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Romans 6 - As Many Of Us As Have Been

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ROMANS 6 – AS MANY AS HAVE BEEN…..


I believe the following explains how "Gentiles" (without Christ) were saved by being baptized into Christ with the Spirit to be a member in Christ.
Those who believe in the Son of GOD Jesus Christ became divided by denominations because the church did not endure sound doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;(2 Timothy 4:3).

Being divided by denominations is not good because Jesus said a house divided against it self will not stand. Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand (Matthew 12:25). Nowwe see this happening among the people in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region> because of ideological differences as to how our country should be governed. This writing is to clarify the meaning of New Testament scripture and end division by denominations to bring the church together again and bring the kingdoms of this world into the Kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ.

The Apostle Peter wrote that some of the things in the writings by the Apostle Paul were hard to understand. As also in all Paul’s epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, (2 Peter 3:16a). We believe Romans 6 is a “hard to understand” passage that is commonly misunderstood because they did not endure sound doctrine (2 Timothy 4:3). Several main Christian denominations teach that Romans 6 describes how a new believer that places their faith in Jesus Christ is buried into death with Christ by water baptism and raised from the water to live a new life in Christ. I accepted this as the meaning of Romans 6 until becoming aware of verses that have clarified the meaning of what the passage really means.

The true meaning of Romans 6 is difficult to see when people are not open-minded, or if the reader believes this passage refers to water baptism. As we study this passage we should understand that the gospel for the “Gentiles” was committed to the Apostle Paul, whereas the Apostle Peter was given the gospel for “Jews” who followed the Mosaic Law until converting to live by the grace of GOD for faith in the name of Jesus Christ. But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcised (“Gentiles”) was committed to me, (Paul) as the gospel of the circumcised was to Peter; (Galatians 2:7).

There was a difference between the gospel (“good news”) to the Uncircumcised “Gentiles” and to the Circumcised “Jews”. “Gentiles” were without Christ, whereas GOD was in the “Jews” (Israelites) as descendants of the Patriarch Jacob. Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— (12) that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world (Ephesians 2:11-12 ). Romans 6 shows that when a repentant “Gentile” believer was forgiven of all trespasses, they were “buried into death” and “raised to life” (quickened) together with Christ by being baptized into Christ Jesus with the Spirit of Christ (not water baptism).

The next verse helps us understand the difference between the gospel to the “Gentiles” and the gospel to the “Jews”. (1) For as the Father raises up the dead, and quickens them; even so (2) the Son quickens whom he will (John 5:21). The nation of people <st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region> is holy by receiving the Holy Spirit at conception as descendants of the Patriarch Jacob (<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region>), His twelve sons and their descendants. Those who repent are forgiven of sins by the grace of GOD for their faith by being baptized with water in the name of Jesus Christ. When they are forgiven of all trespasses by confessing their sins, they are raised to life by the Holy Spirit of GOD within them, (1) the Father raises up the dead - 1 John 5:21a). This is how water baptism saves a “Circumcised” believer as Peter wrote: There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, (1 Peter 3:21)

A “Gentile” (being without Christ) that repents and believes is forgiven of sins by being baptized with water in the name of Jesus Christ and when they are forgiven of all trespasses by confessing their sins, they are baptized with the Spirit of Christ into Jesus Christ and His death and raised to life (Romans 6:3-5, Colossians 2:12-13) (2) the Son quickens whom he will (John 5:21b).

Comparing Romans 6:3 with Acts 2:38
From Romans 6:3 we can begin to see why this passage does not pertain to water baptism. Romans 6:3 reads: Do you not know that as many of us- as were baptized into Christ Jesus- were baptized into His death? Many were taught we are baptized into Jesus Christ by water baptism, but the following verses/passages show that the Romans 6 passage explains how a believer was baptized with the Spirit of Christ into Jesus Christ and His death and raised to life by being made alive (quickened) together with the Spirit of Jesus Christ, when forgiven of all trespasses by confessing their sins and repentance

Acts 2:38 reads: Peter said to them, "Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). To be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins refers to being baptized with water as Jesus Christ gave command. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (Matthew 28:19). To be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ is the same as being baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. This is the baptizer proclaiming their authority to forgive sins as a representative of GOD in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost (saints) by the Spirit of Christ within them.

If we compare Romans 6:3 with Acts 2:38 we have:
(1) As many of us- does not suggest everyone, whereas (4) let every one of you- does mean everyone.

(2) as were baptized into Jesus Christis not the same as (5) baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized (with water) in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

Repentant believers were forgiven of sins by being baptized with water in the name of Jesus Christ, and when they were forgiven of all trespasses by confessing the sin in their life, they were baptized with the Spirit of Christ into Jesus Christ and His death and raised to life by being made alive together with the Spirit of Christ.
(3) were baptized into his death and (6) you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Who tasted death for us)
By being baptized into Jesus Christ with His Spirit, we are also joined together with His Spirit into His death.

