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Union with Christ and the New Creation in Theology

The concept of "union with Christ" describes a profound spiritual connection between believers and Jesus Christ, often expressed through metaphors of being "in Christ" or Christ being "in us" [4]. This union is foundational to the theological understanding of the "new creation," a transformative state described in the New Testament.

Scripturally, the apostle Paul articulates this connection directly: "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17) [1, 2]. Similarly, Galatians 6:15 states, "For in Christ Jesus neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation" [6]. These passages link the believer's identity as a "new creation" directly to their being "in Christ."

The nature of this union is multifaceted. Torrey's Topical Textbook describes it as Christ being the Head of the Church, with believers as His body [4]. This union is not merely metaphorical but is understood to be of God, maintained by faith, and involves abiding in Christ and His word abiding in the believer [4]. John Gill, in his commentary on 2 Corinthians 5:17, notes that there is a "secret being in Christ from everlasting" for those chosen and preserved in Him, and an "open being in Christ at conversion" when a person believes [10]. This suggests both an eternal, predestined aspect and a temporal, experiential aspect to the union. The union also extends to the Father, as Christ prayed that all saints might have this union, including union with the Father [4].

The "new creation" signifies a radical transformation. The phrase "the old has passed away; behold, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17) indicates a decisive break from a former state [2]. This transformation is not merely an improvement of the old self but a fundamental re-creation. The original creation, as described in Genesis, was God's formation of things that had no previous existence, brought about by His command and word [5, 7]. God declared His work "very good" after creating humankind in His image [8, 9]. The new creation, therefore, echoes this divine act of bringing forth something entirely new and good.

The concept of creation itself is attributed to God the Father, Christ, and the Holy Spirit [5]. Christ's role in creation is emphasized in John 1:3, which states that "all things were made through him" [5, 12]. This connection between Christ and creation is significant for understanding the "new creation," as Christ is not only the agent of the original creation but also the one through whom the new creation is realized. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown describe Christ as the "Originator" of the new creation, linking His headship over the Church to His being "the first-born from the dead" [11].

The union with Christ is often understood in relation to the incarnation, where Christ took on human nature into union with His divine Person, becoming both God and man [3]. This "hypostatical union" of two natures in one person is perpetual and serves as a model for the intimate, though distinct, union believers have with Christ [3]. Just as Christ's divine and human natures are not mixed or confounded, so too the believer's identity is transformed without being absorbed or losing individuality.

The "new creation" is thus a state of being that results from this profound union with Christ, where the believer participates in a spiritual re-creation initiated and sustained by God through Christ.

Sources

  1. 2 Corinthians “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. -- 2 Corinthians 5:17”
  2. II Corinthians “II Corinthians 5:17 (BSB) — Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!”
  3. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Incarnation — That act of grace whereby Christ took our human nature into union with his Divine Person, became man. Christ is both God and man. Human attributes and actions are predicated of him, and he of whom they are predicated is God. A Divine Person was united to a human nature (Acts 20:28; Rom. 8:32; 1 Cor. 2:8; Heb. 2:11-14; 1 Tim. 3:16; Gal. 4:4, etc.). The union is hypostatical, i.e., is personal; the two natures are not mixed or confounded, and it is perpetual.”
  4. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Union With Christ — As Head of the Church -- Eph 1:22,23; 4:15,16; Col 1:18. Christ prayed that all saints might have -- Joh 17:21,23. Described as Christ being in us. -- Eph 3:17; Col 1:27. Our being in Christ. -- 2Co 12:2; 1Jo 5:20. Includes union with the Father -- Joh 17:21; 1Jo 2:24. Is of God -- 1Co 1:30. Maintained by Faith. -- Ga 2:20; Eph 3:17. Abiding in him. -- Joh 15:4,7. His word abiding in us. -- Joh 15:7; 1Jo 2:24; 2Jo 1:9. Feeding on him. -- Joh 6:56. Obeying him. -- 1Jo 3:24. The Holy Spirit witnesses -- 1Jo 3:24. The gift of the Holy Spirit is an ev”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Creation — The formation of things which had no previous existence -- Ro 4:17; Heb 11:3. Effected By God. -- Ge 1:1; 2:4,5; Pr 26:10. By Christ. -- Joh 1:3,10; Col 1:16. By the Holy Spirit. -- Job 26:13; Ps 104:30. By the command of God. -- Ps 33:9; Heb 11:3. In the beginning. -- Ge 1:1; Mt 24:21. In six normal days. -- Ex 20:11; 31:17. According to God's purpose. -- Ps 135:6. For God's pleasure. -- Pr 16:4; Re 4:11. For Christ. -- Col 1:16. By faith we believe, to be God's work -- Heb 11:3. Order of First day, making light and dividing it from darkness. -- Ge 1:3-5;”
  6. Galatians “For in Christ Jesus neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. -- Galatians 6:15”
  7. Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 1:3: 1:3-13 In the first three days, God formed the chaos into a habitable world. 1:3 Then God said: Nothing in ch 1 is created apart from God’s powerful word (cp. Ps 33:6, 9). • “Let there be . . .” and there was: God’s command enacted his will to create the world. God is not a part of creation or limited by it; he is the supreme ruler over everything (cp. Neh 9:6).”
  8. Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 1:31: 1:31 The Creator declares his work good seven times in ch 1; following the creation of human beings, God declares it all very good.”
  9. 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 11:7: 11:7 man is made in God’s image: See Gen 1:26-27.”
  10. 2 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Corinthians 5:16: Therefore if any man be in Christ,.... There's a secret being in Christ from everlasting; so all that are loved by him, espoused unto him, chosen and preserved in him, to whom he was a covenant head, surety, and representative, are in him, united to him, and one with him; not in such sense as the Father is in him, and the human nature is in him, but as husband and wife, and head and members are one: and there is an open being in Christ at conversion, when a man believes in Christ, and gives up himself to him; faith does not put a man into Christ, but makes him ”
  11. Colossians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Colossians 1:18: Revelation of Christ to the Church and the new creation, as the Originator of both. he--emphatical. Not angels in opposition to the false teachers' doctrine concerning angel-worship, and the power of Oeons or (imaginary) spirit emanations from God (Col 2:10, Col 2:18). head of the body, the church--The Church is His body by virtue of His entering into communion corporeally with human nature [NEANDER], (Eph 1:22). The same One who is the Head of all things and beings by creation, is also, by virtue of being "the first-born from the dead," and so”
  12. John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on John 1:2: The same was in the beginning with God. This is a repetition of what is before said, and is made to show the importance of the truths before delivered; namely, the eternity of Christ, his distinct personality, and proper deity; and that the phrase, in the beginning, is to be joined to each of the above sentences; and so proves, not only his eternal existence, but his eternal existence with the Father, and also his eternal deity; and is also made to carry on the thread of the discourse, concerning the word, and not God the Father; and to express, not only his co-existence”
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