1 Corinthians 6:16-17. 16Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” 17But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.
What we call First Corinthians is actually Paul’s second letter to this church, and it’s a response to their letter to him. A letter that asked Paul a whole lot of questions, including questions about sex. Questions that Paul will happily answer. It’s in the middle of that answer about their sex lives that we get one of the greatest truths of our union with Christ ever written – he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.
Let that soak in for a second.
We share a spirit with Christ. The Holy Spirit, God.
When Paul confronts sexual immorality, he doesn’t take these Christians back to the Mosaic Law or Leviticus. In fact, he doesn’t take them to any list of rules to obey. He takes them to their union with Christ – you are one Spirit with him.
But what exactly does being one spirit with Jesus mean? In 1 Corinthians 6:16-17, Paul compares your spiritual union to Christ to union in marriage. So what can marriage teach us about our union with Christ?
First, like in marriage, your union with Christ is the most intimate relationship you will ever experience. Paul quotes Genesis 2:24 – the two will become one flesh. When two people get married their entire beings are joined – body, soul, and spirit. The same is true in Christ. Your whole being is connected to him – body, soul, spirit. You do nothing apart from Christ. Your thoughts are his thoughts. Your feelings are his feelings. Your actions are his actions. If you join with a prostitute, so does Jesus. Yep, that’s how close you are to Christ.
But just like in marriage, in Christ, you still retain your individual identity. Each spouse still has their own personality, aspirations, and gifts. Marriage should not destroy these, but should rather enhance these by focusing them outward. In the same way, union with Christ does not mean you are absorbed into God losing all your individuality (you are not an egg in an omelet). That would actually be unloving. Rather, the Holy Spirit enhances our individual humanity, making us more complete image-bearers.
Finally, and most importantly, to be one spirit with Christ is to share his own nature. We don’t just share nice moments with Jesus, we participate in his very being, his essence. Communing with Jesus (praying, meditating on him, scripture reading, singing) is the outflow, but union with Christ’s nature is the source of that outflow. Acting like Jesus is the outflow, but having the nature of Jesus is the source.
To live is Christ means that we are one spirit with Christ. Like a marriage, the two have become one. We share Jesus’ nature while keeping our unique personhood. What love! Christ’s love for you says. “I truly love YOU and want you to stay you.” And at the same time, Christ’s love says, “I truly want you to change and grow and be the best you that you can be – the you that’s like me.”
You: Do you see Jesus as outside of you looking in, or inside of you working out his life and love?
You in Christ: Have you seen yourself growing as an individual while at the same time becoming more like Christ in his character?
Christ in you: How would your life look different today if you really believed that you are one spirit with Christ?
To Live is Christ 