In Romans 8:1, Paul stated, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” In Ephesians 1:7 we read that “in Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 states, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” In Christ we have forgiveness of our sins. In Christ we are no longer under condemnation. In Christ we are created anew. We also find that in Christ is salvation and eternal life (2 Timothy 2:10; 1 John 5:11)! Obviously, to be “in Christ” is synonymous with having obeyed the gospel, given what we have noticed about the result of gospel obedience. How then does one put on Christ? Read the following passages: Galatians 3:26-27 and Romans 6:1-13.
According to these passages, what transfers an individual into Christ?
Romans 6:17 states, “Though you were slaves of sin, …you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.” This verse helps us to understand the purpose of the instructions we are given to obey the gospel/put on Christ. Do you recall the facts upon which the gospel is founded (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)? The chart below shows us how repentance and baptism are a form of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ:
The above post is an excerpt from the book, Why Am I Here? by Devin Roush. Follow the link to learn more about the book and purchase your copy today!