. “ I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live”( Gal.2:20)
This tremendous spiritual truth is illustrated in the miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus( John11). When Jesus arrived at Bethany, Lazarus had been in the tomb four days, there was no question about his death. By the power of Jesus word, Jesus raised Lazarus for the dead. But when Lazarus appeared at the door of the tomb , he was wrapped in grave clothes. So Jesus commanded, “ Loose him, and let him go.” He had been raised to “walk in newness of life.” In John 12 watch this now: Lazarus was seated with Christ at the table, in fellowship with Him. Dead- raise from the dead- set free to walk in newness of life- seated with Christ. All this illustrates the spiritual truths of our identification with Christ Jesus as given in Ephesians 2:1-10.
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Historians agree that the mode of baptism in the early church was immersion The believer was “buried” in the water and brought up again as a picture of death, burial and resurrection. It is an outward symbol of an inward experience. Their immersion is a picture of what the Spirit did: The Holy Spirit identified them with Christ in Hs death, burial and resurrection.
What does this mean? That the believer has a new relationship to sin. He is “dead to sin.” Gal. 2:20 says,” I am crucified with Christ.” Illus: If a drunk dies, he can no longer be tempted by alcohol because his body is dead to all physical senses. He cannot see the alcohol, smell it, taste it or desire it. In Jesus Christ we have died to sin so that we no longer want to “continue in sin.” But we are only dead to sin; we are also alive in Christ. We have been raised fro the dead and now walk in the power of His resurrection. We walk in “newness of life” because we share His life. “ I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live”( Gal.2:20) It appears that Paul had both the literal and figurative in mind in this paragraph’ for he uses the reader’s experience of water baptism to remind them of their identification with Christ through he baptism of the Holy Spirit. To be “ baptized into Jesus Christ”( Rom.6:3) is the same as 1 Cor.12:13 which says,” For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body.”
There is a difference between water baptism and the baptism of the Spirit( John 1:33). When a sinner trust Christ, he is immediately born in to the family of God and receives the gift of the Holy Spirit.( the new birth). A good illustration of this is in the household of Cornelius when they heard Peter preach( Acts10:34-48). When these people believed in Christ, they immediately the Holy Spirit. After that, they were baptized with water. Peter’s words were this,” everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.” They believed – and were saved.
2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Paul’s illustration is baptism. The Greek word has two basic meanings: (1) a literal meaning- to dip or immerse and (2) a figurative meaning- to be identified with. An example from 1 Corinthian 10:2-“And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.” The nation of Israel was identified with Moses as their leader when they crossed the Red Sea. When we go into the baptismal waters we are identified with Christ Jesus. If you have accepted Christ as your Savior and have not been baptized you have not identified yourself with Christ Jesus. The repetition of the word know in Romans 6:3,6 & 9 indicates that Paul wants us to understand a basic doctrine. Christian living depends on Christian learning; duty is always founded on doctrine. If Satan can keep a Christian ignorant, he can keep him powerless. The basic truth Paul is teaching is the believer’s identification with Christ in his death, burial and resurrection. Just as we are identified with Adam in sin and condemnation, so we are identified with Christ in righteousness and justification. At Romans 5:12, Paul makes a transition from discussing sins to discussing sin- from the actions to the principle- from the fruit to the root. Jesus not only died unto sin and we died with Him. |
What we Learned on Sunday? Insights, ideas and InspirationWritten by Pastor Chris Hudson Archives
April 2024
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