BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST

1. BAPTISM by complete immersion in water symbolizes conformity with DEATH of Christ and He being raised from the DEAD, we also are BORN AGAIN, “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD shall also QUICKEN YOUR MORTAL BODIES by his Spirit that dwelleth in you” [Romans 8:11] We are BORN AGAIN members of God’s family, fitted by BAPTISM into the BODY of Christ. We are BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST, members of ONE BODY, no longer to live for ourselves but in Him and for Him [1 Corinthians 12:13] Israel in the wilderness was ONE BODY, “And were all BAPTIZED UNTO MOSES in the cloud and in the sea; … And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that SPIRITUAL ROCK THAT FOLLOWED THEM: and that ROCK WAS CHRIST” [1 Corinthians 10:1-4] BAPTISM of John came much later to gather the harvest of Israel in ONE BODY and Apollos was “BAPTIZED” “… and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, KNOWING only the BAPTISM OF JOHN” [Acts 18:25] Moses and John were “SHADOWS” of Christ, men who stood in the gap till the fulness of God was manifest in Jesus Christ and now revealed in us, “For ye are all the CHILDREN OF GOD BY FAITH in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST HAVE PUT ON CHRIST” [Galatians 3:26-27]

2. We are BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST by divine arrangement, “To wit, that GOD WAS IN CHRIST, RECONCILING THE WORLD UNTO HIMSELF, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation” [2 Corinthians 5:19] We are reconciled by revelation not by cogitation, it is a MYSTERY; God revealing himself to us in Jesus Christ by preaching of the GOSPEL, “Which NONE OF THE PRINCES of this WORLD KNEW: for had they known it, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE CRUCIFIED the LORD OF GLORY” [1 Corinthians 2:8] Wherever the GOSPEL is preached, God is present in Jesus Christ, searching all hearts for a man whose heart is open to HEAR beyond HEARING of the ear, “Behold, I STAND AT THE DOOR, and KNOCK: if any man HEAR MY VOICE, and OPEN THE DOOR, I WILL COME IN to him, and will SUP WITH HIM, and HE WITH ME” [Revelation 3:20] When we open our hearts to the preaching of Christ, our INNER EARS are furnished with GRACE to HEAR and RECEIVE the WORD of TRUTH by FAITH, “So then FAITH COMETH BY HEARING, and HEARING by the WORD OF GOD” [Romans 10:17] GRACE is tugging at your heart, REPENT and BELIEVE in the NAME of Jesus Christ to be reconciled with God. As many as come to God through Jesus Christ are BAPTIZED into His BODY by FAITH. Go ahead, confirm your FAITH with complete immersion in water, “But when they BELIEVED Philip PREACHING the things concerning the KINGDOM of God, and the NAME of Jesus Christ, they were BAPTIZED, both men and women” [Acts 8:12]

3. We are BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST to take His place in the world, “For even hereunto were ye CALLED: because CHRIST ALSO SUFFERED for us, LEAVING US AN EXAMPLE, that ye should FOLLOW HIS STEPS” [1 Peter 2:21-23] Jesus indeed SUFFERED in the FLESH, DIED and ROSE the third day and we are BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST to fulfil pattern of His SUFFERINGS, “That I may know him, and the POWER of HIS RESURRECTION, and the FELLOWSHIP of HIS SUFFERINGS, being made CONFORMABLE unto HIS DEATH” [Philippians 3:10] Brethren, we are not called to suffer for indolence or wilful disobedience to constituted authority but in TRIALS and steadfast resistance to SIN, “MORTIFY therefore your members which are upon the earth; FORNICATION, UNCLEANESS, INORDINATE AFFECTION, EVIL CONCUPISCENCE, and COVETOUSNESS, which is IDOLATRY” [Colossians 3:5] We are BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST and DEAD to the FLESH though there be breathe in our nostrils, no longer to live after selfish ambitions but in His WILL, “I am CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but CHRIST LIVETH IN ME: and the life which I now live in the flesh I LIVE BY THE FAITH of the SON of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” [Galatians 2:20] We are tempted, reviled and persecuted for not partaking in pleasures of SIN, yet daily refreshed in HOPE of His imminent appearance, “If we SUFFER, WE SHALL ALSO REIGN WITH HIM if we deny him, he also will deny us“ [2 Timothy 2:12]

4. We are BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST by His ANOINTING, “Now HE WHICH STABLISHETH US WITH YOU IN CHRIST, and hath ANOINTED US, is God; Who hath also SEALED US, and given the EARNEST OF THE SPIRIT in our hearts” [2 Corinthians 1:21-22] ANOINTING is the TRUTH in us, the INCORRUPTIBLE SEED sowed in our heart when we received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour and abides forever, “Being BORN AGAIN, not of corruptible seed, but OF INCORRUPTIBLE, by the WORD OF GOD, which LIVETH and ABIDETH FOR EVER” [1Peter 1:23] INCORRUPTIBLE SEED is God manifest in Jesus Christ, the ANOINTED ONE; if any man denies the FATHER in the SON he has no part in Christ. Of such are some who seem to begin well but inevitably fail to finish well, “But the ANOINTING which ye have received of him ABIDETH IN YOU, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same ANOINTING TEACHETH YOU OF ALL THINGS, and is TRUTH, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall ABIDE IN HIM” [1 John 2:27] We are inseparable from Christ by His ANOINTING, SEALED in us by BAPTISM of the HOLY GHOST, that we should not be deceived by the DECEIVER but established in God till the appearance of Christ when we shall be revealed in the glory of SONS of God,  “Beloved, NOW ARE WE THE SONS OF GOD, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, WHEN HE SHALL APPEAR, WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM; for we shall see him as he is” [1 John 3:2]