I remember being a younger Christian and hearing people say, “Christ has set us free from the power of sin,” and thinking, Amen! But what on earth does that actually mean? After all, who can say they feel free from the power of sin in this life?
Brad Wetherell has written Saved to Sin No More: How Union with Christ Empowers a Life of Holiness to help us understand what this means and how we can live it out. I’ve known Brad personally for a couple of decades—as a friend, classmate, and now as my pastor. I’m thankful for his faith, wisdom, leadership, and gift of teaching. This book grows out of Brad’s doctoral work at Southern Seminary on union with Christ, as well as a sermon series he preached at our church.
This short book focuses mainly on Romans 5 and 6, explaining what it means to be united to Christ and how that union empowers a life of holiness. Union with Christ is not always the easiest doctrine to understand or explain, but Brad does a fantastic job making it clear, relevant, and practical through helpful illustrations and careful use of Scripture. This quote could summarize the whole message of the book: “Union with Christ refers to the believer’s position in Christ established at conversion, experienced in all of life, and enjoyed forever. It is the source of every spiritual blessing, the power for the pursuit of holiness, and the bedrock of our assurance of salvation.”
I read this book with a men’s small group, and we found it to be a very helpful resource and conversation starter as we talked honestly about our battle against sin and our need to find our identity in Christ in every part of life. So if you’re looking for an accessible yet doctrinally rich book that will help you pursue holiness and treasure your relationship with Christ more deeply, I’m happy to recommend Saved to Sin No More.
Listen to an interview with the author: What Union with Christ Means for Your Battle Against Sin