Buried with Christ

Buried with Christ
Raised in Power
Terry R. Baughman
“Buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.” (Colossians 2:12 NKJ).
The simple explanation of the Gospel is that it is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ applied to our lives. It is good news that Jesus Christ provided a way of salvation to free us from the grip of sin and bring us into a right relationship with God. For that reason the gospel is frequently related as good news.
In the application of the Gospel, identification with Christ is front and center. In repentance we are identified with His death. Our grace-inspired initiative to turn away from sin and surrender our lives to God is a sign of death to the old desires of the flesh and a commitment to follow Jesus and become His disciple. Our identification continues in our obedience to water baptism, “In the Name of Jesus Christ!” Baptism is a most meaningful experience, especially when identified with the burial of Jesus. The blood of Jesus Christ was shed on the cross for our sins, and our identity with Him in baptism provides remission of our sins as we acknowledge the blood of Jesus Christ and its personal atonement for us. 
Luke recorded his version of the commission when Jesus said, “Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47 NKJ). Luke’s narrative continues in the Book of Acts where he quoted Peter on the Day of Pentecost giving the command, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38 NKJ). There is an apparent connection of remission with baptism in the name of Jesus. Faith is essential to all our spiritual experience, but obedience to the Word is evidence of our faith in Christ. When we come to faith we will embrace the teaching of the Scripture and follow in obedience to the words of Christ. 
The personal identity with Christ is a powerful expression of the Gospel. After identifying with His death (through repentance) and burial (through baptism) then comes the identity with His authority. We are to rise in newness of life! The resurrection of Jesus Christ gives us life and is promised to those who put their trust in Him. The Holy Spirit is the resurrection power that fills our lives. 
Faith in Christ is inspired and enabled by grace. Paul said, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8 NKJ). That grace leads us to repentance. (See Romans 2:4.) Grace enables a willing heart to obey the invitation to baptism and surrenders to the path of discipleship. 
We are buried with Him that we might live with Him. We are identified with His death so that we might experience His resurrection. There’s nothing like it. God has given us His life-giving power. Paul wrote of the power of the resurrection when he said, “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:54–57 NKJ).
We are victorious in Christ. We were buried with Him, and now we live the victorious life through Him!


Theme passage:
“We were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4 NKJ).