How does union with Christ affect salvation?

Union with Christ is a fundamental aspect of salvation in Reformed theology. It signifies that believers are spiritually joined to Christ, who fulfilled the law and bore the penalty for sin. This union allows for the imputation of Christ's righteousness to the believer, meaning that believers are viewed as righteous before God because of their connection to Christ. As stated in Romans 5:19, 'For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.' Thus, without union with Christ, there is no hope of acceptance with God.