Union with Christ: The Way to Know and Enjoy God

by Rankin Wilbourne

Winner of the 2017 Christian Book Award for New Author
Named one of the top books of 2016 by John Piper's Desiring God ministry
To experience why the gospel is good news and answer life’s most foundational questions about identity, destiny, and purpose, we must understand what it means to be united to Christ.

If you are a Christian, the Bible says that Christ has united his life to yours, that you are now in Christ and Christ is in you. This almost unfathomable truth is the central theme of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Yet few Christians today experience or enjoy this reality. Union with Christ reveals the transformational power of this ancient doctrine while addressing the basic questions of the human

Who Am I? Why Am I Here? Where Am I Headed? How Will I Get There? Nothing is more practical for living the Christian life than union with Christ. The recovery of this reality provides the anchor and engine for your life with God—for your destiny is not only to see Christ, but to actually become like him.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Christian Living, Nonfiction, Christianity, Faith, Spirituality

320 pages, ebook

First published July 1, 2016

About the author

Rankin Wilbourne (M.Div., Princeton Theological Seminary) is the pastor of Pacific Crossroads Church in Los Angeles. A former commercial banker, Rankin understands the “gap” between the gospel preached on Sunday and the world people face on Monday. Leading a thriving church in a city driven by imagination, he’s concerned with practical theology—drawing connections between what we believe and how we live. Rankin and his wife, Morgen, reside in Los Angeles with their three children.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

A complete paradigm shift for me. To explain all that this book offered me, I'd have to admit (much to my embarrassment) how little I understood the goal of our life of faith before I read it. I've been floundering for a few years, to be honest, wondering what was the ultimate goal of my growth. I realized I was never going to reach full, satisfactory sanctification. I've grown a great deal in self-control and in displaying the fruit of the spirit, but I'm never going to be perfect. I felt defeated. I realized, too, that I wasn't sure what to do with all the knowledge I was acquiring. Was this the purpose of my life of faith: to continue learning? clarifying my doctrinal positions?

I did not realize, had never fully appreciated, that the true goal of my life of faith is to live united with Christ. To experience fully that which I have already received. If this doesn't sound radically transformative, it's because I can't explain it, can't stir your heart the way that Rankin Wilbourne can. This book is full of clear illustrations that helped reframe the life of faith and renewed my spirit. I know I will look back to this book as a shift in my life, as yet another watershed moment in my appreciation for the sheer glory and generosity of God's grace. There aren't enough stars to express my gratitude for what this book has given me.

[Melanie Mead · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I can after reading this book is: wow. It's a stunner. Definitely the best book I've read this year or maybe ever. So much in this book I would have said I already knew in my head. But God has really met with me as I've read it and applied his truth to my heart in a fresh way. Christ is in me and I am in Christ. Life-changing. The author writes in a very powerful, readable style that draws you in. Some of his illustrations I hope I will never forget - riding a bike with the pedals of faith and repentance: faith in God's promises and repenting of those things we try to put in His place in our lives. I am coming away from this book more convinced than ever that God loves me, he is for me and he is not disappointed in me. In Christ I am accepted, and I can hide myself in Him. He is awesome. I pray like Jonathan Edwards that I can daily "examine carefully what . . . causes me in the least to doubt the love of God" and keep my precious union with Christ always before me and affecting everything in my life.

[Carrie Schmidt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Union With Christ tackles a lofty-but-vital theological truth that is difficult to wrap our minds around. In fact, it takes the author until page 43 to even really give us a clear definition of the concept of union with Christ. “…union with Christ means that you are in Christ and Christ is in you.” Scholars and theologians – both historical and contemporary – agree that this is one of the most central and basic truths of Christianity. Yet, it’s also one that most of us don’t really understand.

I really loved the discussion of imagination in the introduction – and how imagination plays an important role in faith. By “imagination”, Wilbourne is referring to “that distinctly human capacity by which we image anything and everything that is not immediately visible to our eyes.” He makes a very good Scriptural case for imagination being a vital tool in faith as well as science. This is something I hadn’t considered before, and I’m still mulling it over, to be honest.

