Friday, January 29, 2016

Baptized Into the Death of Jesus Christ







Baptized Into the Death of Jesus Christ
Romans 6:3, 4

          Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life.

            Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ:  Baptism into Jesus Christ is not baptism in water. Matthew 3:11 compared with I Corinthians 12:13 makes this distinction between these two baptisms very clear; for, John the Baptist saith; “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: (unto repentance: or upon actions or attitudes that demonstrate a true heart of repentance) but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: (he that cometh after me; that is, Jesus Christ; who was born about six months after John and who began his public ministry as recorded in the New Testament after his baptism in the Jordan by John) he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:” The baptism with the Holy Ghost is declared and defined in I Corinthians 12: 13, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, (that one body is the mystical or spiritual body of Christ; his church and people, his “members in particular” I Corinthians 12:27; “the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven,” Hebrews 12:23) whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”  

Baptism in water is a public confession of prior baptism of the Holy Spirit in regeneration; the Apostle Peter tells us that baptism is “(not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,)” I Peter 3:21. The nature of baptism is that of a burial, the subject of baptism is buried in water; this burial in water is a testimony that the person baptized was: first, representatively buried with Jesus Christ in death; for, in the reckoning of God all Christ’s members died in and with him: (Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:6) second, that he was representatively buried with Christ, (Colossians 2:12) and that: third, when Christ arose from the tomb all his members arose in him and with him (Ephesians 2:6) and that the one baptized arose with all the rest. Therefore it is evident that baptism is for those who have been born of the Spirit of God, or from above, and their baptism is a confession of salvation through the free grace of God; Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Baptism is not intended to unite it’s subject to a local assembly, but it is a confession of union with Jesus Christ in his death, burial and resurrection, and therefore certain things necessarily ensue.

“Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death:” death issues in certain things, “and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death.” (Psalm 68:20). The execution of a condemned person, brings release from the condemning law, for after the law hath sentenced to death, and the sentence has been carried out, the person who died under the stroke of law is then dead to, or released from the condemning power of the law, and therefore the law is dead to him, as far as condemnation is concerned.

Believers, are the “children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers” (Acts 3:25; Isaiah 8:18; compared with Hebrews 2:13) and the mystical or spiritual members (in particular) of the body of Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 12:12-27) and as surely as Isaac was the child of promise, believers in this day are the children of Promise “Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.” (Galatians 4:28) The covenant of grace is an eternal covenant; because, it is from our eternal and immutable God, and was framed before the foundation of the world; those who were chosen in Christ from old eternity were given interest in that covenant and in the person and activities of the mediator of the covenant; it is an “everlasting covenant” (II Samuel 23:5). All the elect have this same covenant interest in Christ, and are seen espoused to, and in a mystical union with Christ himself as “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jeremiah 23; 6; 33:16), and in all that he did as the mediator and surety of the covenant. The church is the spiritual body of Christ, and Christ is the head of that body (Ephesians 1:22, 23; Colossians 1:18). From eternity past, the body has been in secret federal union with its head Jesus Christ, (because chosen or elected in him and secured in him from the foundation of the world; Ephesians 1:4, 5; II Thessalonians 2:13, 14; II Timothy 1:9; Jude 1) and has had an interest in all that Christ did as the head of the church. All that Christ did, the Church did in Christ, because in union with him. Therefore when Christ died and rose again, all his spiritual members died and rose in him, representatively, according to the stipulations or determinations of the covenant of grace, and  which determinations are according to or from the mind, will, and counsel of God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Those who are believers; are believers because they have been brought into the bond of the everlasting covenant of grace (Ezekiel 20:37) and are made partakers of the entitlements of that covenant. Saving faith is given by the Holy Ghost in the sanctification of the Spirit (II Thessalonians 2:13; John 3: 3-6), according to the immutable counsel of the God the Father (I Peter 1:2), and therefore they are the objects of the intercessory activities of the one mediator Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7: 25; I Timothy 1:5). The first cause of one’s participation in the covenant of grace is the everlasting love of God the Father (Jeremiah 31: 3; I Peter 1:2). The procuring cause is the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, through his blood shedding and death (Ephesians 1: 7). The efficient of efficacious cause is the holy calling of, or regeneration by, the Holy Ghost in the birth of the Spirit (II Timothy 1: 9; John 3:3).

Believers being brought into the bond of the covenant (Ezekiel 20:37) are made partakers of the benefits of the covenant; they are brought into communion with Jesus Christ in his death. Believers are accounted dead with and in Christ, crucified with and in him  “ye in me and I in you” (John 14: 20); “I am crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20); Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him  (Romans 6:6): therefore believers are “dead to the law by the body of Christ” (Romans 7:4): “that being dead wherein ye were held; (that is dead to, “the law of sin and death” Romans 8:2) that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.” (Romans 7:6).

Service under the “oldness of the letter” of the law is motivated by fear, and dread; it is the service of a slave who dreads the lash of the whip. Fear has torment and perturbation of mind, but “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. (I John 4:18). This fear; (the fear and dread of punishment) is the fear of a slave, and is different from the fear of a son, who when he is matured serves from a principle of love, or from a wife, who from a principle of love serves in the bond of marriage. Service rendered from a principle of fear; motivated by the threat of the law is not acceptable to God, it is a legal fear and brings legal repentance, the service to which that sort of fear motivates is the service of a slave and not a son. Legal repentance is that sorrow of the world which worketh death; (II Corinthians 7:10).

