United In Christ's Love

Freedom from power of sin:

"among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others." Ephesians 2:3

God's love is expressly seen in His actions towards us, and these actions show how intentional God is to unite us with His only begotten Son in whom Christ Jesus was released to us as a sacrifice of repairing and restoring our conjoining with God and His purpose for us.

I personally think our gratitude should be equally and expressly showered on God for the great work He has done to secure our salvation and restoration in Christ. Ephesians 2:3 talks volumes about our previous life and the danger our actions were preparing us for. It is very important we understand that the wrath of God is terrible and only He could save us from this judgment that is inevitable.

There has been a bridge between God and man because of our sins and dominion of the power of sin over mankind. This power has crippled many and is still at work till this very moment. By this effect, many have become slaves to its leading, doing whatever the sinful nature requires and finding it difficult to do the will of God. This is exactly the perfect description of our old life before Christ came to rescue us.

"Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace."Romans 6:14

God has come to rescue us from the coming judgment by nailing our old life to the cross. By this, we are not obligated to do what the flesh requires because we have dominion through the power in Jesus Christ that has come to defeat the power of sin once and for all and has given us victory through our faith in Christ Jesus.

This also means we are not in covenant with any spirit of darkness or obligated to serve any god or spirit in fear of death. This has been settled in Christ Jesus because we are no longer slaves to powers in darkness in any atmosphere or region. Glory to Jesus who has made that possible. Glory to Jesus!

God is Rich in Mercy:

"But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,"Ephesians 2:4

The love of God is not determined or orchestrated by our behavior or character. When we talk about God’s love, this is an attribute of God, or rather it is a nature of God, unlike humans whose intentions or love are based on the character of others. Mostly as humans, our behavior towards others is determined by how they behave towards us, but this is the opposite of who God is, for His love is not determined if we behave one way or the other. Rather, His love is inviting us to commune with Him.

This proves to us the nature God wants us to put on. This is the kind of love that fuels evangelism. It is never from a place of criticism but a place of love.

"So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most."Hebrews 4:16

The mercy God has shown is available to everyone who comes to the throne of grace. What this means is the throne of grace is made available by Christ Jesus. So the direct interpretation of this verse is whosoever comes to Christ has received mercy that results in man accessing help in all ramifications and when needed.

So as a son of God we are not stranded or without help because help has been made available and this help is always available because it is always at God's disposal. This love has produced Christ who has provided grace that has made mercy available to be our present and ever available help in time of need.

United in Christ’s Love

"even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus," Ephesians 2:5-6

This is a typical way we could see God's love in action, expressing that when we were dead in sin, His love was not dead towards us. This evidence shows that we were not saved because of our righteous works, but rather the opposite; our salvation was a free gift, and neither could we take credit for it. God has made it freely available for whosoever wants to be saved and free from the power of sin to come to Him. Jesus did not die because we were righteous and wanted to make us more righteous, NO! But died to make us have a new life in Him.

"But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners."Romans 5:8

Our salvation is never the outcome of our behavior or character, but because of His and God's purpose to unite us with Christ. The particular phrase of togetherness was often repeated in Ephesians 2:5-6. We see words like 'made us alive together with Christ', 'raised us up together' and 'made us sit together'. These three things symbolize how we have been united by death, life, and destination with Christ as the Scripture has expressly explained, because this is the mind of God for all mankind that we are united in Christ Jesus and God sees us as one body, not as different churches, but as a body. These three things describe how we are united with Christ.

By Death:

"knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin."Romans 6:6

God has united us with Christ firstly by death. This means our life began at the place where Christ said 'it is finished'. Just at that moment did our life begin, and what happened was that as Christ was nailed to the cross, our old life and the power of sin were nailed to the cross with Christ, so there is absolutely no way a life that has been nailed to the cross can live or regain its power EVER again.

This is what Calvary does: it holds sufficient power in Christ. At Calvary we die because it is a place of death where we crucify our old life. Paul said:

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

A life that goes to Calvary comes out of that experience in a newness of life. All this requires our total surrender to the power of the cross and total obedience.

By Life:

"Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For he who has died has been freed from sin."Romans 6:4,7 (NKJV)

God united us with Christ by life, and this life isn't just the life we physically live that is sustained by oxygen, but a life that is sustained by Christ called the everlasting life, an incorruptible life. This is the life that gives glory to God, a life that God finds delight in, a life presented as an acceptable offering to the Lord. This life is the outcome of death at Calvary where we have surrendered our old life and crucified our pride and lusts at the cross and embraced a life full of obedience to His will.

Though we are alive in this world, we are not of this world, but so far we live in this world we live a life that glorifies God. The evidence of this new life is that it is not influenced by the pressure of the world or the lustfulness within because we carry the life of God within us.

This new life also produces fruits that are beneficial to everyone around us and also leads them to Christ. Our new life also is an instrument that leads souls to Christ. Praise be to God who has provided the Holy Spirit for us who has the power to sustain and keep us in this new life till the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

By Destination:

"Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,"Romans 6:8

God has planned to unite us with Christ not only on earth but also after this life, because Christ has stated His desire to unite us with Him in heaven. This gives me so much joy because the love is so great that He wants us to stay with Him.

"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:3

This is the uttermost desire of everyone who is eagerly waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the destination prepared for everyone who has passed through death and life with Christ. It is the final resting place where there would be no more sorrow, hunger, pains, or wants. It is a place of perfect peace.

God has united us with Christ when our life has passed through these stages. By this, we are conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. This should encourage brotherly love among us, promote peace in our home and society. God bless you.