Therefore, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols. I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Consider the people of Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar? (1Corinthians 10: 14-18)

Mystical union is a recurring theme in Paul. In Christ we are one. Through Christ believers are joined together and with Christ. In this union we are allowed to participate in the full reality of Christ.

This is not only a spiritual concept. Paul understands the spiritual and physical are joined. Earlier in Corinthians prostitution is condemned because when we join with a prostitute we join Christ with a prostitute. We partake of Christ's body.

Almost certainly, Paul perceives that through this mystical union our individual natures are fulfilled. In this union each of us may be distinguished but not separated. As each instrument plays its role in an orchestra, we can each find our place in a cosmic symphony.