In Uno Multis
The gospel is the news about One man, but in that One, many. Rather than e pluribus unum, “out of many, one,” the gospel is in uno, multis, “in one, many.” The lede in the story is that in the death of Christ many men died.
One has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. (2 Corinthians 5:14 bibref2corinthians5 bibref2corinthians5v14b–15, ESV)
The historical facts are the bookends: one “has died” and “was raised.” The sacrificial importance: one died “for all” and “for their sake.” The spiritual union: in one “all have died.” The saving consequence: “those who live” by the one. The new orientation: “no longer live for themselves but for” the one.
The newness is reiterated a couple verses later.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17 bibref2corinthians5 bibref2corinthians5v17, ESV)
We are baptized with Him into death (Romans 6:3 bibrefromans6 bibrefromans6v3). And as often “as we eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death” (1 Corinthians 11:26 bibref1corinthians11 bibref1corinthians11v26). This means we have every reason to think of our union with Him in communion. We can’t think about His death without ours. We rejoice that the bread and the wine are for our newness of life.