Being in union with Christ means that every true believer is spiritually joined to Him as one with Him — a relationship pictured by marriage in which believers are members of His Body.
Les Feldick teaches that this union begins the moment a person becomes a child of God through faith in the Gospel. It is a spiritual relationship, not a physical one: believers are joined to Christ as one, just as husband and wife become one. The same union means believers are dead to the law and married to Christ, the One raised from the dead.
Romans 7:4 — Paul says believers are dead to the law and married to the risen Christ — the Bible's clearest statement about union with Christ.
Ephesians 5:23-32 — Paul compares Christ's relationship to the church to a husband and wife, calling believers members of His body.
1 Corinthians 12:13 — Shows the Spirit places every true believer into the one Body of Christ.
Romans 7:4 states, "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God." The verse directly ties the believer to Christ in a marriage-like union: the old relationship to the law is ended, and a new relationship to the risen Christ begins. Ephesians 5:23-32 develops the same picture. Christ is the head of the church and the Savior of the body. Paul writes that believers "are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones," and he applies the one-flesh language of Genesis to Christ and the church: "For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh." He then says plainly, "This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church." First Corinthians 12:13 shows how this union is formed: "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit."
Les teaches that union with Christ is a spiritual relationship comparable to marriage. Once a person enters into Christ, he or she becomes one with Him — just as a husband and wife become one — and this reality is understood by faith. He stresses that Paul is revealing a relationship between Christ and believers as members of His Body, not a physical or sexual relationship (Clips 1, 3, 7). Les repeatedly connects this union to Romans 7: believers are dead to the law by the body of Christ and are then married to another, the One raised from the dead. As soon as a person becomes a child of God through faith in the Gospel, that believer is already connected to Christ, a joint heir with Him, with Christ as Head and believers as the members of His Body (Clips 2, 7). He also emphasizes Ephesians 5 and 1 Corinthians 12: the husband-wife analogy shows how close this union is, and the Holy Spirit baptizes every true believer into the Body of Christ. Les points out that "Body of Christ" is strictly a Pauline term, and the "bride of Christ" language is only a relationship illustration — it does not mean believers are female (Clips 3-6).
Les says the relationship of Christ to a believer is identical to the relationship of a husband and wife. In a marriage, two people become one; in union with Christ, two separate entities become one in the spiritual realm. Paul even uses the Genesis one-flesh language and applies it to Christ and the church: believers are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones. Les also notes that the "bride of Christ" idea is not about gender; it is a relationship description.
The union is grounded in the cross. Paul says believers are "dead to the law by the body of Christ" so they can be "married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead." Les explains that as soon as old Adam is crucified and reckoned dead, God reckons the believer as married to Christ in a new relationship — not under the Mosaic law but under the love, grace, and mercy of Christ Himself. This new union begins during a believer's earthly life, not only in heaven.
Les teaches that entrance into union with Christ is entirely the work of the Holy Spirit. The moment a person becomes a child of God through faith in the Gospel, the Holy Spirit has baptized that believer into the Body of Christ. This is true for every believer, regardless of spiritual experience or emotional upheaval. Because the Head, Christ, is in heaven, the believer's citizenship is also in heaven.
Your Body Is the Temple of the Holy Spirit — 1 Corinthians 6:19
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One With Him Like Husband and Wife
Les teaches that once we enter into Christ, believers become one with Him just as a husband and wife become one; this oneness is spiritual and grasped by faith.
Dead to the Law, Married to Christ
Les explains Romans 7:4: believers are dead to the law by the body of Christ and are married to the risen Christ, already connected to Him as joint heirs with Christ as Head.
The Ephesians 5 Marriage Analogy
Les applies Ephesians 5 to show that Christ's relationship to believers is identical to the husband-wife union; two separate entities become one in Christ.
Members of His Body, of His Flesh and Bones
Les reads Ephesians 5:30-32 to show that Paul uses marriage one-flesh language to describe Gentile believers as one with Christ and members of His body.
Baptized by the Spirit Into the One Body
Les teaches that every true believer, not just the exceptionally spiritual, is baptized by the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ.
Christ the Head and Savior of the Body
Les points out that Christ is the Head of the church and the Savior of the Body, and he notes that "body of Christ" is a distinctly Pauline term.
Married to Christ, Not Under Law
Les explains that once old Adam is dead, God reckons the believer married to Christ in a relationship of grace rather than law, and the bride imagery is not about gender.
Romans 7:4: Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Paul's key verse for the believer's transfer from law to union with the risen Christ.
Ephesians 5:23: For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Shows Christ's headship over the church, which is His body.
Ephesians 5:30: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Directly identifies believers as part of Christ's own body.
Ephesians 5:31: For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
The one-flesh marriage language Paul applies to Christ and the church.
Ephesians 5:32: This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Paul explicitly states that the marriage analogy points to Christ and the church.
1 Corinthians 12:13: For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
Describes how all believers are placed into the one Body of Christ by the Spirit.
No. Les Feldick stresses that the relationship is spiritual and understood by faith. The husband-wife analogy shows closeness, but the union is not physical or sexual; it is a spiritual relationship in which believers are one with Christ and members of His Body.
Immediately when someone becomes a child of God through faith in the Gospel. At that moment the Holy Spirit has baptized that believer into the Body of Christ, and he or she is already connected to Christ as a joint heir.
No. Les says the bride-of-Christ language is merely a relationship illustration. It describes the closeness of the believer's union with Christ, not a change of gender.
Watch the Teaching: Your Body Is the Temple of the Holy Spirit — 1 Corinthians 6:19