The Heart Of Paul’s Theology: Paul And His TheologySample

Union with Christ: Romans 6:3-11

In Romans 6:3-4 Paul indicated that our union with Christ actually moves us from this age to the next age. Writing of union with Christ again in terms of baptism, Paul asked: 

Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life (Romans 6:3-4).

Simply put, the shift from this age to the age to come took place objectively in the death and resurrection of Christ. But every time men and women come to Christ in saving faith, they are joined to his resurrection. As a result, we no longer live under slavery to sin and God’s judgment against it. We are given new lives, resurrected lives, so that we may live in the freedom of service to Christ. As Paul continued to explain in Romans 6:10 and 11:

The death [Christ] died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:10-11).

Paul’s teaching about our union with Christ applied eschatology to the practical lives of all believers. Just as Jesus left this age and its judgment behind, we also have been delivered from sin and judgment. And just as Jesus now lives in the power of the age to come, we now live in that power too.