"Union With Christ" by Robert Letham

First, I just have to say up front that this book is amazing! Union with Christ was definitely an area that was weak in my thinking, which is one reason why I got this book. Letham writes in a clear and engaging style. While covering some heavy topics, I found it easy to read. The "academicness" of the book is contained in the footnotes, so the book has a nice blend of scholarly and lay level. My only complaint is that the book is too short! It clocks in at 141 pages, and you are left wanting more.

The book is divided into 6 chapters, each of which deal with Union with Christ and its relationship to various areas (creation, incarnation, pentecost, etc.). Chapter 2 on the Incarnation deals with early Christian heresies on the person of Christ (which is very helpful) and shows the necessity for the Incarnation. Chapter 5 (Union with Christ & Transformation) was very helpful in dealing with the Eastern Orthodox doctrine of theosis (another area where I am weak in my knowledge/understanding). The last section of this chapter, "Ten Theses on Union with Christ & Transformation," would be a good place to begin for developing a Sunday School lesson/series on this important doctrine. One other area where a light bulb went off for me was understanding faith as an instrument of justification. While I profess/confess/believe this, Letham's analogies really helped me grasp it more fully. In fact, he has many illustrations/analogies that I found helpful for understanding such a complex, deep, and to some degree, mysterious doctrine.

Here are a few quotes/paragraphs that stood out to me and highlight how wonderful and helpful I found this book to be.
"The Lord Christ, by his Spirit, taketh possession of them, and dwelleth in them; and Believers through faith of the operation of the Spirit, take hold of Christ, and get into him; and so they are knit together and become one." (p.51, quote comes from Rowland Stedman)

"At root, sanctification is a spatial concept. It entails being purchased by Christ and so being the property of God. We have been transferred from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of God's Beloved Son (Col 1:13). We have been redeemed--bought with a price--and so we are not our own (1 Cor. 6:19-20). Therefore, we have been separated from sin and the world and belong specifically and particularly to God (Rom. 6:1-23). We belong to God in Christ--all that he did and does is for us, and we are with him and in him. In this sense, sanctification is definitive; it has already taken place in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Because Christ died, we have died to sin in union with him. Since he rose from the dead, we have risen to newness of life in him. By the power of the Holy Spirit, this is a dynamic reality as well as an objective fact." (p.87)

This book truly sets forth the glories that are found in Christ and what He has done for His people. I pray that I may live the Christian life better in light of better understanding what Christ has accomplished for me. What He has done, I have done because of union with Him. Simply amazing.