Union with Christ and Sanctification

I’ve spent lots of time thinking about our union with Christ in His death and resurrection lately. It is a crucial theological issue, essentially the hub around which all other doctrines about our salvation are centered. Recently I was able to preach on Colossians 3:1-4, one of the central passages dealing with our participation with Christ’s resurrection.

In Colossians 3:1-2 Paul commands because Christ is in heaven and because we are united with Him (Eph 2:6) the focus and direction of our life should be heavenward, and the attention of our minds will determine this direction. Then in verses 3-4 Paul provides an additional consequence of our union with Christ in His resurrection – the anticipation of being joined with Him in glory when He returns.