Philippians 2:12b-13. work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Christianity is union with Christ. This doctrine is the most foundational and possibly the most misunderstood doctrine of the Christian faith. Most Christians can explain how Jesus saved them from sin and death, but many cannot explain the reality of their union with Christ.
Union with Christ means that our lives are united to Christ’s life. We are one spirit with him (1 Cor. 6:17). We are both in Christ, and Christ is in us.
In Christ.
All spiritual growth flows from this grace- that we are hidden in Christ. We are represented by him. His victory is our victory. His righteousness is our righteousness. We do not earn these. They have been imputed to us because we are in Christ. Just as the Israelites were “in David” when he defeated Goliath, and thus the entire nation won the battle, we too are in Christ and therefore share in every one of Christ’s blessings.
When we look at Philippians 2:13, we see that God is the one at work in us, empowering our growth, our change of heart and mind. This is because we are united to Christ himself. We are in Christ. Sometimes we call this our POSITION. We are positionally righteous.
Therefore, we have everything that the historic Jesus had as a human. God was at work in Jesus, because Jesus was in God (John 14:11). Because of this status and identity, God worked graciously through Jesus. The same is true for you and me, Christian. Because our position is in Christ, we too have God working in us.
Christ in you.
Union with Christ also means that Christ is in us. He now lives his life through our corporate life as the church. Christ’s mind is now our mind (Phil. 2:5), his affections are our affections (Phil. 1:8), and our desires and choices are now his as well (Phil. 2:13). This too is a positional truth, but it affects our CONDITION. Our condition is how we actually live each day.
God works in us to change our desires and actions. This is because Christ is in us. Christ is living out of us, illuminating our beliefs, desires, and thoughts. He is animating us, changing our character and behavior. Our POSITION changes our CONDITION. Our positional righteousness produces our righteousness of condition.
And yet we are not robots. We are not puppets. We have to willingly participate with the Christ that is in us. Philippians 2:12 tells us to “work out our salvation.” That is, we strive to see the results of our salvation, all the blessing of being in Christ, lived out as Christ in us. If the Christ in you is going to be lived out, then you have to receive this amazing grace and not resist his life that is in you.
Union with Christ is the greatest of gospel truths. It is foundational to both your position and condition. Because you are in Christ, you are secured forever- no condemnation for those who are in Christ. Because Christ is in you, you have the strength, desire, and wisdom that you need to live out the love and holiness that is now in you.
And one last thought from C.S. Lewis (paraphrased). The sense of the presence of God in you is not the same as the presence of God in you. It is the actual presence of God that “begets” Christ in us. The sense of God’s presence is an added gift. Your experience is not primary. The actual reality of Christ in you is primary. When our eyes are fixed on ourselves or others we will lose the sense of our union with Christ. But this never changes the reality of our union with Christ.
“The Christ we experience is always greater and more marvelous than our experience of him.” – Rankin Wilbourne.
