Podcasts about union with christ

Message from Anthony Aviles on February 15, 2026

I. Christians have a new identity in Christ. II. Christians have a new position in Christ. III. Christians can have a new posture toward the world, the flesh, and the devil. 

In this episode of our series on Sinclair Ferguson's "Devoted to God," we examine one of the most crucial passages in the New Testament: Romans 6. Ferguson guides us through Paul's explosive answer to a dangerous question: if grace covers all sin, why not keep sinning?Discover the three dimensions of our union with Christ—eternal, covenantal, and existential—and what it means that we were crucified, buried, and raised with him. Learn how baptism isn't merely a sign of our faith, but God's declaration of what he has done: delivering us from death to life.We explore what it means to have died to sin's reign, to live under grace rather than law, and to embrace the daily rhythm of the baptized life through four powerful commands from Romans 6.Tags: Romans 6, Union with Christ, Baptism, Sinclair Ferguson, Sanctification, Gospel Identity, Reformed Theology, Christian Living, Paul's Epistles, Belgrade URC

One of the more important reasons we find it so hard to fight our indwelling sin and grow in grace is that we don't understand who we are. As Christians, we're not just saved by grace then left to our own devices. We're now and forever deeply connected to Christ himself. And that changes everything. That we are joined or united to Christ is the most common metaphor to describe our relationship to Him. Yet it's one we struggle to truly understand. Before we dive any deeper, we'll spend some time this week looking at how our intimate spiritual connection with Jesus is the motivation, the means, and the mandate to be done with sin and to grow in grace.

What is the greatest secret of the Christian life? Pastor Jim Ellis continues our series in Colossians by exploring the profound reality of our "Union With Christ." Looking at Colossians 1:24-2:5, we discover that the mystery once hidden for ages is now revealed in a life-changing truth: Christ in you, the hope of glory.STAY CONNECTED 

What does baptism really mean—and why does the Bible speak about it so strongly? In this sermon from Covenant Church Doylestown, we explore the deep biblical connections between baptism, salvation, the Holy Spirit, forgiveness, and union with Christ. Drawing from the Gospels, Acts, Romans, and the prophets, this message shows how baptism is a gift meant to comfort believers and shape how we live. This message covers: How baptism relates to salvation and faith Why baptism is connected to the gift of the Holy Spirit What it means for sins to be washed away How baptism unites us with Jesus' death and resurrection Why believers can walk in real freedom and new life Whether you were baptized long ago or are still considering it, this sermon invites you to rediscover the gift God has already given.

Message from Jeremy Mueller on February 8, 2026

Pastor Thomas Swope preaches on Colossians 2:16-23.

Every aspect of a believer's relationship with God is connected to the massive, yet often underrated, doctrine of our union with Christ. This sermon explores how being "in Him" provides a new identity that frees us from the performance treadmill and provides the strength to face daily struggles through the Spirit

The sermon centers on the profound truth of union with Christ, illustrated through Paul's confrontation with Peter in Antioch, where hypocrisy in maintaining Jewish customs undermined the gospel of grace. It emphasizes that justification comes not through adherence to the law, but through faith in Christ, resulting in a radical transformation in which believers are spiritually crucified, buried, and raised with Him. This union is not merely symbolic but a real, transformative reality in which the old self dies and Christ lives in the believer, leading to a new life marked by spiritual renewal, freedom from sin's bondage, and a vital connection to all fellow believers. The sermon underscores that this union, rooted in Christ's death and resurrection, is the foundation of salvation, enabling believers to live in obedience, resist sin through divine power, and look forward to eternal glory when Christ returns. Ultimately, it calls for a life set on heavenly things, where identity and destiny are inseparably bound to Christ.

This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on September 19, 1993. Series: Splendor in the Furnace: 1 Peter, Part 1. Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-5. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

Romans 6:1-11 | February 1, 2026 | Pastor Alex Tibbott Subscribe Here

Message from Caleb Crawley on February 1, 2026

Romans is the Apostle Paul's fullest and clearest treatise on the gospel of Jesus Christ. Throughout history, this letter has opened eyes, awakened hearts, and set movements in motion. It's both profoundly theological and deeply personal, revealing the truth about God, humanity, and salvation. John Stott rightly called Romans a manifesto of freedom in Christ - a freedom that remakes our lives, forms us into God's people, and sends us as witnesses of Jesus in the world.

