"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

Pastor Dunnington preached an entire sermon on that one verse. Correction. On the first half of that verse.

I have always read that verse in terms of the second half -- the "to die is gain" part. I never saw this verse as an affirmation of union life.

What is union life?

Paul uses the term frequently in his writing. How often? He uses the phrase in Christ 74 times, in Jesus six times and in him eight times in his various writings.

What does it mean to be united with Christ?

Dr. Robert Clinton1 defines it:

Union life is a phrase which refers both to the fact of the spirtual reality for a believer joined in spirit with the resurrected Spirit of Christ and the process of that union being lived out with Holy Spirit power so that the person is not dominated by sin in his/her life.

Reformed types like to use a fancy theological term for it. Sanctification.

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It is the process of Christ in you as you. It is a mystical union between you and Christ that grows over a lifetime as you become transformed into more and more the image of Christ.

I like the term sanctification, but I think union life has a mystical component that a "cold and metallic" term like sanctification runs the risk of missing.

While Paul teaches about this union life in Romans 1-7, he models union life in the book of Philippians. That is what makes Dunnington's sermon series on Philippians so thrilling. We get to study a model of sanctification -- a demonstration of a life -- a union life. The life of Paul.

Clinton identifies seven characteristics of union life modeled by Paul in Philippians.

1) Christ-centered. A desire to have Christ impact his everyday testimony.
2) Inner Resources. The recognition that the indwelling of the Spirit of Christ was the source of power -- the very same power that raised Christ from the dead.
3) Joy. Joy in the midst of hard, shaping life experiences, is the hallmark of a believer in union with Christ. Paul uses five different words for Joy in the book of Philippians alone!
4) Relationships. A person in union life longs for unity with other believers.
5) Sovereign mindset. A recognition of the hand of God at work in life shaping events and activities -- even trials.
6) Destiny / growth to maturity. A driving, inexorable passion to move toward maturity in Christ.
7) Peace. Like joy, a hallmark of those in deep union life.

Dunnington brought the centrality of union life with Christ home in his sermon yesterday. For Paul to live was Christ. It was not to live for Christ. It was not to serve Christ. It was not to be obedient to Christ. It was not to accomplish things for Christ.

For Paul, life was Christ. Period.

Think about that. Paul's entire worldview was Christ-centered and focused. He saw all of reality in terms of Christ. Paul's entire being was union with Christ.

Friends, this concept is very easy to read about, but very difficult to wrap your mind around. I have spent a lifetime trying to understand this mystical union with Christ. God is using Pastor Dunnington, Robert Clinton, Jack Miller, Clyde Godwin and others to take me through the paradigm shift of understanding absolutely everything in terms of union life with Christ.

Are you experiencing that kind of life? Do you want to?

If you have ever spent anytime around someone who is deep into union life with Christ, it is something special and unforgettable. The thing about those people is that they are not seeking that kind of life. They are seeking Christ and intimacy with Him. The seven union life characteristics are simply a by product of someone who has that kind of intimate union with Christ.

1 Dr. Robert Clinton, Union Life - Intimacy With God, pg 282, Titus, Apostolic Leadership.

2 Pastor Dunnington, btw, is Ed Dunnington of Christ The King Presbyterian in Roanoke (ctkroanoke.org). You may want to add a footnote to the post.

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