"We Shall Certainly Be..."

“For if we have been united him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” Romans 6:5

Beloved,

The Bible is full of beautiful and precious promises. For me, there is nothing more beautiful than the promise of our union with Christ. Jesus Christ lived a perfect life. He perfectly obeyed the Father. He always spoke perfect words. He always treated others with a perfect love. His perfect life led him to the cruel cross of Calvary in a perfect sacrifice for sinners. Jesus Christ is the perfect man.

So notice that when we put our faith in Jesus Christ the Bible says we are baptized with him into his death. His death becomes our death. His death pays the penalty for our sin. But our faith in Christ not only unites us in his death, but also unites us with him in his resurrection. Jesus’ perfect life is credited to us so when we close our eyes in death, we can be confident that we will open them in glory. For our union with Christ gives us confidence for the Apostle Paul writes that, “we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” We must hold fast to this confident hope. And none of this depends on us, but on the death and resurrection of our perfect Savior. Our faith brings us in union with His perfection. What a great promise!!

John Kent (1766-1843) wrote about this union:


Hail, sacred union, firm and strong
How great thy grace, how sweet the song,
That rebel worms should ever be
One with incarnate Deity!

One in the tomb, one when He rose,
One when he triumphed o’er His foes
One when in heav’n He took His seat,
While seraphs sung at hell’s defeat.


Beloved, is there any greater promise that we are united with Christ? “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32). Take heart and rejoice in your union with Christ!! For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

In Christ,

Pastor Dave