In Christ and the Local Church Life Romans 6:8 Outline/Notes

WE SHALL LIVE "WITH HIM"
UNION WITH CHRIST

Does This Mean Personal and Mutually Together As One Body In Christ?

Romans 6:8            Charles e Whisnant     May 15, 2011       45.73

NOW IF

·       Since or in view of the fact that (we have died with Christ)

WE BE DEAD ⁽⁵⁹⁹⁾ WITH ⁽⁴⁸⁶²⁾ CHRIST

·       We have died, there has been a separation, departure from the former association of SIN

·       With Christ: speaks of an intimate, irreversible union with.

WE BELIEVE:⁴¹⁰⁰  

THAT WE SHALL ALSO LIVE ^{(4800) SUZAO (SUZESOMEN)}  WITH HIM

 

·       Live with ^{(4800) (suzao from sun/syn}= together or with + záo = live) means to live with. The preposition "sun" means with in the sense of "in union with" and thus is used to denote a more intimate relationship of Jesus Christ with us than the corresponding preposition "meta" which also means with. To illustrate, the criminals punished with Jesus were both crucified with (meta) Him or in His company. One of these thieves was not crucified together with (sún) Him, bound up and in union with Him, while the other thief was in fact crucified in union with Him. (Luke 23:43-44)

I want to go back and address this matter here in verse 8  “WITH CHRIST”.

UNION WITH CHRIST and THE CHURCH

·       We will live with Him. He is the essence of everything that we are. Think about that for a second. The Holy life of God has somehow been intertwined into my life. He lives in me! That’s the whole idea that Paul is trying to get across. When you start talking about turning away from sin and living holy, you've got to remember the holy, divine presence of God lives in you.

·       Zao is the essence of life so the verb combination suzao speaks of an intimate connection and conveys the picture that we have been entwined with the essence of Christ's (resurrected) life! We are identified with Him and because of His resurrection we share in and can experience the resurrection life of Jesus (walk in newness of life).

·       Christ lives in us in the Person of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ. His life is in us. We can now walk in a completely new way of life. We believe this and are persuaded by it to the point that we are enabled and willing to alter our lifestyle (empowered even in this act by His grace - He gives us the "want to"). 

The ways our individual “with Him” (union) with Christ influences how we view our corporate life together: The act of joining together Christ and the believer to form a whole.

Mystical union is the union of believers with Christ the head, and with one another; with Christ the head by faith, and with one another by love. … This union of believers in the same body is often compared with the mystery of the Trinity; and it is elsewhere expressed by one body.

1B    Union with Christ means addition of somebody into His Body (the Church).   1 Corinthians 10:17, 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, Colossians 3:3, 11-15

2B    Union with Christ is the foundation of our corporate solidarity and mutual ministry together. Romans 12:3-5

3B      Union with Christ and the Body of Christ in the local church is seen in the Lord’s Supper. Matthew 16:26-27 and John 6:41-56. I Corinthians 10:16-17

4B     Spiritual baptism is a symbol of our union with Christ and with all who are in Christ: Galatians 3:26-28 and I Corinthians 12:12-13

5B     Union with Christ is the context of our corporate maturity and growth. Ephesians 4:11-16, Colossians 3:12-17

6B       Union with Christ is the basis of our mutual dependence.  I Corinthians 12:12-31

7B       Union with Christ is the basis for sexual purity: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

8B       Union with Christ is the basis for church membership:  I Corinthians 5:1-5

·       “Paul describes the church as the body of Christ because of its union with Christ.” It all makes sense. Our personal union with Christ is the basis for our life together.

The bottom line for me is this: 

1. In our union with Christ we discover the groundwork for our corporate (local church) life and solidarity. 
2.  
3. In union with Christ we find the source and purpose for our spiritual gifts.
4. We become less inclined to favoritism and racial division,  
5.  Ultimately, the life and vitality of the church is directly connected to the life of the Savior. 

The idea of Romans 6 also is to keep our focus on Christ Himself, on His person, rather than thinking about the benefits we receive from Christ.  We are to keep Christ central.  We are not to allow Him to fade into the background as a mere facilitator of these benefits.