Aside from the introduction, Chapter 3 is the one that resonated with me the most. In this chapter, Wilbourne discusses why understanding the significance of “union with Christ” IS so significant. For many believers, the concepts of “extravagant grace” and “radical discipleship” seem to be constantly at odds in our hearts. On the one hand, we’re taught to “Believe the gospel of grace. Come and rest“… on the other hand, we’re admonished to “Obey Jesus. Come and die.” Trying to do both will only leave us confused and burned out. And yet we know that an either/or doesn’t make sense and is too dangerous anyway. A 50/50 split doesn’t make sense either. It must be 100% of each, but how is that possible? Well… it’s not. Apart from our union with Christ. Because Jesus is where extravagant grace and radical discipleship harmonize completely.

Bottom Line: This is a difficult topic to grasp, and Wilbourne has made a valiant effort to explain such a supernatural concept in terms that our natural minds can assimilate. However, the end result is still a book that I’ll have to re-read several times to properly absorb. Maybe that’s mostly due to the topic itself; we’ve already established that “union with Christ” requires our minds to stretch beyond their earth-bound capacity. Maybe it’s that sometimes the author seems to take an inordinate amount of words to say one thing. Whatever the reason for some of my struggles to connect with this book, it did make me think. And it made me aware of the absolute importance of understanding our union with Christ as much as we are able & letting it transform how we live. This is definitely one I will be re-reading again much more slowly!

See my full review at Reading Is My SuperPower

[Jason Kanz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tim Keller describes Union with Christ as "simply the best book for laypeople on the subject." That's too right. I enjoyed Todd Billings's book on the subject, but it can be difficult to access for many. John Owen's communion with God again is excellent but, though worth the effort, almost everything Owen writes is difficult.

I loved this book. In it, the author explores the important, even essential, doctrine of how we are joined with Christ. Christ is in us, we are in Christ, if we are believers. That is not just an obscure theological maxim, but a living truth that has significant implications for how we live.

I particularly liked the third chapter, which explores "two songs playing in our heads". One song is the way of extravagant grace, the other the way of radical discipleship. I find myself drawn to both concepts. I love Brennan Manning and I love Dallas Willard. The author demonstrates that these are not mutually exclusive concepts.

I readily and willingly will endorse this book. Whether or not you've ever heard of the concept of union with Christ, I think you will benefit from reading it.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wept my way through this book. This is one of the best books I have ever read, so encouraging and biblical. Highly recommend for all followers of Lord Jesus. Come and be reminded of the sweetness and joy found in the truth that Christ is in you and you are in Christ

[Sarah Harelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This subject matter and Wilbourne’s arguments were like my spiritual hype-men. I legitimately found myself fist-pumping, driven to “press on to make it [knowing Christ] my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” (Phil. 3:12)

Book in a sentence: Union with Christ (communion with God himself) is God’s original and final purpose for us, is our factual reality in Christ (though not always our lived experience), and in further pursuing oneness with Christ (while he’s already given us himself!) is where we become our truest, intended human selves. I imagine I will return to this book as a staple in my faith journey.

[Bailey Edrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one I think I will look back on and say, “That book changed my life.”

[Joe McFadden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wilbourne does a fantastic job with a difficult subject. I greatly enjoyed my reading of Union With Christ and would recommend this book to others. Regardless of where you are in your journey of following Jesus this book will prove beneficial and helpful to you. Come plumb the depths of what it means to have union with Christ.

This book will require you to use your imagination because union with Christ is an enchanted reality. And we live in a disenchanted world. We must use our imaginations if we want to fully inhabit and experience the Christian life. We may know what God has saved us from, but have we lost sight of what God has saved us for? Union with Christ means the reality of knowing God and living in communion with him doesn’t begin when you die. Eternal life begins in this life when Christ joins his life to yours (John 17: 3).

Union With Christ reveals the transformational power of a difficult to fully grasp concept that you are in Christ and Christ is in you while addressing the basic questions of the human heart: Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I headed? How will I get there?

“That you are ‘in Christ’ (to use the phrase the Apostle Paul uses some 160 times) and that Christ is ‘in you,’ changes how we approach every-day life and reframes our most basic human questions about identity, destiny and purpose,” says Wilbourne.

“If nothing is more central or basic than this union with Christ, then why is this neither central nor basic to many of us? Why do most Christians only have a vague sense of what it even might mean?” continues Wilbourne. “I want to help retrieve this biblical and historical theme because I am convinced that just as the loss of it has had great and grievous consequences, so will the recovery have profound and boundless benefits.”

