No sooner is a union with Christ established, than there is a complete
change in our position before God. When a man is not in Christ, he
stands alone, and bears the whole weight of sin, both original and
actual. He is like the manslayer outside the city of refuge, or like
those who saw the waters of the flood arising, but were themselves
outside the ark. Those that are “without Christ” are “without hope,” for
it is written, (Eph. ii. 12,) “That at that time ye were without Christ”
(separate from Christ, not in union with Him), “being aliens from the
commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise,
having no hope, and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus,
ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”
Nothing can be plainer than the contrast here drawn between men without
Christ and men in Christ. Those without Him are strangers from the
covenant; but those in Him are reconciled, or made nigh by His blood. In
Christ they are justified from all things. They are no longer under the
curse, because His atonement has removed it from their head. “In Him we
have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Coloss. i.
14.) They are no more regarded as sinners, for as their sin has been
laid on Christ, so His righteousness is imputed unto them. “He hath made
Him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the
righteousness of God in Him.”