To follow him through death to everlasting life.
Note: To want this entails a conviction of the weight and significance of death; and of the nature of life everlasting.
Note: To follow Jesus; we need to love, trust... that is have faith in Jesus. And in Jesus specifically - no-one and nothing-else will suffice; because nobody else can lead us through death to everlasting life.
And-then this gives a new, eternal frame to life; and changes the significance of everything in life.
Indeed. And that is a reason why he requires the external symbol of burial (baptism/immersion) of his followers.
ReplyDeleteJohn 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
I really liked this post. I've seen that the desires of carnal-minded man need to die.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of how baptism is a symbol of death and resurrection. Our commitment to let the things die in our life that need to die, and follow Jesus into life prevents the otherwise inevitable damnation that awaits all of us when our natural man gets out of control, becomes a law unto itself. We can enjoy good things because we don't allow ourselves to die with the deadness of dead, mortal, worldly things, we place our faith and trust in the One who is alive: Jesus.