Buried with Him, raised with Him.

Romans 6:3-4

3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. – Romans 6:3-4

The origins of baptism go back to the time of Moses when the Lord instigated that the priests should bathe before putting on their priestly clothing. Paul here introduces the idea that as we are immersed under water and come up again we see represented the death and resurrection of our Lord. We died with Him. We are buried with him. We are raised from the dead with Him. And now, we have His eternal life in us. We are dead to sin and alive to Him. Our old sin nature buried with Jesus and like Him we will be raised to glory at a future time but now we walk on this earth in a new life. Casting off the old life we live able to be led and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. – Acts 13:52

But our final destiny is to be with God in eternity. Christ was raised from the dead and we have been given “newness of life” now. What is this new life all about? Well, Jesus talked about being born again, born into a new life:

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. – John 3:5

In order to enter the kingdom of God we have to have a spiritual birth. We have to be regenerated by the Spirit of God. Christ becomes our life and we are hid in Him:

1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. – Colossians 3:1-4

As we are raised up from the waters of baptism we are showing the world that we are raised into a new life, cleansed from out sin and destined for glory.

When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. – Colossians 3:4

Our final destiny is to dwell with God, in glory:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. – Revelation 21:3

So therefore, let’s walk worthy of Him in newness of life.