We have commemorated as Christian churches the memory of the death, and resurrection of Christ. But how do those historical events outside of Jerusalem – so far away, and so long ago – benefit the believer? How do they connect with us? In Romans 6:4 Paul describes how believers benefit from the burial and resurrection of Christ. We need to keep in mind that Paul is using concepts of legal representation and spiritual application to connect Christ with the believer. We also need to keep in mind the distinction between what is accomplished by Christ for His people by His death and resurrection and what is applied by His Spirit in His people through faith. Both are essential for our salvation. It is presumption to profess comfort in the accomplishment of Christ if we have not experienced, nor evidenced, any practical fruit of its application to our hearts and lives. But on the other hand, if we claim to have experienced being born again, but do not rest our hope of forgiveness and righteousness solely on the basis of Christ’s sacrificial suffering and perfect life of obedience, our hope of salvation is a groundless wish. We need both the objective (“for us”) and subjective (“in us”) aspect of the Lord’s saving work.