Baptism into Death
Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. But law came in, with the result that the trespass multiplied; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, just as sin exercised dominion in death, so grace might also exercise dominion through justification leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
Romans 5:18-6:4
The passage above takes us back to the beginning, back to Genesis. God told Adam that if he ate from one particular tree, he would die (see Genesis 2:17), and when Adam ate from the tree he died spiritual death – he lost communion with God – and all of creation from that instant forward suffered because of his choice (see Genesis 3). Through Adam, creation exists in sin. Apart from God, we are each spiritually dead, but Jesus came to earth offering life, so that through Him we gain communion with God the Father and the Holy Spirit. Through Christ Jesus, grace abounds.
This leads to a logical question – if sin causes grace to abound, should we continue living in sin so that grace might abound even more? Of course not, because new life destroys old life. When we receive the holy gracious gift of new life, it follows like day follows night that we no longer live our old life. Our old life dies just as each sunrise destroys the night. But I fear many ponder that very question and answer it incorrectly, believing they are capable of claiming relationship with Christ Jesus while continuing to live their old lives.
Through Christ Jesus, we are granted the glorious gift of new life, not of our doing, but through His glorious, mighty, gracious act of surrendering to death on the cross. Those who believe and act on their belief are made new, cleansed by His blood, born again of the Holy Spirit. New life results from transformation, which involves embracing, pursuing and feeding our relationship with Christ and the new life He offers while allowing the old life to wither and die.
The contrasting images of old and new expose the conflict many feel and the stumbling block they must overcome, because many sort of like their old life. It is comfortable and familiar, and many like the notion of being in control, even though deep down we realize visions of human control are mere illusion. Many stand on the threshold separating old and new, fearful of giving up what is known and comfortable for new life, and the fear persists even though the new life would be in relationship with the holy Creator of the universe, new life with the One who truly is in control. And that fear of entering new life exposes their lack of trust, lack of faith, lack of true belief, because if they really believe and know and trust that God is who He says He is and that God desires relationship with each of us and that God is really the One who controls whether we continue breathing after this breath, they would readily leap at the opportunity to commune with Him. We are blessed with a comfortable existence and our material comforts are a curse to the extent they prevent people from seeing that they need God and prevent them from leaping into His loving arms.
God’s holy word reveals how God treats those who respond to His gracious offer of new life with fear, doubt or reluctance. He destroys them by allowing them to endure the consequences of their choice and live the life they prefer. God offered to save Lot and his family from the destruction of Sodom, but one of them turned back, longing for the life they were leaving behind, and she instantly died, while her friends in Sodom were also perishing (see Genesis 19:26). God offered the Israelites new life in the Promised Land, but as they camped across the Jordan River, they grew afraid of what their new life would be like. They were hesitant to cross over into the new life and God responded to their fear by sending them back out into the wilderness until each fearful person had died (see Deuteronomy 1:19-45). They were afraid of the new life He offered, so God allowed them to return to the life they desired. They apparently preferred wandering in the wilderness they had grown accustomed to over trusting God and entering the lush place He promised, and because they refused to trust God, He described them as an “evil generation” (Deuteronomy 1:35).
In some ways, we each resemble them. We attend church, worship, study Scripture, attend Bible studies and pray, all while clinging to aspects of our old life. So we each must ask ourselves, how has my life changed since I chose to follow Christ Jesus? In what specific way is my life new? What aspect of my old life am I clinging to that I know I should let die? What in my life is preventing me from enjoying closer communion with God? Is it possible I am sitting on the fence separating old and new?
And this is where the power of our testimony is so important, particularly for each person standing on the threshold. Those of you who have taken the leap and enjoy relationship with God through Christ Jesus can report back to others explaining the glorious reality of new life, like spies returning from the Promised Land with treasure. Because ultimately, we each choose.
Through Christ Jesus, we are each offered new life, but we must each make the leap and we should do so joyously, and by leaping into His loving arms we leave our old lives behind. We must do so, because Scripture shows that God does not respond well to fence sitters. We must be born again, we must gain new life, we must allow our old life to wither and die.
As Jesus says,
“Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” …. “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ John 3:3 & 5-7
“Born from above” is simply a way of describing new life in and through Christ Jesus, spiritual life, life abundant, eternal life, the kingdom of God, and if we are born anew, we must leave our old lives behind. It is impossible for new creatures, those transformed through Christ, to continue living their old life, which was characterized by separation from Him. New life entails death to the old life. Said differently, “we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 5:4). Our old, fleshly, worldly self is dead, and we are raised to new life, whole life, spiritual life, abundant life, eternal life. We too have been baptized into death so that we might enjoy His new life.
If you are standing on the threshold, I urge you to take the leap to Christ Jesus, gaining His new life and everything that goes with it.
If you live in relationship with Christ Jesus, please take some time to consider your life and the changes you have experienced since committing yourself to Him. Are there situations, forms of entertainment, places or other things that used to be pleasureful for you that are now revolting? Consider the new joy, peace, comfort, and rest that you now feel. As you consider it all, formulate a plan so you can describe it all with specificity the next time you are asked to give a reason for the hope that you have in and through Christ Jesus.
May God’s glory shine upon you, may the Holy Spirit fill you and transform you completely, and may the love of Christ Jesus flow through you so the world knows you are truly His disciple. Amen.