24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.1.     How often do you condemn things, people, yourself? Remember, condemning can be sentencing to death or expressing complete disapproval.2.     Being in Jesus means no condemnation for you. How does that impact you when you really believe that? How often do you mis-translate that into “probation”?3.     Have you experienced grief over sin that led you toward God? What did that look like and how did God meet you?4.     If you are in Jesus then his Spirit dwells in you. How often are you aware that you have the mind of the Spirit, or the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2)? How can having the Spirit impact your thought patterns, emotions and appetites?5.     What “debt collector” (habit, craving, or fear) keeps knocking at your door, and how might the Spirit's power free you from it?6.     Have you ever felt God's pleasure? Can the truth of you being in Jesus and Jesus being in you free you up to experience his pleasure? How?

Resurrected Desire: Union with Christ // Dominick ButlerMain Text: Col 3:1-4------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------For More info on Gold Street Garden visit; https://linktr.ee/goldstreetgarden

What if the way up is actually the way down? In Philippians 2:1–11, Paul invites the church into a radically different way of being human—one shaped not by pride or self-promotion, but by the humble, self-giving love of Jesus. This sermon explores how pride quietly fractures our lives and our communities, and how joy grows when we choose the downward way of Christ. At the center is the cross, where Jesus refuses to grasp for power and instead gives himself fully for us, revealing what true glory looks like. As we learn to share the mind of Christ, we discover that humility isn't loss—it's the path to unity, freedom, and joy together.Catch the sermon on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or  bridge.tv/sermons.To support this ministry and help us continue our God given mission, click here: http://bit.ly/2NZkdrC Support the show

Defenders: Doctrine of Salvation (Part 7): The Mystical Union with Christ - Continued

Sermon Text: Ephesians 2:4-7 Teacher: Al Kenitz Scripture Reading: John 14:16-20

Listen to this week's sermon, Vision: Called into Communion preached by Rev. Benjamin Kandt from 2 Timothy 2:1-13.

At the heart of the gospel is the doctrine of union with Christ – we are in Christ, and he is in us. As we continue exploring this transformative reality, we turn from death to resurrection. In this sermon, we consider the simple yet profound truth that union with Christ produces life.

At the heart of the gospel is the doctrine of union with Christ – we are in Christ, and he is in us. As we turn the corner on another year, we pause to look more closely at this reality. In this sermon, we consider the simple truth that union with Christ requires death.

Galatians 2:20 English Standard Version20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.English Standard Version (ESV)The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.ESV Text Edition: 2025.

Fellowship North | Sam Walker | 12.28.25

Guest Speaker Sam Bratt - Chaplain, Ft. Campbell

"In this sermon from 1 Corinthians 15:12–22, we explore Paul's profound teaching on the resurrection and how it flows directly from the doctrine of union with Christ. Every benefit of salvation—justification, adoption, sanctification, and now glorification—comes to us because we are united to Christ, the second Adam and our covenant head.Some in Corinth denied the resurrection of the dead. Paul responds by showing that to deny our resurrection is to deny Christ's resurrection, because the two are inseparably linked. Christ is the firstfruits—the beginning of one great harvest. His resurrection guarantees ours. Your future resurrection is not only promised; it has already begun in Him.This reality transforms how we endure suffering in this life. Just as Christ entered glory after humiliation and suffering, so believers—united to Him—follow that same pattern. Our sufferings are “with Christ,” and our glorification will be with Him as well.At Christmas we remember why this union is possible at all: the incarnation. The eternal Son became man so that we could be united to Him and share in His life, His righteousness, and ultimately His resurrection. As we have borne the image of the man of dust, so we will bear the image of the Man of heaven.If Christ is raised, then you will be raised. If you are in Christ, you will live.This is the hope, the comfort, and the unshakeable foundation of the Christian life.#1Corinthians15 #UnionWithChrist #Resurrection #ChristianSermon #BibleTeaching #Glorification #ReformedTheology #GospelHope #Incarnation #ChristTheFirstfruits #EternalLife #ChristianLiving"

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.The sermon begins by asking "Why should you try to be and do good?" What typically motivates you to act morally or pursue goodness, and how does Paul's identity-based rationale compare to those?Paul states that in baptism, Christians are "baptized into his death" and become "set free from sin." What does it practically mean for you to consider yourself "dead to sin," and what implications does this have for how you view temptation?Bob said fighting sin is not about "sheer determination, hard work, white knuckling it," but about "living real-time in Jesus." What has been your experience with willpower in resisting sin, and how might focusing on union with Christ offer a different path?The sermon provides two scenarios (nasty email, internet shopping) to illustrate real-time application. Can you share a personal struggle or temptation and discuss how intentionally "choosing to be in Jesus" might transform your response in that specific situation?What are the things that make you conscious of being in Christ? What practices or rhythms in your life help you actively "reckon yourselves dead to sin and alive to God"?Paul concludes the passage with "you are not under law, but under grace." How does understanding your identity through grace, rather than law, impact your self-perception, your approach to personal change, and your relationship with God?