Combining a rich knowledge and appreciation of historical theology with a penetrating analysis of how God brings about transformation, the book is set up in four parts:

Part I: Union With Christ: What Is It And Why Do We Need It?
Part II: Union With Christ: Where Did It Come From? Where Did It Go?
Part III: Union With Christ: What Problems Does It Solve?
Part IV: Union With Christ Day By Day

Perhaps one of my favorite parts in the book comes early in Chapter 3 as Wilbourne describes the gap and tension between two seemingly conflicting views we can easily fall into. This is a tension most followers of Jesus can feel in today’s culture and honestly one that I have felt as well. “There are two dominant voices on offer today— one we will call the way of extravagant grace, “just believe,” and the other we’ll call the way of radical discipleship, “just obey.” The true self is beloved by God and has done nothing to earn or deserve it. The false self draws its identity from past achievements and the adulation of others.” But here was Jesus saying, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14: 15), and, “You are my friends if you do what I command you” (15: 14). Preachers of grace (as I hope to be) tell us it’s not what we do that makes us right with God— it’s what Jesus has done. At the same time, Jesus himself says to us, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father” (Matt. 7: 21). Which is it: come and rest or come and die?

The song of grace without union with Christ becomes impersonal, a cold calculus that can leave you cynical. The song of discipleship without union with Christ becomes joyless duty, a never-ending hill that can leave you exhausted.

Union with Christ connects you to a history far longer than you could ever trace on a family tree. It stretches from eternity past to eternity future and puts everything in between into a fresh perspective. It tells you that God’s love for you stretches back before creation. “He chose us in him”.
About Rankin Wilbourne:

Rankin Wilbourne is senior pastor of Pacific Crossroads Church in Los Angeles. As a former commercial banker, Rankin understands the “gap” between the gospel preached on Sunday and the world people face on Monday, and he’s concerned with drawing connections between what we believe and how we live. Growing up near New Orleans, training at Princeton Theological Seminary and spending time as the Minister of Teaching and Missions at First Presbyterian Church of Chattanooga, Rankin now resides with his wife, Morgen, and their three children in Los Angeles.

Union with Christ: The Way to Know and Enjoy God



NOTE: I received a free copy of this book for review purposes by the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the thoughts expressed here are my own.

[Matt Ecton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this as a young Christian in college. The best, most accessible intro to Union with Christ I know of. Paradigm-shifting.

[Kevin Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Filled with modern pop culture references, personal stories, biblical citations, and footnotes to a diverse array of theologians throughout history, I think this book would be a great introduction to Reformed theology and the Christian life for a new believer. I read this book pretty quickly on Kindle in preparation for a Sunday School class on union with Christ, but I think it would repay close attention from someone who is being introduced to these ideas for the first time.

"Union with Christ was once considered to be at the very heart of why the gospel is good news. Nothing is more basic or more central to the Christian life than union with Christ." In this book, Wilbourne presents Union with Christ as both a mystery and, somehow, the solution to all the questions. The end of the book is devoted to practical questions, which are never out of his focus. "Our neglect of union with Christ explains the gaps between our faith and our lives."

If you're already familiar with Sinclair Ferguson, John Owen, John Murray, and Hans Boersma, you likely won't find much new here. But, if you're looking for a practical and accessible introduction to theology and the Christian life from the 21st Century, you may find this book to be a delight and encouragement.

[Erin Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just so very good. Highly recommend. I’d say this book would do more good for spiritual maturity than any other theological book outside the Bible. I will definitely re-read this book regularly.

[Brandon A. Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book every Christian should read, especially if you tend to avoid the “theology” section. It’s written for a regular person of the pew but contains such a wealth of help for the daily walk. Even if you do tend to wade into dense texts for fun, this is a most necessary book that can and should encourage and challenge the modern Christian.

[Corey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tim Keller called this the most best book on the topic for a layperson and I would definitely agree. I have not read too many books on union with Christ, but this one was by far the most accessible for the layperson. If you want to know about union with Christ, and are looking for a place to start, this book is it.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Felt that the first half was stronger than the second, but a brilliant example of a well-researched, well-written and pastoral book on theology.

[Brian Wiseman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent introduction to the doctrine of "union with Christ." This is a practical book that explores the application of the doctrine of 'union' in the Christian's life. I was encouraged by this book for sure and would recommend it to others.

[Trisha Huddleston · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a while to get into this book, but it is so helpful!

