The message of union with Christ calls for a shift away from the model of imitating Jesus. An old song said, I want to be like Jesus. The truth is different. I am like Jesus. I am being transformed into His image. There is a process involved, yet there is also the event that happened two thousand years ago. It is a done deal from God’s perspective. The old sinful nature is dead. The believer is a new creation, seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, joined as one with the Lord. The righteousness of Jesus is ours. The nature of God is ours. The ability to live the Christian life is present right now.
## The Distinction Between Spirit Soul And Body
As written in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The old self is dead. The new creation lives in union with Christ. To walk this out requires understanding the difference between spirit, soul, and body. When the Bible speaks of that which is born of God, it refers to the spirit. The body remains much the same as before, with a few more miles on it. The soul, consisting of mind, will, and emotions, carries many of the old patterns. The spirit is the real you. It is seated in heavenly places. It is joined one with the Lord.
From our lived perspective, it often feels as if two natures battle inside. Bad desires arise. Temptations pull strongly. Thoughts come that seem to originate from within. The body has natural desires for rest, food, and other things that can lead astray in the wrong context. The soul processes thoughts and feelings that seem very real. Satan uses these to trip us up. The battle is not in the spirit. The battle is in the soul and body. Renewing the mind brings the greatest effect. When the mind is renewed, the body is easier to keep in line.
## Acknowledging Every Good Thing That Is Ours In Christ
As written in Philemon 1:6, “that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.”
We are abiding in Jesus. We are not trying to abide in Jesus. From God’s perspective, we already abide in Him. If someone asks how to abide in Jesus, the answer is simple. Believe you are abiding in Jesus. You do not need to do anything to make it true. It is true.
The soul and body constantly pull in other directions. Thoughts come. Desires arise. The world, the flesh, and the devil seek to fill the screen of the mind and stir the emotions. The action required is to come back again and again to the truth. Remind yourself. Say it with your mouth. Engage your heart. Declare, right now I am abiding in Jesus. Your life is flowing in me and through me. I have been set free from sin. I am Your child. This act of acknowledgment shuts off the pull of the soul. It renews the mind. It realigns everything.
The communication of faith becomes effective by the constant acknowledging of every good thing that is ours in Christ Jesus. This is the way faith works in daily life. Acknowledge the mystery. Christ in us is the hope of glory. Lord, I thank You I am at rest in You. Your nature is flowing through me. I have been set free from sin.
## Turning Union Into Communion
Union must become communion. Rest in the truth of union. This rest brings spirit-to-spirit fellowship with the Lord. It is a sharing, a drinking from the same cup. Without union, real communion remains limited. Union provides the foundation. From that place, fellowship flows.
Practice these things. Bake them into the daily fabric of life. Get the head straight on the truths. The old self died when Jesus died. You came to life when He came to life. You are joined with the Lord. The vine and branches picture shows there is no distance. Everything Jesus has flows to you. Acknowledge these truths out loud. Say them even when feelings contradict them. Step into communion. Enjoy fellowship with the Lord. Do not stop at facts about Jesus. Union without communion will leave the heart empty.
One man used to check in every fifteen minutes. He would review the last fifteen minutes and prepare for the next. He recalibrated to stay aligned. That practice supported an extraordinary life. Similar habits can support ours.
The goal is not to strive toward union. It is to live from the union that already exists. From that place, communion with the Lord becomes natural and ongoing. This is how the Christian life moves from effort to rest, from exhaustion to peace.
Selah
**Scriptures for Study**
1 Thessalonians 5:23, Philemon 1:6, Romans 12:2, Ephesians 2:6, Galatians 2:20, Colossians 3:3, Romans 6:6, 2 Corinthians 5:17, 1 Corinthians 6:17, John 15:4, John 15:5, John 17:21, Romans 6:11, Ephesians 4:23, Ephesians 4:24, Colossians 2:6, Colossians 2:7, Romans 8:2, Galatians 5:16, Romans 5:17, 1 John 4:17, Philippians 1:21, Hebrews 4:10, Matthew 11:28, 2 Corinthians 5:21
**10 Questions for Reflection**
1. How clear is the distinction between your spirit, soul, and body in your daily thinking?
2. In what areas does your soul still pull you away from the truth of union with Christ?
3. What truths about your identity in Christ do you need to acknowledge more consistently?
4. How often do you speak these truths out loud and engage your heart with them?
5. Where have you been trying to abide in Jesus instead of believing you already do?
6. What practical habits could help you recalibrate throughout the day?
7. How does renewing the mind make a difference in managing the body?
8. In what ways has union with Christ remained only a set of facts rather than leading to fellowship?
9. What would change if you lived from the reality that you are joined as one spirit with the Lord?
10. How can you turn the truth of union into ongoing communion with God?