"If we are justified by faith and cannot lose our salvation, why not just go on sinning?That question—raised by Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Jews, and even by the Pharisees in Paul's day—is not new. The Apostle Paul faced it directly in Romans 6: “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” His answer: By no means! But the reason he gives is crucial—union with Christ.In this sermon, we see that the believer's sanctification is not grounded in self-effort, fear, or uncertainty, but in the reality of being united to the risen Christ. If you are in Christ, you have died to sin with Him and are raised to newness of life with Him. You cannot be united to Christ for justification without also being united to Him for sanctification.Sanctification, therefore, is not an optional add-on—it necessarily flows from union with the Holy One Himself. True holiness is not achieved by striving in the flesh but by abiding in Christ through the Spirit, prayer, the Word, and worship.

"What does it really mean to be a child of God? Among the glorious benefits of salvation—justification, sanctification, and glorification—there is one that often receives less attention but reveals the very heart of God's love: adoption.In this sermon, we explore what it means that believers are called sons and daughters of God through union with Christ. Adoption goes beyond being declared righteous—it means being welcomed into God's own family, having access to Him as Father, receiving His loving discipline, and being made co-heirs with Christ.From John 20:17 and Galatians 4:4–6, we'll see how the Son of God became like us so that we might share His relationship with the Father. This truth gives assurance, comfort in suffering, and boldness in prayer: the God of heaven is our Father.If you've ever wondered what it means to truly belong to God—not just as His creation, but as His child—this message will deepen your appreciation of the gospel and the love that adopts us into His eternal family.

"What does it mean to say that we have become the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21)? Many claim that this verse speaks of moral transformation or covenant membership—but Paul is describing something far more glorious. In this sermon, we explore the connection between union with Christ and justification by faith, showing that believers are declared righteous before God because Christ's own righteousness has been imputed to them.God does not merely forgive our sins—He clothes us with the righteousness of His own Son. This righteousness is not earned by works, nor is faith itself the righteousness that justifies. Rather, by faith we are united to Christ, and in Him, God declares us righteous with the very righteousness of God.

"What does it mean to be in Christ? The answer is nothing less than the heart of the gospel itself.In this sermon from 1 Corinthians 1:30–31, we explore the glorious truth that salvation is union with Christ. Every blessing of the gospel—justification, sanctification, adoption, redemption, and glorification—flows from this one reality: believers are united to the Son of God who became man for our salvation.Union with Christ is not merely one aspect of Christian theology—it is salvation. From eternity past to the final glory, every part of our redemption is rooted in our connection to Christ. We are united to Him by faith, and that faith itself is the gracious gift of God.You will discover in this message:• Why union with Christ is the foundation of every gospel blessing• How justification and sanctification are inseparable because Christ cannot be divided• Why all salvation is of grace—in Christ alone• How the incarnation makes union with Christ possible: the eternal Son became man so that we might be united to God• The glory and humility of belonging to the God-Man who is wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption for us

"At the heart of Paul's gospel is one great truth: our justification by faith rests on our union with Christ.In Galatians 2:20–21, Paul reveals the foundation beneath his uncompromising defense of justification by faith alone. Why does he refuse to yield an inch to any teaching that adds works to faith? Because such teaching undermines the very heart of salvation—our union with Christ.In this sermon, we explore how every aspect of the Christian life flows from this glorious union:We are justified because we are united to the Righteous One.We are sanctified because Christ lives in us by His Spirit.We are adopted because we share in the Son's own relationship with the Father.We will be raised because we are joined to the risen Lord.For Paul, Christ is salvation. To add works to faith is not merely to misunderstand justification—it is to deny the sufficiency of Christ Himself. If righteousness could come by the law, then Christ died for nothing.May this message deepen your love for Christ, strengthen your assurance in His finished work, and help you see that the life of faith is nothing less than the life of Christ in you.

Many believers make decisions that don't last because they never learn how to live in victory. In this Friday afternoon session, Dr. Jim Van Gelderen explains what it means to “live above the line”—to walk daily in your union with Christ. Discover how to live from your identity, not your feelings, and experience consistent victory through faith.This is the fourteenth sermon in a special series that will contain all of the sermons and workshops delivered at the 2025 Thee Generation Youth Summit at Falls Baptist Church in Menomonee Falls, WI this past October 8–10, 2025.Don't forget to make plans to join hundreds of other young people next October 14–16, 2026 for our annual meeting in Menomonee Falls, WI. For more information, please visit theegeneration.org/tgys. If you've been encouraged by this podcast, please take the time to give us a five-star rating and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out and raising the visibility of the Thee Generation for others. For more faith inspiring resources and information about joining Thee Generation, please visit theegeneration.org.