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened / audiobook worth a reread with hard copy/ highlights

[Kait · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second time I've read this book. I can confidently say that this book is applicable at any point in the Christian walk. The author challenges you to dive deeper into Scripture, that you might see the beauty and the joy found in knowing God and letting the truth of the Gospel transform your perspective on your own identity and the church at large. It was especially refreshing and encouraging, this second time through, to be reminded of the wider purposes of the Gospel amidst a society and church world that is being torn apart by radical individualism. "Sinclair Ferguson comments, 'That gives union to Christ a very important practical dimension. It is not to be thought of primarily as a subjective experience which encourages us to look in and down. Rather it is something which lifts us up and out.'" (pg. 277)

[Kurk Pyros · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deep, but easy to understand. Written in a way that simplifies complex topics, this book takes you through the depth of knowing God in a new way.

[Andrea Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Over and against the shallow emotionalism that reduces the things of God only to how they impact us individually, but also over and against an arid intellectualism that reduces the things of God to abstract doctrines of cold assent, union with Christ brings together what we so desperately need today: the highest theology and the deepest spirituality. Union with Christ holds together God and life like nothing else can because it shows us that these are inseparable.”

I journaled and highlighted my way through this entire book, and I’d certainly pass it along to any new believer to give them a greater understanding of what it means to be a Christian at all— nothing less than being united to Christ.

Never bullying or writing with a tone of superiority, Wilbourne communicates Scriptural realities with an affection and depth similar to the Puritans, but in contemporary language. Oh, how I loved this book.

[Chase Dougherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best

The doctrine of union with Christ. Profound and yet so simple. How was this being undermined in my life? How is this not prominent in the church? The book is a must read for every Christian. You'll find a connection with God that you never even knew you had. Connect your heart and mind with this book. Find the solution for obeying the law and giving grace filled with mercy. Reading this book will start a new chapter in your life. I read adamantly and this is one of the best Christian book I've read.

[David Monreal]

Indispensable must read book!

Few books have stirred my head and heart as this book has. How can something so central be something so neglected by the modern church? Our Union and Communion with Christ is the central reality and guiding truth of the Christian life. Union with Christ is what holds extravagant grace and radical discipleship!

[Cristian Moscoso · Rating 5 out of 5]

So my 3 year old son took my kindle the day I was about to finish this book. He got to the end of it and rated it 1 star.
This is however one of the best books I've read this year. It expounds on a topic most Christians don't fully understand.
I would fully recommend it to any believer.

[Evan Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

A life changing, although sometimes wordy, exploration of an often neglected Christian doctrine, Union with Christ is a must read for lay people interested in Christian theology.

Simply put Union with Christ is that we are in Christ and Christ is in us. This statement may either sound too obvious or entirely other worldly. Either way this book will help unpack the riches of this statement. Christ is with us through our joys and sorrows. We share in his glory and his suffering. We are able to put on his character and his righteousness. This Union is the reason our sins and mistakes no longer condemn us. This Union is the reason we should strive to never sin. Seriously though, there is so much to unpack that you need to walk through this yourself.

He also very helpful speaks of engaging our "imagination" in understanding deep theological concepts. This idea of Union with Christ is often overlooked because of how difficult it is to describe. But just as many abstract scientific theories must first be imagined in the minds of scientist before they can be discovered and proved, sometime we must engage in deep creative thinking before we can grasp some of the more abstract concepts of Christ's love.

A great clarifying example Wilbourne gives in the book is a costumed actor playing Mickey Mouse at Disney World. The person in the costume has not changed but now wears the "righteousness" of Mickey and is now the receiver of the joy and excitement that Mickey brings to the children that clamor of a moment of Mickey's attention.

My only critique of the book is that the chapters could have been tightened up. Its a 300 pages book that would have been better as a 225 page book. I get it though. This concept is very difficult to explain. However, his the shortest chapters are the ones I remember best. Rather than repetition leading to clarity, choosing one or two of the best examples would have served the reader better. A little bit of editing and a clearer voice and this would be a 5 star classic.

I'm sure this review is less than helpful. Its too difficult to punch into a short review. Just know that reading this book compelled me to love Christ more and better, to endure suffering and temptation without complaint, and to know and serve Christ more fully.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

In viewing the jewel of the Gospel, Wilbourne presents the Christian life through the lens of union with Christ. He does an excellent job showing the importance of union with Christ (it's the primary way NT writers spoke of being saved: "in Christ") and also demonstrating why it has almost fallen off the face of the earth as a common teaching in the church. It's a hard concept to understand: Jesus' high priestly prayer is almost beyond comprehension in what it promises, and as Wilbourne notes, most of the ways the NT explains this concept is through metaphor.

