Living in Union with Christ in His Death: Walking in His Resurrection

Scripture Reference: Romans 6:2-4, Colossians 3:3

In our walk of faith, one of the most profound items of truth we can understand is the reality of our union with Christ—especially in His death and resurrection. Paul makes this incredibly clear in Romans 6:2-4, where he speaks about how we are “buried with Him through baptism into death” so that “just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

This concept is deeply meaningful, not just as an abstract theological idea but as a practical truth that shapes how we live each day. The identification we have with Christ in His death and resurrection is not merely symbolic—it is our reality.

In my personal journal this last weekend, I reflected on Colossians 3:3, which says, "For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." This verse speaks to the deep, transformative union we have with Jesus. We are so united with Him that His death is our death, and His resurrection is our resurrection (Colossians goes on to say). It is a new life that we walk into every day. I kept seeing that this (for the believer) was a natural--as in a normal by-product-- way of living a "discipled" life. I was taking Christ's provision for me, internalizing it (by faith agreeing with it) as my reality, then there was an outcome. I didn't really "force" anything to happen.

When I consider this union with Christ, I understand it as a trust in what He has declared about me. It’s not just about intellectual acknowledgment; it’s about actually receiving the truth of our identity in Christ. As I reflect on passages like Colossians 3:3 and John 17, where Jesus says, “I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me,” and we are “in” Him, I realize that this union encompasses His death and His resurrection simultaneously, and that it is for all believers, as well. "We" are in Him together.

As I focus on this truth, as stated in 2 Corinthians 3:18, I am changed “from glory to glory” as I am gazing upon and enjoying Christ. This process of transformation is the essence of true discipleship—following Jesus is not just as a concept or a method, or an accountability arrangement, but I am being drawn into the reality of His life in me. He dies, I die. He rose, I rise. My life is not my own; it is hidden with Christ. I am safe there.

This brings us to the powerful application of this truth: offering ourselves to others. In Romans 12:1-7, Paul urges us to offer ourselves as living sacrifices (in view of the mercies of God and "the renewing of the mind" happening concurrently, “holy and acceptable to God,” which is our reasonable (natural or normal) service). This means that our dying to self is lived out in how we serve others, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ and it is part of the transformative process. It’s the rubber-meets-the-road moment of walking out our faith-life reality in everyday life.

This is authentic Christianity. It is why, as Jesus promised, His yoke is easy and His burden is light. He has done the heavy work—the cross, the rejection, the pain, and the victory over death. Now, we live in that ongoing victory, offering our lives as a living testimony of the resurrection power of Christ since He lives in us and we in Him. So here we have the reality, the experience, and now it is manifested. Anyone can join in and enjoy the LORD in these things together! Hallelujah!

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For Further Study

If you’d like to dive deeper into the profound truth of our union with Christ and its implications for daily living, consider exploring the following chapters from Henry Hon’s books: (you can view these online using the One Body Life mobile app downloaded at Apple or the Google Play Store. Click on this link to see a pc version on your laptop or tablet: https://app.buildfire.com/app/index.html?appId=fae2a96d-2839-11ef-a97f-12565309935d&mode=1&#/

1. "One Life & Glory"

   • Chapter 2, "Miraculously Normal Living": This chapter expands on the miraculous transformation that occurs in the believer as we live in union with Christ. It highlights how Christ’s life is meant to be expressed in the mundane and extraordinary moments of life.

2. "One Truth"

   • Chapter 1, "Liberating, Nourishing, and Unifying": This chapter focuses on the liberating and unifying power of truth, which is foundational for understanding our new identity in Christ and the transformation that follows.

3. "One Ekklesia"

   • Chapter 3, "God’s Eternal Purpose: Ekklesia (Sec. B)": This chapter explores the reality of the Body of Christ (ekklesia) and how our union with Christ is lived out in the fellowship of believers, as well as in our everyday relationships and service