Twin Peaks

The scripture for today is Colossians 2:12

Colossians 2:12 Buried with Him in baptism, in which also you are risen with Him through the faith of the working of God, who has raised Him from the dead.

Baptism is not just a symbolic ceremony; it is a spiritual event. Through baptism, which is the place where the old person is buried, we experience a resurrection. It is the resurrection of a new person to a new life in Christ. A life that is no longer dominated by the sinful nature, but a life that is lived in Christ, empowered by His Spirit. In the natural, it would be a travesty to bury someone who was still clinging to life. In most civilized countries, before a person can be buried there must be a confirmation of the death by a medical doctor and a death certificate issued acknowledging that the person is dead. Only when a person is truly dead should they be buried. The same thing is true spiritually. When a person has died to sin, that is, they have spiritually gone to the cross and died there with Christ, only then are they candidates for baptism. Sin is no longer their master. To baptize someone who is still clinging to their old life of sin is as bad as physically burying someone who still has their life in them. There must be an experience of dying with Christ before one is buried with Him. And when the "old person" is dead and buried with Christ they leave their old life of sin. Sin is no longer their master. The "old person" who followed that master no longer lives. A "new person" is now standing in their place; a new creation in Christ Jesus. A person who has been "born again."  

The best part of dying to the old man and burying the old life of sin is that a resurrection follows. Out of the watery grave of baptism a new person is resurrected; raised from the dead so to speak Raised to live a new life in Jesus Christ. The journey from "sinner" to "child of God" is the most exciting experience that a human being can have. Receiving new life for old is beyond anything that we deserve. Thank God He does not give us what we deserve, but rather what His love and mercy require.  Because He loves us and because of the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf, we can become children of God, new creations in Christ Jesus. He offers that new life to the whole world and through us, His redeemed, He has witnesses to the power of His grace. Let us pray that the world will receive Him.

God bless you as you continue in His service.

Tim