From the moment you trust in Christ, you become a member of the body of Christ.
Like any membership, there are immediate benefits. The benefits are given to you freely by your identification with Christ.
For example, did you know that if you were baptized into Christ you were crucified with Him?
“I am crucified with Christ…”- Gal 2:20
A dead person has already paid the penalty of death. This is a huge benefit, but what is more is that you are also resurrected with Christ.
“Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:” – Rom 6:8
Life is a great benefit. Eternal life is eternally beneficial. The power to live after death is God’s gift to all who receive benefits with Christ.
“For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.” – 2 Cor 13:4
Since you are receiving benefits with Christ, and Christ is seated in heavenly places, you also inherit a position there with him.
“Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” – Ephesians 2:5-6
When Christ died and resurrected he inherited “all things” from God (Eph 1:22), so would not you receive all things as well?
“He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” – Rom 8:37
Certainly. After all, you are with Christ and enjoy all the benefits of being a member of His body (2 Cor 6:10).
“[God has] blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:”- Eph 1:3
The Mystery of Fellowheirs
Perhaps you have noticed that all of these membership benefits in Christ are found in Paul’s epistles.
This is because God revealed to Paul the mystery that by faith in the gospel you can be fellowheirs with Christ, of the same body of Christ, and partakers of his promise in Christ (Eph 3:6).
It’s only by being a joint-heir with Christ that we have access to all of these immediate benefits (Rom 8:17).
Without being a joint-heir with Him according to the mystery, we would lack a host of riches given to his sons by grace.
Without the revelation of the mystery, we would not know the riches of the glory of His inheritance, and ours (Eph 1:18).
What do Members do?
If we have all these free benefits as joint-heirs with Christ, then what is a member of the body to do?
Being a member of the body of Christ gives you the duty of labouring together with him, and the opportunity to receive rewards for proper service.
“…every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God…” – 1 Cor 3:8-9
It may be that we suffer with him, and if you do, you will reign with him.
“If we suffer, we shall also reign with him:…” – 2 Tim 2:12
In the end, because everything we receive, whether freely or by our labour, is a result of our being joint-heirs with Christ, we are glorified with him.
“When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” – Col 3:4
Article Index Published: November 16, 2013
Last Modified: March 15, 2018