Notes on Our Identity in Christ

This is more of a paper-in-progress than a coherent paper. One of the difficulties in writing such a paper for a Sidewalk audience is that the topic digs into assumptions that we don't even know that we make, then contrasting those with a different way of thinking. Thus a discussion of the material, chunk by chunk, and then asking for help with clarification, may be the best way of proceeding. I include my notes so that those who wish can prepare.

“Notes on Our Identity in Christ”
John A. Yates
Sidewalk Theology Society

I. Asking for help with this topic
I want to make the material more accessible, less abstract, more graphic and graspable.
One approach is to contrast individualistic views of identity with a Christ-centered view.

II. Scriptural materials for understanding our identity in Christ
A. John 15 (parable of the vine and branches)
The branch obtains [life, character & nature, power & abilities, purpose], from outside itself, by remaining actively [connected, subordinate, related]

B. Col. 2:11-12; 3:1-4
We are buried with Christ, risen with Christ, made alive with Christ.
We are risen with Christ, our life is hid with Christ in God, Christ is our life.

C. II Cor. 5:14-17
a. [He died, therefore all died.]:==>: [organic unity of humanity in Christ]
b. [He died that those who live should not live to themselves, but toward Christ]:==>: [externally derived purpose]
c. [Henceforth we know no man after the flesh] + a:==>: [The flesh is not a reliable means of knowing people, because it has been killed, done away in Christ.]
d. [If anyone is in Christ —New creation!]:==>: [The newness that comes out of our death and life in Christ is a matter of creation, a miracle, an intervention of God that does not follow some independent or natural process.]

D. Gal. 2:20
Christ’s crucifixion included me
I am dead and yet I live
But it is really Christ who lives in me.
And this life that persists in the flesh does so because of Christ.

E. John 17:20-23
We have an organic unity with Christ and with each other in Christ. This unity has a similar structure to the unity of the Godhead.

F. Acts 9:4
Persecuting church members is persecuting Christ, who is in heaven.

G. Rom. 12 and I Cor. 12
We are all different, but we are members of one another and our gifts are for each other.

III. What kind of connection do we have with Christ?
The following is a list of various types of connection. Which of them describe our connection with Christ?
o Legal, as in marriage, adoption, citizenship
o Volitional, something that we can turn on or off
o Functional, as in the various members of a business performing their tasks
o Personal, as with friends
o Simple-Physical, as a light bulb in an electric circuit
o Organic-Physical, as with parts of a body
o Organic-Spiritual, similar to the physical relation of members of a body, but operating chiefly in non-physical ways: This would include real interaction, spiritual nourishment, guidance, assurance, service, protection, etc.

IV. Contrast individualistic view with Christocentric view
What is the “I” in “Who am I?”
People ask, “What do you do,” not, “Whom are you in relationship with?”
Public self vs. private self; personality; who are “you” as a whole? Am “I” the feelings about what I do, thoughts (stream of consciousness), comparison and competition with others?
Am I a do-er, a like-er? Am I the stuff in my skull?

V. What difference does it make?
1. Connection with the church is not optional but necessarily follows our union with Christ. That is, if we are connected with Christ, we are connected with each other.
2. This connection with the church is accomplished by Christ’s action, not by mine.
3. Refusal to live in the church is a contradiction of our being, like refusing to put oil in an automobile engine.
4. Refusal to abide in Christ is a contradiction of our being, like a branch that refuses to be connected to its vine.
5. We are not alone. In our struggles against sin, the world, and the devil, we often fail to see the strength we in fact have in Christ and the strength we have in each other. Failing to see our strength, we surrender to the illusions that sin, the world, and the devil use against us. We are connected. When we fail to understand this, when we see ourselves as essentially isolated, or as in merely voluntary association with other essentially isolated beings, we then fail to act according to the structure of connection in which we exist, and we damage ourselves and others.
6. We struggle, sometimes hard enough that we can call incidents in our lives “battles.” So if, on the one hand, we are not left alone with merely a theology and a set of commands, and, on the other hand, Jesus doesn’t just “fix it” or make the battle go away, then what help can we expect from him?
Where Christ helps us: a) Taking down the illusions; b) Urging us to flee temptation; c) Finding allies; d) Giving us a hunger for God and his good gifts; e) Sensing the presence of Jesus with us; f) Knowing that the struggle isn’t about me, it’s about Jesus and those around me.