 The fear that God requires is the gift of the Spirit of God; and beyond the nature of natural man, that is, it is not of man as born in this world; a fallen and ruined creature.  For man by his nature is the incessant enemy of God “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” (Romans 8:7). Oh no! “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (I Corinthians 2:14). The lack of the fear of God that is complained of in Romans 3:18 is that fear of an adult son who loves his father; it is a reverential awe of God, a loving subjection to God’s claims on his spiritual children. The testimony of the Spirit is “There is no fear of God before their (their; the unregenerate world) eyes.” (Romans 3:18).

            The believers baptism into union with Christ in death; is his release from the dominion of indwelling sin, not that indwelling sin is eradicated, for it is not, but it’s dominion is destroyed, it no longer is the dominant motivating principle of the life “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. (Romans 6:14). The believers death under the sentence of the law in Christ, frees him from the law, as a covenant of works; (Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the Lord.” Leviticus 18:5) because by union with Christ he has died under the sentence of the law; therefore the law is fulfilled and satisfied toward him, and can never again condemn him “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, (Romans 8:1). Because of this the believer is dead to the law and dead to sin (Romans 7:4; I Peter 2:24 respectively).

             “The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.” (I Corinthians 15:56); the believer’s death in Christ, which is by eternal union with Christ: destroys the strength or dominion of indwelling sin, through the new birth and the powerful inclinations of the new heart in the inner man, and all of this is by the influence or grace of Spirit of God.  “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” (Romans 6:14). Now since believers are “dead to the law by the body of Christ” (Romans 7:4); they are no longer under the tyrannical reign of sin, though sin is yet in their members, (Romans 7:23). Nor are believers subject to the curse of the law,  for  “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:” (Galatians 3:13). Since believers are dead to the law by the body of Christ; they are dead to the sentence of death, eternal punishment, condemnation, or the threat a any such thing by the law; for the law and justice of God is fully satisfied through the perfect righteousness and shed blood; of Jesus Christ; who is one with his children and he being named the “everlasting Father,” (Isaiah 9:6) they, that is the children; have been children from everlasting, having been loved with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3) and having been given interest in Christ before the world began (II Timothy 1:9).

Another way that the law is the strength of sin is by the prohibitions of the law against sin. The prohibitions of the law, irritate the corruption and total depravity of the heart of natural man, the law’s prohibitions against sin in our members stirs up, instigates, and arouses sin, so that sin finds occasion by the law, to act with more damnable vigor: (sin by the commandment becomes exceedingly sinful; Romans 7:13). “For when we were in the flesh, (that is while we were unregenerate) the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.” (Romans 7:5) And; “But sin taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. (Evil desire, lustful imaginations, every evil thought according to the evil heart of man {see Matthew 7:11} or “the motions of sins” as above) For without the law sin was dead.” (Romans 7:8). “Sin was dead”; in the sense of a reigning monarch that is at ease in his palace. The holy commandments of the law provoke sin in the sinner, and sin then acts with greater vigor; “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.” (Romans 7:7). The law discovers and reveals sin, as sin, for “by the law is the knowledge of sin.” (Romans 3:20).

The law then; (for those who see the law) is like a mirror for the sons of men, (James 1:23) we see by the law; the motions of sins working in our members to bring forth fruit unto death, (actions, attitudes, and desires that are worthy of death; Romans 7:5). The prohibitions of the law excite rebellion, and all manner of evil concupiscence in the sinner; but we know that the law is from God and is therefore just, holy and good: therefore we are made to see ourselves at odds with that which is holy and therefore we must be unholy, unjust, and  not good, but evil; (Romans 3:10-19). But natural men, see not the law, for they are blind to the things of the Spirit of God, (I Corinthians 2:14). So natural men (though very religious, as Saul the Pharisee) seeking to be justified by the law; by seeking to fulfill the letter of the law by themselves; are deceived by sin, thinking themselves capable of keeping the law. “For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.” (Romans 7:11).

“But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.” (Romans 7:6). Believers are delivered from the law by their death in Christ; (Galatians 2:20) those who comprise the mystical body of Christ, having fulfilled the law because of their union with Christ: are in a state acquiescence concerning the law, they acknowledge their inability to fulfill the law themselves, and that the law is just, holy, and good. Believers know that they are not under the law as a covenant of works; therefore the law in no longer a provoking force to the believer himself, who knows he stands justified by the grace of God, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, (Romans 3:24). Therefore the motions of sin which are by the law are no longer a provocation, to stir and arouse sin which is yet in the members of the saints; and consequently the believer rests from his struggle with inward sin as provoked by the law; the believer hides from that storm in the Rock Christ Jesus, and whatsoever the believer does in service to his Lord is motivated by love and not law, therefore it is a labor of love; which is service in the newness of life. However when the believer eyes that law as his, to be fulfilled by himself, in any manner to any degree; then misery ensues, for this service is in the oldness of the letter. Therefore let those who are believers in Christ Jesus; rest in Christ, only in Christ, and always in Christ, for “ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.” (I Corinthians 3:23).
A.J. Ison
  

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