“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” (Romans 6:1-6 ESV)
God’s grace to us is not free license to continue living in sin free from guilt and punishment. His grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce (say “No!” to) ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return. For Jesus Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
[Tit 2:11-14; Eph 2:8-10; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 2:1-11; Rom 6:1-23; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 15:58; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 2 Co 9:8; Gal 5:6,16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 5:3-6; Phil 2:12-13; Col 1:9-14; 2 Thess 1:11-12; 2 Tim 2:21; Tit 3:8; Jas 2:17; 1 Pet 1:17-21; 1 Peter 2:24; Rev 2:1-29; Rev 3:1-22]
For, if by God-persuaded and God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ we truly were crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with him to walk in newness of live in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but as slaves to God and to his righteousness, then why in the world would we desire to keep on sinning? Why would we want a gospel message that tells us that all we have to do is make some type of profession of faith in Jesus Christ and now all our sins are forgiven, heaven is guaranteed us, and it can’t be taken away from us, regardless of how we live? How can we who died to sin still live in it?
Now when we believe in Jesus Christ with this faith that comes from God and is gifted to us by God, and is not of our own doing, we are baptized into his death. We are buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. And that death and that newness of life in him involve us denying self, dying daily to sin, by the Spirit, and us walking in obedience to our Lord in living holy lives, pleasing to God (Luke 9:23-26).
Now, with regard to this term “baptism,” although the new believers in Christ were usually baptized in physical water upon profession of faith in Jesus Christ, it is not the physical water which puts sin to death in our hearts and lives and which causes us to die with Christ to our old lives, to deny self, and to now desire to follow our Lord in obedience to his commands. This is a spiritual baptism whereby we are being baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire. Sin is being put to death in our lives so we can now obey our Lord.
And this baptism into death can take place apart from water baptism, as well as water baptism is no indication that this spiritual baptism has ever taken place at all. Not everyone baptized with water dies to sin. So I believe that our water baptism is more of an outward sign of an inward faith which has already taken place, and that this baptism into death is of the Spirit of God. And the only baptism that can literally bring about death to sin and living to God and to his righteousness is the one done by the Spirit and not in water.
[Matt 3:13-17; Matt 10:11-12; John 1:29-34; Mk 10:37-39; Ac 9:15-18; Acts 10:44-48; Acts 18:7-8; Acts 22:12-16; Rom 6:1-7]
For when we go through this baptism into death in order that we might now walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, our old self (sinful nature, lifestyle, and practices) is crucified (put to death) with Christ in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we will no longer be enslaved to sin. Amen! This is the purpose of our salvation from sin. And it is the purpose for why God forgives us of our sins, not that we can keep living in sin, but so we can live free from sin in obedience to God.
But please know this. If we continue in our sinful practices, and if obedience to our Lord and holy living are not what we practice, we will die in our sins. We will not have eternal life with God regardless of what faith in Jesus Christ we profess with our lips. For Jesus said that not everyone who says to him, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING the will of God the Father in heaven. And many professers of faith in Jesus Christ will stand before God one day professing to know him, and he is going to say, “I never knew you. Depart from me you workers of lawlessness.”
[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]
My Sheep
An Original Work / June 24, 2012
Based off John 10:1-30 NIV
My sheep hear me. They know me.
They listen to my voice and obey.
I call them and lead them.
They know my voice, so they follow me.
They will never follow strangers.
They will run away from them.
The voice of a stranger they know not;
They do not follow him.
So, I tell you the truth that
I am the gate, so you enter in.
Whoever does enter
Will find forgiveness and will be saved.
Nonetheless whoever enters
Not by the gate; other way,
He is the thief and a robber.
Listen not, the sheep to him.
Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,
Who laid his own life down for the sheep.
I know them. They know me.
They will live with me eternally.
The thief only comes to steal and
Kill and to destroy the church.
I have come to give you life that
You may have it to the full…
They know my voice, so they follow me.
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