The Gospel's Answer To The "State" Of Sin - Part One

The Gospel Of Christ And The Problem Of Sin
The Gospel's Answer To The "State" Of Sin
(Baptism Into Jesus Christ)

We have been examining how the gospel addresses the problem of sin in this series of lessons. Our first lesson dealt with this subject in general terms. Then we looked more closely at:
The command to believe as the gospel's answer to the love of sin.
The command to repent as the gospel's answer to the practice of sin.
In this lesson, we shall examine how the command to be baptized is the gospel's answer to
the state of sin.

Beginning with the "Great Commission", an important part of preaching the gospel was
including the command to be baptized - cf. Mk 16:15-16 "Then he told them: Go and preach the good news to everyone in the world. Anyone who believes me and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe me will be condemned." As the apostle and others went out preaching Christ, they taught the necessity of baptism:
Peter on the day of Pentecost - Ac 2:36-38 "Everyone in Israel should then know for certain that God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ, even though you put him to death on a cross. When the people heard this, they were very upset. They asked Peter and the other apostles, "Friends, what shall we do?" Peter said, "Turn back to God! Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be forgiven. Then you will be given the Holy Spirit."
Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch - Ac 8:35-39 "So Philip began at this place in the Scriptures and explained the good news about Jesus. As they were going along the road, they came to a place where there was some water. The official said, "Look! Here is some water. Why can't I be baptized?" He ordered the chariot to stop. Then they both went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. After they had come out of the water, the Lord's Spirit took Philip away. The official never saw him again, but he was very happy as he went on his way."
Peter and the household of Cornelius - Ac 10:48 "Peter ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and they asked him to stay on for a few days."
Paul in recounting his own conversion - Ac 22:16 "What are you waiting for? Get up! Be baptized, and wash away your sins by praying to the Lord."’

Why this emphasis on baptism? It helps us to appreciate its importance when we see how baptism changes the "state" of sin. Before baptism one is dead "in" sin, one’s condition outside of Christ. Read carefully Ep 2:1-3 "In the past you were dead because you sinned and fought against God. You followed the ways of this world and obeyed the devil. He rules the world, and his spirit has power over everyone who doesn't obey God. Once we were also ruled by the selfish desires of our bodies and minds. We had made God angry, and we were going to be punished like everyone else." Note the state or condition one finds themselves in regarding sin. They are dead spiritually "in" sin, and as a result are "dead to God". As for having a relationship with GOD, there is none!

Now note what God’s grace makes possible by reading carefully Ep 2:4-9 "But God was merciful! We were dead because of our sins, but God loved us so much that he made us alive with Christ, and God's wonderful kindness is what saves you. God raised us from death to life with Christ Jesus, and he has given us a place beside Christ in heaven. God did this so that in the future world he could show how truly good and kind he is to us because of what Christ Jesus has done. You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve. This is God's gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own. It isn't something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about." By God's mercy, love and grace (and not any meritorious works of our own). Those "dead in trespasses" (dead in sin) were made alive together with Christ! Those who were dead in sin were raised together with Him! Outside of Christ, one is dead in sin; yet by God's grace we can be made alive! This raises an important question: "When" and "how" does a persons who is "dead in sin" become "alive with Christ" and "raised together with him"???

Here's the Biblical answer, in baptism one dies "to" sin. Notice carefully what Paul teaches in Ro 6:1-8 "What should we say? Should we keep on sinning, so that God's wonderful kindness will show up even better? No, we should not! If we are dead to sin, how can we go on sinning? Don't you know that all who share in Christ Jesus by being baptized also share in his death? When we were baptized, we died and were buried with Christ. We were baptized, so that we would live a new life, as Christ was raised to life by the glory of God the Father. If we shared in Jesus' death by being baptized, we will be raised to life with him. We know that the persons we used to be were nailed to the cross with Jesus. This was done, so that our sinful bodies would no longer be the slaves of sin. We know that sin doesn't have power over dead people. As surely as we died with Christ, we believe we will also live with him." , 11 "In the same way, you must think of yourselves as dead to the power of sin. But Christ Jesus has given life to you, and you live for God." Please note what Paul is not saying, that baptism is a symbolic demonstration of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ engaged in by those who have already died to sin (as taught by many churches, though baptism is never described in these words in the Bible). Please note that baptism is a public profession of one's faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (likewise taught by many, despite several examples of baptism in private - (Ac 8:35-38; Ac 16:30-34). Nor that one "dies to sin" in repentance and then is buried with Christ in baptism
(as many of my own brethren teach).

Paul explains when and how one dies to sin. It happens when they are baptized into Christ, which is a baptism into His death - Ro 6:3-4 "Don't you know that all who share in Christ Jesus by being baptized also share in his death? When we were baptized, we died and were buried with Christ. We were baptized, so that we would live a new life, as Christ was raised to life by the glory of God the Father." It is in baptism that one is "crucified with Him (Christ)" - Ro 6:6 "We know that the persons we used to be were nailed to the cross with Jesus. This was done, so that our sinful bodies would no longer be the slaves of sin." It is in baptism that we die to sin, and then are "freed from sin" (from it's guilt, consequence, and power) - Ro 6:7 "We know that sin doesn't have power over dead people."

We will conclude this portion of our lesson here and resume next week with and illustration of what Paul is explaining to the Romans.