This vital union, this new life in us we cannot have apart from Christ. The scripture tells us  “but he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him” (1 Cor 6:17) and this union is complete and perfect from the moment of regeneration, not progressive. However, I believe that as we grow in grace and in knowledge we are coming to a deeper understanding of this vital union and our perception of it. It is a spiritual connection with Christ Himself, He is in us and we are in Him and this union is the basis of our spiritual life.

Have you ever wondered why our very lives and identity are bound up in Him? Colossians 3: 1-4 says this:

“If then you were raised ‘with Christ’, seek these things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory”

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20)

This is our vital union, our very life is hidden in Christ and our life is no longer our own and it is because, although we were dead in trespasses, God who is rich in mercy and because of His great love has made us alive together with Christ. That is why we are told that apart from Him we can do nothing, our spiritual life continually flows from His life, He is our source. That is why we are told in Ephesians that we have every spiritual blessing that is necessary for our spiritual life and our salvation because we have those blessings in Christ and they remain with us forevermore because of our vital union.

We are no longer strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, because now in Christ Jesus, we have been brought near by the blood of Christ (Eph 2: 12,13).

I remember when I was a stranger from the promises and had no hope and now I can claim the promises of our beloved Lord Jesus because He has brought me near to God by His own blood and brought me into vital union with Him.