Romans 6:3-8 “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? … (8) Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.”
There is another dimension to our baptism in Christ, which scripture teaches us. In the above quoted passage of scripture the apostle Paul teaches us that when we accept Jesus as Lord and are born-again, that one of the things that take place is that our old man dies. When Paul refers to our “old man” he is referring to our spirit that existed before we were born-again, and became new creations in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17). And so that is what he means when he tells us that those who are baptized into Christ have also been baptized into His death. So what does it mean to have our old man die when we are baptised into Christ’s death? Scripture reveals to us that someone who has died and left this life has a completely different perspective on what is important and what is unimportant in this life. And so in the same manner, as believers, our perspective of life should also change completely to reflect the new life that we have in Christ.
Luke 16:27-28 “Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.”
To illustrate the point of how those who have died change their perspective completely once they leave this life, we can look at the above quoted passage of scripture. The context of this passage is that our Lord Jesus related to us an account of a rich man who had died and had gone into hell. The account that our Lord gave us in this passage was not a parable, but rather it was an actual account of what transpired in this man’s life. I want you to notice from this passage just how repentant he was for having rejected the message of the gospel during his lifetime, and his deep concern for the rest of his family that they should not end up where he was. In other words, his viewpoint of life had completely changed once he discovered the truth and realized how deceived he had been in this life; for even though it was too late for him to do anything about his own circumstances, he was deeply concerned that his brothers should not make the same mistake that he had made. And so we see that there is not one person who has died and is suffering torment in hell today, who does not gnash their teeth and weep, as they realize how they have only themselves to blame for rejecting the opportunities given to them in this life to repent and believe the gospel.
1 John 2:28 “And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.”
The truth of a changed perspective is not only applicable to those who have died and gone to hell however, it also applies to those who have died and gone to heaven. There are many believers who, although saved and are destined for heaven, will also wish that they had lived their lives as Christians, differently. That is why the above quoted passage of scripture warns that some believers will be ashamed before Him at His coming? The reason they will be ashamed is because they have not lived a life of abiding in Christ. Remember that the Holy Spirit has shown us that one, who abides in Christ, ought to walk even as Jesus walked. Sadly however, many believers walk in this world as if they are still from this world, even though one who has died with Christ has left this world and are therefore no longer part of it. As Christians, we are now citizens of heaven, and we need to walk in the reality of that. What do I mean? Think of what is important to those who are currently living in heaven. Nothing in this world impresses anyone in heaven. No amount of wealth or prestige gained, or achievements in this world means anything in heaven and certainly sin committed in this life is something to be ashamed of in heaven, and that fact alone should incentivise believers to stay away from sin. The only thing that counts in heaven is what was done for Christ while in this life. And so, although being baptized into Christ takes place automatically when we are born-again, living and walking in the reality of that truth is something that we do, and we can only do that by faith. We do that by acknowledging that it is no longer we who are living, but it is Christ who is living in us. We do that by acknowledging that we have died with Christ, and that the life that we now live, we live to the glory of God and not for ourselves any longer.
Michael E.B. Maher
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