moves us from selfish-gain or self-glorification to living for God’s glory or to bring attention to Him in all that we desire, think, say & do. Union with Christ also changes the way we function from self-seeking satisfaction & self-loving behavior to God loving & neighbor loving living.
Union with Christ is the difference between being a Christ follower and not being a Christ follower.