The following 15 quotes are from Clive Bowsher’s new title Life in the Son: Exploring participation and union with Christ in John’s Gospel and letters. Life in the Son is part of the New Studies of Biblical Theology, edited by D.A. Carson with Apollos.
- “From beginning to end, Scripture traces the story of God’s redemption as he works to restore and establish his fellowship and glorious presence with humanity.”
- “Jesus’ life and existence as the Father’s emissary in this world arise from and are characterised by his loving relationship with his Father.”
- “Jesus is the source of life for his disciples and that life is through his resurrection-return.”
- “Jesus is ongoingly, intimately and lovingly present with his disciples.”
- “The life of the disciple consists of lasting ‘in-one-anotherness’ with Jesus—an intimate, transformational relationship of love with the Son, which involves the personal exchange of asking and receiving in prayer.”
- “The in-one-anotherness of disciples with the Father and Son in the Fourth Gospel is an enduring, intimate relationship of mutual (or reciprocal) love, friendship and presence between the believer and the Father-Son.”
- “Jesus originates life for his disciples, and that life is through his resurrection-return.”
- “Jesus’ death both reveals the love of God and brings them into mutual, loving relationship with him.”
- “Christological confession is not possible in the absence of in-one-another relationship with God. Nor is such relationship with God possible without Christological confession.”
- “Trusting relationship with the Son provides the only sphere where life is found, and is coincident with experiencing the life of the age to come.”
- “Christological confession underlies both the individual’s understanding of Jesus’ coming as the demonstration of the Father’s love and believing that love.”
- “The in-one-anotherness of individuals with God in 1 John is an enduring relationship of mutual (or reciprocal) love and presence between Father-Son and those in the fellowship. Such in-one-anotherness is coincident with experiencing the life of the age to come and made possible by forgiveness of sin through Christ’s propitiatory death, which demonstrates God’s love for them. It involves knowing God and believing that love; and cannot be separated from accepting the truth about Jesus, obedience, and Christ-like love for others in the fellowship. The Spirit brings individuals to know that truth and is lastingly in them.”
- “The Father’s love, and the Son and his propitiatory death and resurrection-return, stand as the source of this union with Christ.”
- “Union with Christ in the Johannine Gospel and epistles consists of the loving, intimate, relational participation of the believer and God, each in the life, affections and ways of the other.”
- “Union with Christ … is an enduring, intimate relationship between God and believers: a relationship of mutual love, presence and knowledge; and of shared work and friendship. God commits himself as the source and sustainer of the relationship, and the believer commits himself or herself in obedient trust.”
Did you know you can study with Dr. Bowsher at Union School of Theology? Next January he will be teaching a course on Union. Apply today!
