When Ave turn to the narrative of Christ's Avords in the Gospels, Ave find that His attitude toAvards God was etliically perfect, as of a Son to a Father, in obedience, symjtatliy, comprehension, honour, love, trust (Mt ll-'"-', Jn 5'»- »» 6^^ lO^" U*\ Lk 23^", and many other passages). This is Avhat Ave are permitted to see of the relationship betAveen God and Christ. But the Son avIio so manifested His oneness Avith the Father did so in our human nature. Here therefore is humanity in the jierson of its Head seen to be in union Avith Gotl. So far as every OT saint Avas able to anticipate and prefigure Christ, so far this union betAveen God and man Avas a process Avhich Av.as progressiA'ely unfolded and perfected. And so far as believers by felloAvship Avitli Christ enter into His relation-
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UNION
UNIQUENESS
ship with God, the union between God and our race is still being realized ; and it must always take the iorm perfectly set forth by Christ (1 Jn
3. Union between believers and Christ. — It is
necessary that individual souls should be united by faith to Christ, if the union of mankind with God is to be general (Jn lO^e 1232). xhe Gospels record how in process of events men became dis- ciples of Christ (Jn P^, Mk V% That which was so effected was afterwards in many ways confirmed ( Jn 6^^ 20^^), and is described in the parable of the Vine and its Branches (ch. 15). Again, those who believed when the Apostles preached, and to whom the Spirit was given, without being personally attached to Christ in His earthly life, nevertheless became partakers of spiritual union with Him (Ac 1117. See also He 3», 1 Co P, 1 Jn P). This union of the believer with Christ is more than the tie between a disciple and a teacher, and is ex- pressed by the words ' in Christ,' ' in the Lord,' ' in him,' which occur more than 150 times in the NT, notably in 2 Co 51'^ (RVm) and Ro 16''. As this union is entered into by trust and obedience and full consent, so it consists of identity of inter- ests and companionship in everything. In the region of the conscience, union with Christ gives peace (Ro 8^) ; in that of the will, regeneration (Gal 2''^'') ; in regard to our activity, ' we are labourers together with God' (1 Co 3^ 2 Co qI) ; and in regard to all events, we are sharers with Christ in suffering and in glory (Ro 8", 2 Ti 2^'^ ; see also Jn l?^**"").
i. Union of believers with one another. — The Lord's Supper is the simplest and most perfect outward expression of the union of Christians with one another, because of their common attachment to Christ, and deriving of benefit from Him. Thus in Ac 2^2 20^ 1 Co lO'e- 1^ it is assumed that heart- union with Christ and with one another went along with the outward expression of that union, in tlieir partaking of the same significant bread. The obedience of the soul to Christ which alone con- stitutes any one a disciple may or may not coin- cide with participation in this or any other out- "ivard observance. Yet, like the kernel and the containing shell of a nut, they as a matter of fact appeared and developed together. Union with Christ produces an attachment of loyalty to Him, and to everything that belongs to Him ; besides also the fruits of Christ-like character, which are in their nature unifying : ' The glory thou gavest me I have given them, that they may be one ' (Jn 17^^). Should this unity be broken, the remedy is that all parties should renew their allegiance to Christ (1 Co 1-3, 2 Co 10'').
Union among believers is compared to the or- ganic unity of a body (Ro 12*, 1 Co 12^2, Eph 4*). This has not the effect of ignoring the differences between believers ; on the contrary, the fullest provision is made for differences of gift. So far from the eye ceasing to be specifically an eye, because the body has hands and feet, there is the more need of the eye, and it has more work to do. Individuality is to be conserved and strengthened, and not destroyed or weakened. Tiie case taken for comparison is not that of the failure of the eye to see, when the hand would do its best to aid the eye, and do its work ; but such a healthy state of tilings as would allow every sense to do its own work. At the same time, all are under the law of love to Christ and to one another, and are sensitive to each other's suffering or success, and their life is wholly directed to mutual helpfulness. The result is that each is exercised in the use of whatever_ gift he has, and the whole society is maintained in spiritual vigour and growth (Eph 4'^ Phil 6). See also Oneness, Unity.
Literature.— Westcott, Gospel of St. John ; Sanday, Jesus Christ (reprinted from art. in Hastings' DB) ; A. B. Davidson, Theol. of OT ; Rendel Harris, Union with God ; A. Maclaren, Holy of Holies ; Illingwortli, Divine Immanence.
T. Gregory.
UNIQUENESS.— Beyond dispute Christ appears on the theatre of human history as a unique Per sonality. In however large a sense He may be revealed as sliaring the lot and the nature of men. He stands forth as the possessor of traits which have never been duplicated. Let a parallel be drawn between Him and any other who has won renown in human annals, and it will be foimd that the points of unlikeness more than match the points of likeness.