Delivered from Sin

KEY VERSE: “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” —Romans 6:23

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Romans 6:3-14, 20-23

OUR EARLIER LESSONS in the Book of Romans have focused on the need for, and the provision of, justification for human beings, and our reconciliation to God. Now Paul shifts his attention to the new life made available to those who accept God’s gift by faith.

A short time before Jesus ascended to the Father, he instructed the eleven apostles to “go and teach [Margin, “make disciples of”] all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” (Matt. 28:19) As a disciple, or more accurately, ‘learner’ or ‘scholar’, receiving the rite of baptism is in response to having been called through the Gospel. First, it is a realizing one’s own ‘undone condition’, and need of a redeemer because of father Adam’s transgression; then belief in Jesus as that Redeemer; and , finally, making a full consecration. In essence we are announcing, “I delight to do thy will, O my God.”—Ps. 40:8

The Apostle Paul, in explaining the significance of baptism, said, “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 also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.”—Rom. 6:3-5

When the apostle asked, ‘Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?’ he is addressing those who are already body members of Christ. What does it mean to be immersed into Jesus Christ? He is surely expressing the same thought set forth in I Corinthians 12:27: “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” (New International Version) Writing to the Colossians, Paul said, You died and your life has been hidden with the Anointed One by God. When the Anointed One, our life, shall be manifested, then you also will be manifested with him in glory.” (Col. 3:3,4, Wilson’s Emphatic Diaglott) Those who are baptized into the body are now counted as members of our Lord, New Creatures in Christ, members under him, our Head, members of the church, which is his body. (Eph. 1:23) Now, as New Creatures begotten of God, he becomes our true Father, and in turn, the New Creature becomes a true son, possessing the spirit of Son-ship, having the spirit of obedience.

When Paul said that we were “baptized into Christ’s death,” he made no mention of being baptized into water. Water immersion is merely a symbol representing the baptism or burial of our will—a decision that had been made earlier. Before immersion the candidate has recognized Christ as his ransom price, and has already fully consecrated himself to God’s service, desiring to confess this through the symbol of water immersion, which Christ enjoined.

If we have died with Christ, we believe we shall also live with him. Paul said, Christ dies no more, and death has no more dominion over him. The apostle also explained this to us when he wrote, “In baptism you were buried with him, in baptism also you were raised to life with him through your faith in the active power of God who raised him from the dead. And although you were dead because of your sins … he has made you alive with Christ.”—Col. 2:12, NEB

When we were in bondage to the power of sin, because of Adam’s transgression, we were unable to serve the power of righteousness. We are instructed as sons of God to yield our bodies to his service as instruments for doing right. Paul cautioned the Galatians not to make a mistake about that. He said God is not to be fooled; a man will always reap the kind of crop he sows. If he plants seeds of evil, he will surely reap a harvest of spiritual decay, which may lead to death. If he plants good things of the Spirit, he will reap everlasting life. Let us learn to love doing what is righteous, for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we do not become discouraged (Gal 6:7, NEB) See also Romans 6:23 and John 3:16.

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