The answer to that question is not either yes or no, but both, depending upon how we define the terms of discussion. In my previous two postings on Union With Christ By Faith I held to the proposition that the scriptures teach that vital union is by faith in Christ and all aspects of salvation follow that created union. But, I also acknowledged that there was another kind of union, a representative or covenantal union, and acknowledged that it preceded actual vital union. We are joined to Adam in two ways.
First, by representative union (See Romans 5 and I Corinthians 15). Second, by vital union. All are the physical descendants of Adam, of his seed through Eve, "the mother of all living." (I will not go into the question as to whether all the souls of men were created in Adam or individually at the time of conception) In either case, whether Traducian, or Creationist, all have at least a physical and soulish connection with Adam.
Believers are joined to Christ in two ways, one representative and one vital. Even unbelievers are in some sense represented by Christ, and have that connection with him, though they have not a vital saving connection or union with him.
For purposes of this writing, I will not get off topic on the question of who are the elect and why were they elected to salvation. We will simply say that the elect are they who are believers.
Said one source, citing others (See here, emphasis mine):
"Augustus H. Strong positively describes the nature of the believer's union with Christ with five adjectives.[27] This union is:
An organic union – in which believers become members of Christ and enjoy a mutual, reciprocal dependence on Christ for life and He on them for expression (Eph. 5:29–30).
A vital union – in which Christ operates within believers as their life and becomes the dominating principle within them (Gal. 2:20; Col. 3:3–4).
A spiritual union – that is, a union originating from and sustained by the Holy Spirit in their spirit (Rom. 8:9-10; Eph 3:16–17).
An indissoluble union – that is, a union which, by virtue of Christ's eternal, divine, and incorruptible power and grace, can never be dissolved (Matt. 28:20; Rom. 8:39; Heb. 7:16).
An inscrutable union – that is, a divine and mystical union of knowledge-surpassing intimacy and value (Eph. 3:19; 5:32; Col. 1:27)."
Now, that is probably too many categories for we can say of vital union that it is spiritual, indissoluble, and inscrutable. For the purposes of this short posting, I only speak of two kinds of union, one representative and the other vital (or the joining together of two hearts, souls, or spirits). However, Strong did say they were all "adjectives" of union rather than different kinds of union. If that is so, then we could add other adjectives to describe the nature of the union.
Said the same source (citing others):
"According to the narrower sense of the phrase, used in Christian theology, union with Christ is a step in the ordo salutis ("order of salvation"), and the basis of the believer's justification.[5] In this sense, union with Christ follows faith and precedes adoption (Galatians 3:26-27). Augustus Strong describes it in this way: "union with Christ logically precedes both regeneration and justification; and yet, chronologically, the moment of our union with Christ is also the moment when we are regenerated and justified."[6]"
This is what I believe and have contended for, that "union with Christ logically precedes both regeneration and justification." And that "union with Christ follows faith."
Said the same source again:
"Sinclair Ferguson distinguishes six categories of union with Christ. Union with Christ is federal or covenantal in the sense that Christ's obedience is accounted to believers. It is carnal or fleshly in the sense that Christ became incarnate and thus became one with humanity. Union with Christ is also a faith union in which by faith Christians depend on Christ for nourishment. It is a spiritual union because Christians are united to Christ by the agency of the Holy Spirit. It is an extensive union in that Christians are united with Christ in everything he has done, including his life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and session. It is finally a union of life because Christ lives in Christians and he is visible in their lives.[11]"
Vital union, or union that brings life, spiritual and eternal, is by faith, or by possessing Christ and the Holy Spirit, and both Christ and the Spirit are received by faith.
Said the same source again:
"As a step in the order of salvation, union with Christ was seen by John Calvin to be the basis for both justification and sanctification. Alister McGrath notes that while Martin Bucer suggested that justification causes (moral) regeneration, Calvin argued that "both justification and regeneration are the results of the believer's union with Christ through faith."[12]"
Again, this is my position, and it is the true Calvinist or Reformed position, being what was believed by Luther, Calvin, and the first generation following them. Those "Reformed" Calvinists today, among Baptists and Presbyterians and their ilk, do not believe that both regeneration and justification are by faith.
