A personal relationship with Jesus Christ

Romans 6:4

As one who has by faith entered into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, what are your expectations?  Now do not tell me you do not have any, but that could be true and if so, maybe you need to confess that to the Father.  For your life would be much like a person taking a trip with no maps, or GPS and always surprised that you are going in the wrong direction, never finding a place of contentment. 

The apostle Paul put these words on paper as directed by the Holy Spirit, “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 6:4)  When you buried someone it is assumed they are dead, no breath, no organs working, the person has left the building we refer to as a body.  And Scripture is clear that when you enter into Christ and He enters into you death took place.  It is written in 1 Corinthians 15:22, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”  Now look at 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

So the most important question one can ask is, have I put on Christ?  “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:27)  Now do not be deceived Paul is not referring to being put under water, or sprinkled, no he is talking about each of us coming to an understanding we need a Savior, we are lost on the wrong road of life and need direction that only God and His grace can bring into our life.  You will find that Scripture states clearly that you died and your life is hidden in Christ, look and ponder on these verses: “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.  For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”  So much Scripture that states very clearly something died, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

My teacher and friend Dr. Bill Gillham in his series “New Life” titled chapter 6 “The Death of the Old You is a “Done Deal”

A. How to appropriate the truth that your old self has been crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”)

1.    Question: How many of your sins did Christ take to the cross 2,000 years ago?  Answer:  All of them.

2.    Question: How many sins had you committed 2,000 years ago?  Answer: None of them.

3.    In the same way you claim He took your sins to the cross, you claim that He took you to the cross.  The old you (who you were in Adam) died.

B.  The death of the old you from Romans 6:

1.    Verse 2: you have died to sin.

2.    Verse 3: you have been baptized into His death.

3.    Verse 4: you have been buried with Him.

4.    Verse 5: you have been united with Him in the likeness of His death.

5.    These verses are all past tense!

C.  We all believe that there were two thieves crucified with Christ, but there is 

      a lot more “ink” in the Bible about you being crucified with Christ than

      there is about those two thieves.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice