Baptism… A Phil Kulis Series
Welcome toย Part 7 of Philโs series.
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ
What many people call โgetting savedโ is actually accepting a marriage proposal from God. We state a willingness to be in covenant with God (the one between the Father and Jesus). At the point we accept that proposal we are engaged, betrothed. The โpromissory ringโ of the engagement is the gift of the Holy Spirit who teaches us about Jesus. But we arenโt married until the Wedding. The wedding is not in this body, and itโs not on this earth. Itโs in Heaven in Revelation 19.
In this body on this earth weโre still in the broken covenant we were born into from Adam. We have to exit that old covenant. That means dying. โTill death do we part.โ
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,โฆ
Death and the afterlife is something we will all face. So itโs a good idea to prepare for it by rehearsing your mindset before it happens.
What then is baptism? Is it just a rinse in water to remove some dirt from your body? No, itโs much more than that.
๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ก๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ to prepare you for your death, which is the exit from the covenant that Adam broke, and then to resurrection, being โborn againโ into eternal life in Christ Jesus. It consists of a few simple elements:
* Your declaration of faith
* Your simulated death and burial
* Your simulated resurrection
Depending on your circumstances, declaring your faith moments before you die might not be possible. It may occur suddenly or while youโre unconscious. So itโs a good idea to โbankโ your statement of faith. Make it known to yourself so youโre confident. And make it known to others so they can have peace when youโre gone.
The Apostle Peter explains that baptism is so you may be at peace, having a good conscience toward God before you die.
1 Peter 3:21 โโฆbaptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,โ
Jesus Himself referred to His death as a โbaptismโ.
Luke 12:50 โBut I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished!
Luke 9:23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.โ
Jesus wasnโt talking about us wearing a piece of jewelry, He was talking about following Him to our baptism through death and resurrection into eternal life. Not the rehearsal, the real thing. This is why the rehearsal is so important. Because when death comes it will be the ultimate test.
The question of whether or not โthe thief on the crossโ next to Jesus had to be baptized is simply answered by recognizing that he wasnโt rehearsing.
Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Romans 6:3-5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
Itโs not just dying and resurrecting that we rehearse with baptism, from that point on it is a rehearsal of our โwalk in the newness of lifeโ for eternity. So that when we cross over into eternity we will be familiar with it because we have rehearsed the walk. Our previous sinful lifestyle simply isnโt appropriate there. We should start getting rid of it now.
Our physical death is the exit from this covenant of sin and death that we are born into from Adam. Our bodies have already been corrupted by sin. We have to shed this mortal existence to be free of it. We wouldnโt want eternal life in a body that continually sins and decays!
1 Corinthians 15:53-54 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
Through our true baptism of death and resurrection we are โborn againโ into eternal life.
John 14:1-4 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
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