As we learn, experience and grow in the Abiding Life, we need to communicate spiritual lessons in our sphere of influence. A young man who attended a Grace Fellowship Workshop (and has continued to dialogue with Mark and myself since then) is John Will Graham. He has written two extensive articles on union with Christ that have been posted on his blog: Thryve.
Part 1 is Union: The Door is Open. Here the message of union is explained, including explicit teaching on the believer’s identification with Christ:
Though this may be next to impossible to see and understand with human understanding, it is nonetheless true.
“Our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” (Romans 6:6)
Your spirit … was joined with Jesus, past tense. When Jesus died, he died for all sins, and what died with him was whatever in you had been ruptured from the life of God. That’s more than forgiveness. That’s the actual mechanism, his body providing the way.
Your old spirit, the one dead to God, unable to experience union with him, it died with him. That happened. Past tense, finished, not something still in progress.
And that’s not all. Jesus was raised, and now is seated “at his right hand in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 1:20). And he has given you his Spirit “as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” (2 Corinthians 1:22), the actual proof the connection is real and already secured. What that Spirit means for who you now are, moment to moment, is worth its own piece. For now, the point is simpler: the deposit’s been made. The connection’s been sealed.”
Part 2 is titled Union: Learning to Walk Through the Door
John Will gives this working definition of the experience of union with Jesus.
The experience of union with Jesus is becoming aware that His life is in you and you are in Him, while your soul learns, by the Spirit, to live from that life now.
He warns against two opposite errors (“ditches”):
1. The chase: measuring by emotional highs,
2. The box: measuring by right doctrine and consistency.
The balanced goal is a growing awareness of the Lord’s presence.
GFI students will recognize references to the Trust Fall (Mark McKeehan) and the Total Commitment sheet (Dr. Solomon).
John Will addresses the believer’s three spiritual enemies: the world, the Devil, and the flesh (in that order) including their agenda and how they seek to distract from our experiential union and communion with Christ. He summarizes,
The World goes after our attention and our communication with God. The Enemy [the Devil] goes after our knowledge and trust. The flesh goes after our surrender. None of them can touch the union itself.
Jesus has already opened the door to union. This is the path in front of us as we follow Him through it by faith.
But where does this all lead? If I had to sum it up in one verse, it’s the invitation straight from our good Shepherd Himself.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
We invite you to read and share these articles. May we each continue to learn, experience, and share the full message of this new life. As the apostles were instructed by the liberating angel, “Go, take your stand in the temple courts and declare to the people the whole doctrine concerning this Life (the eternal life which Christ revealed)” Acts 5:20 Amp.
1 John Will Graham https://www.gothryve.com/about
2 https://www.gothryve.com/blog/thedoorisopen
3 https://www.gothryve.com/blog/learningtowalkthroughthedoor
JBW
