INTRODUCTION

As Christians, we stand only when we are in the grace of God It's this grace of God that has enabled me to share with you the gospel of Jesus Christ. I bless God for your life and time as we go into the epistle of Luke with the sole intent of unmasking the mystery of the gospel. Let us now consider the verse from which I will make the exposition from.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. (Romans 6:5, ESV)

There are two things involved in this verse.

1. The baptism and
2. It's consequence

1. THE BAPTISM

This is seen in the first part of the verse. He said "For if we have been united with him in a death like his". Baptism is not necessarily about the outward performance. The outward is just a symbol of something spiritual. The immersion of the believer into water shows how we are buried in Christ when we believe in the gospel unto salvation.

This means that the old man, the man sold under sin is now dead in Christ when he was crucified on the cross. And there's a new birth in Christ when he rose again from the dead. That's what it means to be baptized.

Also if the seed does not die, there's no way it can sprout into a new plant. The same goes for a man. Until the old man dies, there will be no way for the coming of the new man; the man with the Spirit of God. Secondly, let us talk about the consequence of this baptism discussed above.

2. THE CONSEQUENCE

There's only one end result of this dying of the old self. The result is to be united with Christ. United with him in his resurrection. Those who participate in his death will surely participate in his resurrection. Those whom by the power of the Holy Ghost have been out to death will surely rise with Jesus in the resurrection by that same power.

So Jesus commanded all those who want to follow him to take up their cross and follow him. Luke records it in this way. "Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:27, ESV). We are talking about a personal death. The death of your mom won't work for you. It's personal. The old man must die.

Finally, this death of the old man is daily. Remember we are talking about the symbol but the reality. We don't need to be baptized daily as in the physical sense. But we see Christ doing a work of destruction in our lives. Destroying the old corrupted man that prevents us from loving him. That's sanctification. It's God's doing through the obedience of man.

CONCLUSION

Are you saved and baptized into the death of Christ? If not then repent and believe in the Savior who took your sins upon himself on Calvary so that you may live a life of fullness in grace.
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This is @gadol from @sc-g