Said the same source again:
"Some Evangelicals see union with Christ as a discrete stage in the "order of salvation."[13] The evangelical theologian William Shedd comments "The impartation of Christ's righteousness presupposes a union with him."[14] Robert Dabney, while avoiding deification, said that the bond of the union is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.[15]"
Not only can we say, however, that the impartation of Christ's righteousness (imputation or justification) presupposes union, but also say that union presupposes faith. Shedd believes that faith follows regeneration (about which I recently have written) and yet in the above he says that union with Christ precedes imputation or justification. This is inconsistent. He obviously, like others, such as the Hardshell Baptists, say that union with Christ is not by faith, but rather is before and without faith. He would deny the proposition that vital union with Christ is by faith.
Dabney's statement, "the bond of the union is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit," is true. But, let us remember that the Spirit is received by faith (Gal. 3: 1), as we demonstrated in the two prior postings on "Union With Christ By Faith." Further, Dabney agrees. Another source giving the writings of R.L. Dabney on union with Christ (See here) has Dabney writing the following in proof of this:
"It is through this union to Christ that the whole application of redemption is effectuated on the sinner’s soul...When made one with His Redeeming Head, then all the communicable graces of that Head begin to transfer themselves to him. Thus we find that each kind of benefit which makes up redemption is, in different parts of the Scripture, deduced from this union as their source; Justification, spiritual strength, life, resurrection of the body, good works, prayer and praise, sanctification, perseverance, etc., etc. Eph. 1:4, 6, 11, 13; Col. 1:24; Rom. 6:3–6, 8; Col. 2:10; Gal. 2:20; Phil. 3:9; John 15:1–5."
Dabney also wrote:
"The instrumental bond of the union is evidently faith—i. e., when the believer exercises faith, the union begins; and by the exercise of faith it is on his part perpetuated. See Eph. 3:17; John 14:23; Gal. 3:26–28. First God embraces us with His electing and renewing love; and we then embrace Him by the actings of our faith, so that the union is consummated on both sides. One of the results, or, if you please, forms, of the union is justification. Of this, faith is the instrument, "for being justified by faith, we have peace with God." The other form is sanctification. Faith has the instrumental relation to this also; for He "purifieth our hearts by faith;" "faith worketh by love;" and it is the victory which overcometh the world."
Said the previous source again:
"Eastern Orthodox theology emphasizes the incarnation as the starting point for our union with Christ.[16] "In Christ God becomes one with us in order to make us one with him; he stooped to take our nature, in order that we might be restored to become partakers of his nature."[16]"
Of course, the key word in that paragraph is the word "emphasizes." Certainly, as we will see, the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, in becoming human formed a union with the the race, with all men. The apostle Paul says that Christ is "the head of every man" (I Cor. 11: 3) and also is "the head of the body which is his church." (Eph. 1: 22-23; 5: 23) He has a union with every man by his incarnation, as well as lordship. That is a necessary union for the salvation of any man. However, though that union is necessary for the salvation of any man, it does not signify that all men will be saved merely by the incarnation itself.
Further, as we will see, there are benefits that come to all men as a result of Christ becoming man and being "the head of every man." We could give lengthy examples of this truth. For one thing, men would be without hope, and the wrath of God against them for their sins would be demonstrated by them instantly being sent to Hell without mercy.
It is necessary that a sinner join himself to God and to Christ as Savior and Lord to have vital union with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. From this attachment to Christ flows all that pertains to salvation and "things which accompany salvation" (Heb. 6: 9). There is no realized salvation in anyone until that one is joined in heart and soul to Christ. Salvation in its beginning, in its continuance and progression, and in its consummation in the eternal ages to come, is all the result of vital union with Christ. Two things are necessary for this union, which are penitent faith and a birth of the Spirit.
