Paul
the apostle shared with the people in Rome,
“What
shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?,
and he answered, “God
forbid.” He
further questioned, “How
shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”
In chapter six and verse three of Romans, Paul questioned them if
they knew those,
“baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death”
where
we read:
Know
you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were
baptized into his death?
The
verse begins, “Know
you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ ...”
Paul
began with the words, “know
you not”
which refers to “the readers in Rome being ignorant, not
understanding, erring, making mistakes or being wrong”, “that
so many”
which means “that such a large group” “as
were baptized”
or “who were dipped repeatedly, immersed and submerged” “into
Jesus”
whose name means “Jehovah is Salvation” and is “the Son of God,
the Messiah and God incarnate” “Christ”
which refers to “the anointed One, the Messiah and the Son of God
and the title given to God the Messiah”. Paul wanted to know if the
Romans understood concerning people who were “immersed and
submerged” into Jesus.
The
verse continues, “...
were baptized into his death?”
Paul
added the words, “were
baptized”
which means “were dipped repeatedly, immersed and submerged”
“into
his death”
or “into Jesus' separation of the soul and the body by which the
life on earth is ended”. People who were “baptized”
into Jesus were “baptized”
into His “dying”.
When
we meditate upon these words of Paul, we see how “baptism”
identifies with Christ's death. The idea of being “immersed”
beneath the water is like being “buried” after death, and since
Jesus “died” for the “sins” of the whole world,
when a person is “baptized”, they “die” to
their old life of “sin” and live unto “Christ”.
This is God's “gospel” or “good news”. Through Jesus Christ,
our old “life” of “sin” may be “buried”, and we
align ourselves with Jesus and His ways. May all who read these words
know the great value to being “baptized”.
Next
time Paul tells the people in Rome,
“we
are buried with him by baptism into death ”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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