My studies and meditation upon God and His word took a surprising turn this morning. It began with the thought that the WORD of GOD has power through the SPIRIT of GOD at God’s prerogative, or in His sovereignty, that is, according to His timing and manner, to inspire faith in the hearts of His children-His chosen and elect from all eternity upon earth-to perform His will and plan.

I was mulling and brewing upon the thought that the WORD of GOD preached in the power and anointing of the SPIRIT of GOD actualizes and enacts the spoken, preached, taught, shared content of the written word of GOD as He wills it in His own manner and timing to His children for the fulfilment of His kingdom rule and reign on earth, in the affairs and situations of all men (“as it is in heaven”).

I then got to reading Greg Beale’s “Union with the Resurrected Christ” (may I add, “Resurrected and Ascended Christ”!), and on page 315, Beale writes that “The Colossian believers’ participation in Christ’s death-ref Col 2:12a: “having been buried with Him in baptism”, is a “baptism” referring-according to Beale-to spiritual and physical baptism.

Beale then goes on to contend that the Scriptures has “a greater focus on baptism by the Spirit than on the RITE (my capitalized) of water baptism”. He introduces a new term, or phrase at this point which I realized is quite crucial in understanding and realizing our union with Christ by faith in the power of the Spirit dressed in the Word.

Beale views quite strongly and argues cogently that Scriptures does not focus on the “rite” of baptism. He argues convincingly that the focus of Scripture, and especially the gospel is on the “metaphorical-spiritual” point of baptism, which for Beale is spirit baptism (or “baptism with the Spirit”), or how the Spirit baptizes the believer into union with Christ.

He shows compellingly that this “metaphorical-spiritual” term is understood from the passage in Col 2:11 with “circumcision” in this same category. Meaning, circumcision is referred by the Spirit here in this and other parts of Scripture as metaphorical-spiritual. Again, like baptism, circumcision is the rite that was the physical manifestation of God’s covenant with Abraham and his progeny, the metaphorical-spiritual reality.

The more I meditated upon this wonderful truth of the gospel, the more I realized that the “metaphorical-spiritual” of gospel truth is the very substance of God’s reality manifested in the believer through the WORD and SPIRIT preached!

This metaphorical-spiritual IS God’s reality of His kingdom all through the Old Testament. Paul talks about his in 1 Cor 10:11. And this truth of the metaphorical-spiritual being an “example” is explained by the Divine Author Himself in Hebrews, chapters eight and nine. It is especially brought out clearly by Heb 8:5, referring to the Old Testament tabernacle design and construction as “the copy and shadow of the heavenly things”.

The believer is constantly walking between the metaphorical-spiritual realities of God and His gospel kingdom, and the “copy and shadow”. One can immediately see the tension here of the “already, not yet” of God’s kingdom having come with the advent of Christ and His Spirit on the day of Pentecost, and yet, not consummated.

And living between the tension of the current age that will eventually pass away historically with the eternal age that has already come, the church tends to constantly lurch from one polarity of “under-realized eschatological stance”, to an “over-realized eschatological” one!

Western Christianity is dominated by an “under-realized eschatological” stance that plays down and lessens the power of the age to come (Heb 6:5). This is a position where the Spirit who was poured out on the day of Pentecost in fulfilment of the OT prophets does everything for the believer in union with Christ, except exhibit signs and wonders in confirmation of the gospel message. Anything remotely like OT and NT miracles in the lives and testimonies of present-day believers are frowned upon. This under-realized eschatology is all about the cerebral processing and cerebral impact of the gospel upon its hearers. Anything that smacks of so-called “emotionalism” is kept a mile away.

In reaction to this, and from some sub-segments of Western influenced Christianity, came the revivalist movements of the Reformation, Pietism, Revivalism of Edwards, Finney, Azusa Street, Latter Rain, South American-Argentina and Brazil revivals, Toronto Blessing, and occasional present-day eruptions. This segment of Christianity gave rise to the “prosperity” gospel, the “must be healed” movement, the “name it claim it” emphasis that since the Kingdom of God has come, we should expect physical manifestations of resurrection and ascension kingdom glory. Immediately, at our beck and call. Always. Anything less is a sign of unbelief!

The metaphorical-spiritual aspect propounded by Beale gives a needed corrective to both ends of this spectrum. Union with the resurrected and ascended Christ means that He will come again and invade our space-time material world, at His own designated timing. In the meantime, union with Christ means that the Head is simultaneously sitting at the right hand of God, victorious, and dwelling in His body, the church that is still on earth.

This means that just as the Spirit inspired Paul to write in 2 Cor 4 of the treasure in earthen vessels, again, the metaphorical-spiritual term being invoked again. Christ in His body the church will still suffer. Though we hold Him and have Him, the ultimate treasure in our hearts, His victory is experienced never without His sufferings. Union with Christ lets us acknowledge that the triumphs and glory of the resurrection is preceded by the sufferings and anguish of the dying. As believers in union with Christ, we experience both.

What are some practical applications of this glorious truth?

1. My identity in Christ is guaranteed by His Spirit given to me through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. He cannot be taken away from me. God is not, and never ever fickle minded!
2. I am simultaneously seated with Christ in the heavenly places, ruling with Him over the affairs of my life through faith in Him, and His finished work of the cross. I will experience suffering and anguish and moments of discouragement, despondency and depression. Yet, because I keep my inner focus through my confession of faith in Christ and His finished work, I receive grace to be a conqueror nevertheless.
3. This means I can view any and every adverse circumstance as coming from God’s sovereignty and enveloped by His sovereign grace. I can trust that whatever trials and testing come my way, the outcome is still certain victory in Christ.
4. Potential and Promise of my ever-deepening relationship with Christ which yields the fruit of the Spirit through His grace for the blessings of others spurs me on to good works prepared by God beforehand for me to do.
5. Because I have the resources of heaven at my disposal through faith in Christ who is the Prince of Heaven and who has given me all authority on heaven and earth in my union with Him, I can engage in prayer with confidence knowing that my Father in heaven hears me. And even if I pray amiss, or pray “out of His will”, I can trust Him with His Spirit to lead into prayers in alignment with His kingdom and His will, for His glory.