By the end of the book, I had a deeper and more loving, awe-filled appreciation for the Gospel as a whole, but I still feel like I'm only scratching the surface of what union with Christ might look like practically. I kept wanting him to explain it more, even though when I think about it, he was just about as thorough as I think he could've been. I'm driven to read more on this subject.

Wilbourne's strengths are his aptitude for illustration, his finger on the specific weaknesses of the cultural pulse, and just a great ability to turn a phrase. He make the Gospel feel too scandalously good to be true all over again while never compromising on the Bible's rigorous demands for holiness. Union with Christ is the key to reconciling the tension we perceive between grace and holiness.

The only distracting thing about the book for me is that Wilbourne never quite "gets out of the way." He somehow writes in such a way that I was never able to forget fully that he was the filter through which all this teaching came. I don't know why this distracted me more than other books in which the author uses personal illustrations. It's stylistic, and not necessarily a bad thing, but it was an atypical enough response from me that I thought I'd take note of it here.

A few chapters into the book, I had a dream in which friends of mine who were already married had another wedding ceremony several years into their marriage. When I asked the bride why at the celebration, she said, "I never really felt married until now, so we had another ceremony to celebrate." Weird dream, maybe, but I feel like that illustrates the need, purpose, and success of this book. Christians are united to Christ. It's time that we celebrated and felt deep in our souls all that truly means.

[Emma Spence · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book changed my lens through which I see God (Father, Son, and Spirit), myself, my family, my friends, my church, the world, suffering, and many other things because it showed me that, in everything, Christ is at the center. He has united Himself to me (and to every believer) and because of that simple truth, I am saved and I am able to live life as if I’m truly living and not stuck only seeing the gap between what God calls me and the sinner I once was (and still act out of when I sin). I highly, highly recommend this book for believers so that you understand that nothing—no, nothing—can separate you from the Love of God because He has United Christ to every molecule of your being; He is connected to your spiritual DNA, and you won’t be able to help expressing Christlikeness as you become more and more aquatinted with the One Who Unites Himself to You from Love. Praise the Lord for so great a savior!

[Kevin Burrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Murray wrote,“Nothing is more central or more basic than union with Christ… it is the central truth of the whole doctrine of salvation.” It gives a needed all-encompassing perspective to the Christian life. And yet it's a neglected topic. Wilbourne's book is written in a way that's pastoral and accessible to all, and he does a great job answering the 'so what' questions, and explaining possible reasons why teaching on this topic has waned in recent generations. He has me looking at many familiar passages of Scripture differently; I admit that too often I have brushed past phrases like 'in Christ' or 'with Christ' as simply religious-flourish prepositional phrases. Those little words mean so much more. This book is worth a read and a re-read.

[Jordan Shirkman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rankin Wilbourne illustrates a vital and difficulty tension as he explains our union with Christ—walking the tightrope of a “grace that requires nothing from us and...radical discipleship that demands everything from us.”

Union with Christ is a critical doctrine often overlooked that has both theological and practical implications. Wilbourne walks us through the history of the doctrine, gives tons of examples of how it plays out, and doesn’t pretend that moving this truth from our head to our heart is an easy task.

Accessible for all, yet a bit long and at times over-illustrated. Practical and encouraging throughout. Solid for new and old believers alike I’ll be referencing and recommending.

[Tanusha Attanti · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was exactly what I needed to be encouraged in! Rankin Wilbourne uses plenty of helpful illustrations to examine an often overlooked aspect of our faith as Christians- union with Christ. I loved that Wilbourne explored this through every person of the Trinity and broke down both why we often overlook this and also how to practically experience this more. If you are a Christian and wrestling with the tension of being saved but also struggling with sin and brokenness in the “now but not yet”- I'd suggest you pick this book up. We are most human and pursuing our highest good when we are living securely from our identity of being in Christ.

[Lyndon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thorough and well reasoned (and footnoted) exploration of the theme of abiding in Christ. Not for caasual reading, though not as thick as a college theology text - maybe somewhere in between. A few quibbles, but overall a much needed treatise on the topic, union with Christ being the actual end-all of what it means for both the Christian and the Church. Recommended for those interested in such matters.