In Christ

Excerpt from We, Though Many, Are One Body in Christ by John Piper

[Romans 12]

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The phrase I want us to focus on is the phrase, “in Christ” in verse 5a: “so we, though many, are one body in Christ.” What this phrase means is that the interwoven unity of all the members into one body is created and brought about in Christ. One simple way to say what that means is that as each of us is in relationship to Christ, we are therefore in relationship to each other. If I am Christ’s brother, and your are Christ’s sister, then you are my sister. By creating relationships with himself, Christ creates the relationships in the body.

But the truth here is deeper than that. What it means to be “in Christ” far more profound than the human analogy of family relations suggests. That would be precious enough. But it’s far more and far better than that.

What this phrase “in Christ” means is that when you trust Christ as your Savior and Lord and Treasure (Philippians 3:9), a union is established between Christ and you in such a way that everything in Christ that can be shared will be shared with you. Everything that he is, and everything that he has that can be shared will be shared with you. And there is only one thing that can’t be shared—his deity, and its unique God-defining attributes (like omnipotence and omniscience and eternality). But everything else that Christ is and has is yours in him.

Consider a few examples from the way this little phrase “in Christ” is used. This is what it means for you to be “in Christ”:

1 Corinthians 1:4, we receive grace in Christ.
Romans 3:24, our redemption is in Christ.
Galatians 2:17, we are justified in Christ.
Ephesians 4:32, we have forgiveness of sins in Christ.
Romans 8:1, there is no condemnation in Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17, we are a new creation in Christ.
Romans 6:23, we have eternal life in Christ.
Philippians 4:19, God supplies all our needs in Christ.
Ephesians 1:3, we have every spiritual blessing of heaven in Christ
Colossians 1:28, we will be presented to God perfect in Christ.
Romans 8:32, we cannot be separated from the love of God in Christ.

Paul’s aim in talking this way is that we stand in awe of Christ. That we love Christ, and admire Christ and follow Christ and enjoy making much of Christ above all things.

Paul has not departed from his passion in verse 3 to keep us humble and make Christ great. Listen to the way he relates this truth to boasting in 1 Corinthians 3:21-23, “Let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.”

You belong to him. You are in him. There is a union by faith so that all that he is, he is for you. It is simply breathtaking. Oh, that God would help us believe it with all our hearts.

And the only thing—and it is a huge and wonderful thing—to be added from Romans 12:5 is that we experience all of this together in one body. “So we, though many, are one body in Christ.” Redeemed together. Justified together. Forgiven together. Created anew together. Every need met together. Loved by God together. Perfected together. Living forever together—and all of this glorious unity created in Christ and for the glory of Christ.

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