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Most people spend their entire lives trying to get closer to God. We go to church, we read the books, and we pray the prayers, yet there is often a lingering sense of distance. It feels like God is a distant landlord or a demanding boss, and we are just the employees trying to keep the office running without getting fired. Consequently, this creates a deep, spiritual loneliness. We feel like we are on the outside looking in, hoping that if we perform well enough today, He might invite us into the inner circle tomorrow.
I have spent over fifty years in ministry, and I can tell you that this performance-based distance is a lie. Specifically, the Bible doesn’t say you are merely "near" God or "friends" with God. It says something far more radical. It says you are in a union with Christ. This is the heart of the DNA of Grace. When you understand this union, the loneliness ends because you realize you aren't just following a Leader, you are joined to a Life.
The Problem of the Vertical Ladder
For decades, I watched men and women struggle to climb a vertical ladder of spirituality. They thought that every good deed was a step up and every failure was a slide down. Therefore, their security was entirely dependent on their own balance. When I was battling Stage 4 Kidney Cancer, and later when I was fighting for breath during a brutal bout with COVID, I couldn't climb any ladders. I didn't have the strength to "do" anything for God.
In those quiet hours, the Lord showed me that I wasn't on a ladder at all. I was already seated. The Christian life is not a vertical climb; it is a horizontal rest in a finished work. If you feel lonely today, it is likely because you are still trying to reach someone who has already reached you and brought you into Himself.
Ephesians 2:4-6 “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 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:”
Notice the language here: Quickened, Raised, Seated. These are not things you do for yourself. They are things God has already done for you in your union with Christ.
You Are Not Who You Used To Be
In our modern world, we are told that we have to "find ourselves" or "create our own identity." This is a heavy burden that leads to constant comparison and anxiety. However, in the DNA of Grace, your identity is not something you build; it is someone you are joined to.
When the Bible talks about being "in Christ," it is describing a relocation. You were moved out of the old lineage of Adam, the lineage of performance, failure, and death, and moved into the lineage of Jesus. Specifically, your old self didn't just get a makeover; it died. Your new life is actually His life flowing through you.
For example, think about a branch on a vine. The branch doesn't wake up in the morning and grit its teeth to produce grapes. It doesn't worry about whether it is "good enough" to be part of the vine. It simply abides. The life of the vine flows naturally into the branch, and the fruit is the inevitable result. Consequently, the branch is never lonely because it is never separate.
The Three Movements of Your New Identity
If you want to understand why your loneliness is over, you have to look at the three movements Paul describes in Ephesians.
You Were Quickened: This means you were made alive. You didn't just get a set of rules; you received a new heartbeat. You are alive together with Him.
You Were Raised: You have been pulled out of the grave of your past failures. Your "wasted pain" and your secret shames no longer define you. You have been elevated to a new perspective.
You Were Seated: This is the most important part for those of us who are tired. You are seated in heavenly places. You aren't standing at attention, waiting for orders. You are sitting in the place of favor, rest, and victory.
Austin Gardner has spent his life teaching leaders that you cannot lead others until you learn to rest yourself. You cannot give what you do not have. If you are still striving to be accepted, you will only lead others into striving. But if you lead from a place of being "seated," you bring the atmosphere of heaven into every room you enter.
Mercy is Not Trailing Behind
We often think of mercy as something that follows us to clean up our messes. We think God is behind us, sighing as He picks up the pieces of our broken lives. But that isn't the God of the Bible. As I often say, “Mercy is not trailing behind you with conditions. It is running toward you with intention.”
Because of your union with Christ, mercy is the very air you breathe. You are not being graded. You are being held. Your worth is not measured by your consistency; it is secured by His faithfulness. When you understand this, the pressure to "perform" for God evaporates. You stop asking, "Am I doing enough?" and start asking, "Do I realize what He has already done?"
Living From Identity, Not For It
Everything in the DNA of Grace flows from identity to behavior, never the other way around. Religion tells you that if you change, you will eventually belong. Grace tells you that because you belong, you will eventually change.
If you are struggling with a habit or a sin today, the answer isn't to "try harder." The answer is to remember where you are located. You are in Christ. His Spirit is within you, aligning your daily experience with your eternal position. You don't live a holy life to get into Christ; you live a holy life because you are already in Him, and His life is simply too good to keep to yourself.
This is the end of loneliness. You are never alone because you can never be "un-joined" from the Vine. Your DNA has changed. You carry the name. You have the standing.
Take the Next Step
I want you to dive deeper into this truth. This article is just a small piece of a much larger journey we are taking together. If you want to see how this union changes everything, from your marriage to your ministry, you need to read the full pillar article on the website.
Read the full article here: DNA of Grace: Alive Together, Union with Christ
Explore the full Identity Hub: The DNA of Grace Identity Hub
If you are still struggling to believe that God could love the "real you," I highly encourage you to read the foundational piece of this entire series: The Big Leap of Faith: Believing God Loves You Exactly As You Are. It is the foundation for everything we are building here.
Rest in the fact that you are not behind. You are not being graded. You are being held by the One who will never let you go.
Common Questions About Union with Christ
What does it actually mean to be "in Christ"?
Being in Christ means that God has legally and spiritually relocated you. He no longer sees you as an independent individual struggling to be good; He sees you as part of His Son, sharing in Jesus' own righteousness, favor, and life.
If I am "seated with Christ," why does my life still feel so hard?
Your position is seated in victory, but your experience is still unfolding in a broken world. Faith is the process of learning to live from your heavenly position, even when your earthly circumstances look messy.
Can I break my union with Christ if I fail significantly?
No. Your union is a Spirit-wrought bond that depends on His faithfulness, not your performance. Just as a child cannot "un-child" themselves from their parents, you cannot lose the spiritual DNA given to you by grace.
#AustinGardner #UnionWithChrist #DNAofGrace #FaithBasedDevelopment #FinishedWork
For more resources on grace and leadership, visit:
Followed by Mercy Podcast
YouTube: @waustingardner
Alignment Ministries
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