including references that “Christ lives and dwells in believers” (Jn 14:23, 17:23, 26;
Gal 2:20; Eph 3:17) and “that they exist in him” (Jn 15:1-7; Rom 8:1; 1 Cor 1:30; 2
Cor 5:17). He additionally reminds his readers that this same union is sometimes
compared to a “husband and wife” (1 Cor 6:16-17; Eph 5:32) and a “cornerstone and
building” (1 Cor 3:11, 16, 6:19; Eph 2:21; 1 Pt 2:4-5).^117 Later he declares that the
mystical union “can only be made somewhat clear to us by the images of the vine and
the branch, the head and the body, a bridegroom and his bride, the cornerstone and the
building that rests on it.”^118
For Bavinck, much like Calvin, the locus of a person’s relationship with Christ
centers in the Lord’s Supper and he provides his most sustained treatment of unio
mystica at this point.^119 Within this framework, Bavinck recognizes the many benefits
a person receives from his or her union with Christ. Again similar to Calvin, Bavinck
remarks that a person’s union with Christ is “strengthened in the Supper.”^120 Bavinck
also asserts that the mystical union is the primary means for imitating Christ.^121
Consistent with the best of Reformed theology he perceives the parallel but not equal
nature of Word and Sacrament affirming, “in the Lord’s Supper we indeed do not
receive any other or any more benefits than we do in the Word, but also no fewer.”^122
This mystical union “transforms humans in the divine image and makes them
participants in the divine nature (2 Cor. 3:18; Gal. 2:20; 2 Pet. 1:4).”^123 Further, it is
through mystical union that all of Christ’s benefits from justification to sanctification
(^117) Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics (^) , 4:251.
(^118) Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics, 4:567-68, cf. 576.
(^119) Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics, 4:567-68, 575-81. For a further elaboration on this
topic see Gleason, “Calvin and Bavinck on Lord’s Supper.” 120
121 Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics, 4:577-8.^
122 Bavinck, Imitation of Christ (1885-^86 ), 21, cf. 17, 22.^
123 Bavinck, Bavinck, Reformed DogmaticsReformed Dogmatics, 4: 567, cf. 577., 3:304.