Christian. Believer. Saved. Disciple. All of
these are words that people use to describe a person who is a Christian. Here
is a term that is used frequently in scripture: in Christ. In his book One Forever, Rory Shiner explores what
the Bible means when it says the Christian is “in Christ.” With a subtitle of The Transforming Power of Being in Christ
he wants to show us how such a term is “graspable, substantial, and, above all,
liveable.
How does Shiner do that? He begins at the
beginning: Creation, when God created man and woman, which Paul uses in
Ephesians 5 to picture our relationship to Christ. He then proceeds to take us
to the incarnation of Christ where we see the union of God become united to man
through the coming of Christ.
Those first two chapters set up the great truth
of being in Christ is seen everywhere in the New Testament. Shiner points out
important pictures that show a relationship of Christ with the believer: the
vine and the branches, the body of Christ, as well as the “one flesh” picture
already mentioned.
This is followed by a wonderful chapter on justification,
the important doctrine of being declared righteous in the “righteous court of
God” (p. 45). He then uses the questions found at the end of Romans 8 to show
that our union with Christ is eternal. Nothing can separate us from Christ.
That brings us to the all-important topic of
sin in the Christian life. Our union with Christ is our “defence against the
playground bullies of sin and temptation” (p. 56). In chapter 5 he goes to
Romans 6 to find that we have new life because we have been crucified with
Christ.
The final two chapters then deal with our union
with Christ as it relates to the Church and the Resurrection. In the chapter on
the Church, Shiner turns to 1 Corinthians 12 to talk about the relationship we
have with one another as the body of Christ. He makes a great conclusion when
he says, “So, here’s a practical suggestion for growing in union with Christ:
show up to church. I mean really show
up. Go expecting to be a gift to the body, to bless the body, to love the body,
and so to love Christ.” (p. 74) I couldn’t have said it better.
The resurrection chapter takes us to 1
Corinthians 15, showing how we are united to Christ also in His resurrection,
with the practical conclusion of being “steadfast, immoveable, always abounding
in the work of the Lord” (I Corinthians 15:5). Shiner challenges us in light
of our resurrection of Jesus and our future hope to be engaged “passionately,
with your whole heart. With single-minded devotion. With everything you’ve got.”
(p. 87).
This book is short, easy to read, and helpful
for all Christians. I especially like the description that Shiner provides (click
here
to see the description on video) when he compares our relationship to Christ to
a passenger in an airplane. After using terms that we might use to describe our
relationship to Christ as being under Christ, inspired by Christ, or following
Christ, he says this:
Of course, the key relationship you need with
the plane is not to be under it, behind it or inspired by it. You need to be in it. Why? Because by being in the
plane, what happens to the plane will also happen to you. (p. 34)
I like that idea. Trusting Christ means that we
are united in Him. “And we are in him, so that whatever is true of Jesus is
also true of us.” (p. 35) I would encourage you to read it and share it with
someone else. It makes a great discipling tool for a new Christian or a book
that you can read together with another one who is “united with Christ” like
you are. Your life just might be transformed! Here is a link to purchase the
book: One
Forever
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