Growth after baptism

Romans 6:6-23; 2/16/2025; BCBC/IOUC; Rev. Paul Wang

Introduction

For every Christian who believes in the Lord, there is nothing more confusing and even a bit overwhelming than the growth after baptism, right?  On the one hand, knowing that believing in Jesus and gaining eternal life is a good thing, but on the other hand, how to hold on to this good thing to the end and never lose it has become a source of confusion and tension for many believers, right?  Let’s look at the first point:

Know the essence of life

Yes, what is the essence of life?  It is the situation in which human life interacts with Christ because of Christ’s redemption.  First, be crucified with the Lord.  We know that the cross was a torture instrument in the Roman Empire, specially used to deal with serious criminals.  Jewish law also says that those who are hung on a tree are cursed by God.  Because of God’s mercy and because of the heavy sins of Adam and Eve, Christ Jesus took the initiative to go to the cross in order to bear our heavy sins.  When we believe in the Lord and follow His example, we turn to the Lord by baptism, which means the death of our old self.  The moment we are immersed in water, it typifies our crucifixion with the Lord.  We are dead to sin, and our body of sin has been destroyed!   The point is, we are dead!  The very body that causes us to sin is dead!        

Secondly, believe that you will live with Him.  The reality is that after we are baptized into Christ, we will still sin.  That’s frustrating, right?  Doesn’t it mean that you have been freed from sin?  Doesn’t it mean that you are no longer a slave to sin?  Why is it so difficult for me to live a victorious life?  It is easy to be anxious when something happens, emotions come and go, it is difficult to calm down the mind, the spirit is difficult to be quiet, and the body is difficult to get rid of the entanglement of sin.  Alas, as the scripture says: “Who can deliver me from this body of death?”  Why?  I believe the main reason is the direction issue, verse 8: “Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. (Romans 6:8)“  That is to say, we cannot just focus on dying with the Lord, but we must “believe and live with Him!”     

Lastly, life is living to God.  The direction has changed, and so have the driving force, motivation, and persistence.  The poet said: “If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. (Psalm 66:18)”  Paul said: we believe that we will also live with Him.  The point is to live with Him!  Our Lord is the living Lord because we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he will no longer die and death will no longer be his Lord.  Therefore, we can no longer let death be our master.  The Lord’s breath, the Lord’s style, the Lord’s thoughts, the Lord’s behavior in the gospels, etc. are all examples for me to follow, my thoughts, my meditations, my reflections, and my love!  As time goes by, you will find that your life can also be changed.  Let’s look at the second point:

A vessel of righteousness or unrighteousnes

Seeing life as a vessel is the beginning of theocentrism.  This is an extremely difficult turning point in life.  First, the status of created beings.  To be honest, it is not easy for people to accept their status as created beings in their full consciousness.  Human pride and greed make us subconsciously have the urge to compete with God.   Unconsciously, there will inevitably be the inertia of doing whatever you want, and you will even subconsciously test the boundaries of sin.  Even our consciousness is extremely easy to be shaken, tempted, and being affected easily.  Only when the human heart fully accepts God as the Creator and we are the created beings, can our hearts be at peace!  Every time the heart surges and refuses to be lonely, it is because we are dissatisfied with the fate, arrangements and destiny given to us by the Creator!        

Second, the options of righteousness and sin.  Since we know that man was created by God, he can be used by God and become a vessel for God’s use after being saved by God.  This is an important option after baptism!  Because what God values ​​is people’s willingness, not force.  Therefore, the Bible often uses conditional sentences to express the relationship between God and man: If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  A new creation means a new person and a new vessel that can be used by God.  Say goodbye to the old self and the body of sin!  Why?  For old things have passed away and have become a new creation.  This process is a collaboration between God and man.  On the one hand, man is willing, on the other hand, the Holy Spirit works, and God gives the opportunity for life change.  From then on, the new creation begins to live a new self!

Finally, it is under grace.  The relationship between law and grace is also very important.  Law affects people’s behavior, and grace triggers people’s motivations.  If a person chooses to sin, there is a law that binds him.  If a person chooses to offer his members to God as instruments of righteousness, he will live under grace.  Similarly, Paul said, can we sin if we are under grace and not under the law?  Of course this is not possible.  In fact, the standard of living under grace is much higher than living under law.  The purpose of living under the law is to be able to obey it.  To live under grace is to please God.  Let’s look at the third point:

Challenges on the road to sanctification

The path to sanctification is the lifelong pursuit of Christians.  It is also the only way for God’s children to grow spiritually after they believe in the Lord and receive baptism.  First, be willing to be a slave of righteousness.  The philosophical premise here is that everyone in the world has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, thus becoming slaves of sin.  Paul said that the key to going from being slaves of sin to being slaves of righteousness is that “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. (Romans 6:12)”  Once greed ferments, it will stir up the dough of pride, stir up the bulging belly in the basin of human life, and even give birth to the offspring of sin.  Paul exhorts us, “But present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. (Romans 6:13)” The so-called instrument of righteousness is a life that is holy in God’s eyes and used by God, and is completely surrendered to God’s will.

Secondly, it is glorious to be a slave of God.  The word “slave” is a surrogate word, which can easily lead people to misunderstand, thinking that once a person becomes a slave of God, his freedom is gone.  In fact, it is such a glorious thing to be a slave of God.  Being a slave of God is worship in itself!  When Isaiah saw the angels as servants of God, he heard the angels   “And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”  In fact, the two major purposes of life are to believe in Jesus Christ and to be a servant of God!  Because of the glory, we are willing to do it.  Because there is a willingness, and in it lies the glory of God.

Finally, it bears the fruit of eternal life.  What is the fruit of eternal life?  It is the fruit of holiness and glory!  Holiness, of course, must be the fruit of the Holy Spirit that goes far beyond moral standards, that is, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”  Another more important meaning of holiness is to be sanctified and belong to the Lord.  The fruit of glory is accompanied by God’s attributes, such as His eternity, wisdom, honor, power, love, and judgment!  As the scripture says: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)”  

Conclusion

Thank the Lord!  It turns out that the riches God has prepared for those who believe in Him are so long, wide, high and deep!  The essence of human life is to be connected to the Lord.  Be willing to be a vessel of righteousness, a slave of God, and bear the fruit of eternal life.

Let us pray……

Romans 6:6-23

6 We know that our old self[a] was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 

7 For one who has died has been set free[b] from sin. 

8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 

9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 

10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 

11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 

13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 

14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 

16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves,[c] you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 

17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 

18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 

19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 

21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 

22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.