Tuesday – May 24, 2016
It is Tuesday and time to again receive the Word of God and make it our own. We must purpose that we will think just exactly the way God thinks. God is looking for people with a heart like His, who purpose to do His will in all things. Be reminded to pray for the many governments across America. Today I am highlighting the State of California admitted to the Union on September 9, 1850 as the 31st State. President Millard Fillmore, our 13th President was in office. The picture is a map locating California within the United States (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). Please be reminded that we are a covenant people here in America as a nation.
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
PREAMBLE
WE, the People of the State of California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure and perpetuate its blessings, do establish this Constitution.
Now let us return to our primary study text and will be moving on to the topic of “buried with Him in baptism”.
Colossians 2:9-12 (KJV)
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Our spiritual circumcision has put off or taken away eternally the sins of the flesh (the unrenewed [to God] mind) and made us alive to the Word of God and things of the Spirit. As we review our primary text above we come to the phrase “Buried with him in baptism”. It seems that this is commonly taught as having to do with water baptism but that is not the point being made nor is the topic of water baptism being addressed at all. Let’s look at a different Bible translation.
Colossians 2:12 (AMP)
12 [Thus you were circumcised when] you were buried with Him in [your] baptism, in which you were also raised with Him [to a new life] through [your] faith in the working of God [as displayed] when He raised Him up from the dead.
To be buried with Him is talking about coming into His Company, coming into union with Him, Jesus. Buried can also mean to be hidden or concealed, in this case in Him, meaning people are to see Him and not us. We are hidden in Him when we choose Him as our Master, our Lord, we are immersed in what He is all about, which is pleasing the Father and building the Kingdom of God. The baptism is all about commitment, His commitments become our commitments (promises, vows, obligations, words, duties, loyalties). Receiving Him, Jesus, as Lord and Savior immerses us into Him and into The Blood Covenant. Whatever God did for His first begotten Son (Jesus) He must do for all the sons that follow (you and me). This includes the spiritual life which we have now, the physical life, and the resurrection from the dead with an incorruptible, immortal body just like His (Jesus’). Let’s take a look at the very next verse.
Colossians 2:13 (KJV)
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
The ‘you’ here in Colossians 2:13 is you and me, we were dead in our sins, dead spiritually, no connection to God whatsoever, on our way to hell, and the things of God were foolishness to us. But one day we said yes Lord, we choose a new lord. We heard a preacher, seed had been sown, water had been provided and the measure of faith given us of God. What we do with that measure is up to us. But that measure allows us, gives each person the capacity for salvation. Godly faith is the capacity, the will, to believe God and to act on that belief. That measure of faith is activated by hearing the Word of God and the increase of our faith comes by hearing the Word of God. We are now quickened, alive with Him, Jesus, and ALL of our sin, our trespasses are forgiven, gone forever. O thank you Jesus!
By Pastor David R. Wood