Said the same source again:
"In Christian theology the union of Christ is built on the a priori assumption of Adam's union with humanity (Romans 5:12-21).[17] Also according to the Apostle Paul, Christ's death and resurrection is a prerequisite for believers to be identified with Christ (Romans 6:8-10).[18] In other words, the vicarious death of Jesus is the basis for incorporation into Christ.[19]"
But we must not err in thinking that vital union with Christ is something Christ (or Father or Spirit) merely does to us and for us (objectively), but such union that we are active in creating. Union with Christ is the union of two wills, the effect of two choices, one on the part of Christ and the other on the part of the believing sinner. So, not only does Christ identify with us via his incarnation, but also by his death on the cross, and by his resurrection.
Said the same source again:
"The New Testament teaches that union with Christ is precipitated by faith and baptism, i.e. we believe and are baptized "into" Christ (John 3:16, Romans 6:3). Both the apostle John and Paul employ the Greek preposition eis rather than en in these passages to convey the notion of union with Christ. The ESV Study Bible explains the use of this particular preposition in its note on John 11:25, "The preposition translated “in” (Gk. eis) is striking, for eis ordinarily means “into,” giving the sense that genuine faith in Christ in a sense brings people “into” Christ, so that they rest in and become united with Christ. (This same expression is found in 3:16, 18, 36; 6:35; 7:38; 12:44, 46; 14:12; 1 John 5:10.)"[20]"
I would agree with this but would say that both water baptism and the Lord's supper (communion) are pictures of our union with Christ by faith. Water baptism is a picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and of our participation in it by faith. It is a picture of the mystical or spiritual incorporation into Christ and his body. It is a picture of our own spiritual resurrection in our conversion. It is a picture also of the total cleansing of the spirit that occurs in the union effected. The Lord's Supper pictures how Christ enters the heart and spirit of a believing and penitent sinner. As the message of Christ is brought to the mind of a sinner and the sinner by the work of the Spirit and the word believes the message and calls upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, he is then joined to Christ and receive all the blessings of salvation.
Now, before going further, let me state the problem with the view that says vital union with Christ is by faith (my view).
The Problem
If all spiritual blessings flow out of vital union with Christ, and such union is by faith, then faith cannot be a blessing produced from union. Does that not show that union precedes faith? Or, to state the same thing another way, doesn't regeneration precede faith? Do not the words "faith is a fruit of the Spirit" (Gal. 5) say that faith is a fruit of regeneration? A fruit of a vital union?
My answer is to say:
1) If vital union precedes faith, then it would be wrong to assert that union is by faith. Yet, the scriptures say union is by faith.
2) The text does not say that faith is a fruit of regeneration, but a fruit of the Spirit. The Spirit produces thoughts and actions in the elect before they are regenerated, such as conviction of sin, belief of certain truths, the Father's "drawing," and "teaching," etc. (John 6: 44-45) These pre regeneration things can be said to be the effect of the Spirit's working. Also, the word for "fruit" is also used to refer to a child in the womb ("fruit of the womb"). And, it is not denied that faith and love are begotten when the sinner is begotten.
3) The proposition that vital union is by faith does not negate the proposition that it is the fruit of the Spirit. Both the means (faith) and the end (vital union) are "of" the Spirit. Those two propositions are not incongruent.
4) The faith that is produced by the Spirit in order to effect a person's being "born of God" does spring as a blessing from Christ, as a result of representative union with him. Further, I believe, that Christ in one sense represents all men, yet in another sense, represents only the elect.
5) Finally, we can best answer the question with a question. Is vital union with Christ a blessing resulting from vital union? The answer of course is "no" because something cannot be the cause of itself nor can it be the effect of itself.
So, faith is the gift of God and is the result of his effectual working (Eph. 1: 19) and of his drawing and teaching (John 6: 44-45), and comes as a pre regeneration, pre vital union blessing. It is a blessing resulting from God's eternal covenant regarding the elect, from the new covenant, from his gracious promise in the gospel.
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