This next verse also shows the forgiven believer being baptized with His Spirit into His death and raised to life. 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. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, (Colossians 2:12-13). “Gentiles” were buried into death by being baptized with His Spirit because Jesus, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone (Hebrews 2:9), and we are also raised to life by being baptized with the Spirit of Jesus Christ because Jesus Christ (the last Adam)became a life giving spirit. And so it is written,…….." The last Adam (Jesus Christ) became a life-giving spirit (1 Corinthians 15:45).

To be sure this is the true meaning we can look even more closely into the meaning of the Bible. The Mosaic Law separated the “Gentiles” from the nation of people <st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region> who were holy from the time they were conceived as descendants of the Patriarch Jacob (<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region>). They were born holy after receiving the Holy Spirit at conception from within either parent having the Holy Spirit within them. The unbelieving husband is sanctified by the (believing) wife and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the (believing) husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy (1 Corinthians 7:14). This is how the holy nation of people <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region> grew, just as how children born through believers in Christ were born holy.

New believers were justified of past sins by being baptized with water but were not made righteous until they were baptized with the Spirit into Jesus Christ and His death and raised to life (born of GOD) by being made alive (quickened) together with the Spirit of Christ when forgiven of all trespasses through faith and repentance.

The Apostle Paul shows the stages of spiritual growth of the believer from the time they are called to salvation until they are glorified. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also (1) called; whom He called, these He also (2) justified; and whom He justified, these He also (3) glorified (Romans 8:30).
(1) Those predestined to salvation were first “called” to repentance and salvation by conviction of sin.
(2) The repentant believer was righteous (justified) by being baptized with the Spirit of Jesus Christ into His death and raised to life (quickened) with the Spirit when forgiven of all trespasses by confessing their sins.
(3) The justified believer put on perfection and was made holy (“glorified”) when sanctified completely by being anointed with the Holy Spirit of GOD.

.…as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? (Romans 6:3). Believers were saved from death by being baptized with the Spirit into Jesus Christ and His death, because Jesus Christ “tasted” death for every man to save us from death. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone (Hebrews 2:9). The repentant believer was forgiven of sins by being baptized with water in the name of Jesus Christ, but they were not justified to be righteous by being born of GOD until they died with Jesus Christ by being baptized into His death and raised to life (quickened with the Spirit) by being baptized into Jesus Christ with His Spirit. For he who died has been justified from sin (Romans 6:7).

If a believer could be baptized into Jesus Christ and His death by water baptism, there would be no need for repentance, or turning from sin, and there would be no need to seek to be justified. But the following verse shows there were believers who were seeking to be justified. But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we also were found to be sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Let it not be said! (Galatians 2:17). And what does being baptized with water have to do with being joined together with Jesus Christ into His death?

Repentant believers were joined together with the Spirit of Christ into His death before they were raised to life, because that which is sown is not raised to life (of resurrection) until it dies. …what you sow is not made alive (quickened) unless it dies (1 Corinthians 15:36).

Buried with Him (into His death) in baptism (with His Spirit), in which you also were raised with Him (raised up together) through faith in the working of God Who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him (quickened), having forgiven you all trespasses, (Colossians 2:12-13). The “Gentile” was not “buried” into death with Jesus Christ by being baptized with His Spirit until they were forgiven of all trespasses.

P.S. I believe the Spirit says there is still something that is not quite right with this, but we are posting it with permission for review, thoughts, and discussion. This has been our most troubling passage to understand, as we have been trying to understand it for about twenty years now. The Spirit of Christ spread as children conceived by either parent having Christ in them were born holy after being anointed with the Spirit of Christ at conception (1 Corinthians 7:14).

In Christ's love,...........may GOD bless
 
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Acts 2:38 uses the word "epi" which means "upon" or "on". This is to be baptized upon (or on) what the name of Jesus means, all that Christ has done for us.

Romans 6:3 uses the word "eis" which means "into".
This is to be brought into a spiritual union with Christ, by the Holy Spirit. This is baptised "into the name of the Father, Son, Spirit", which is the name of Jesus.

Baptized "into the name of Christ", means the same as "baptized into Christ". The name designates the person, and we get baptized into the person of Christ, who is the Holy Spirit.

To be baptized into the name of Christ is to call upon the name of Jesus:

Acts 22:16 "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord."

When we call the name of Jesus , the Holy Spirit comes, washes and regenerates us, and then we are immersed into Christ and He lives in us (Rom 10:13).


So we can see that "baptized in the name of Christ", means that we call upon the name of Christ, then we are immersed (baptized) in Christ's Spirit.

Unfortunately Christianity has taken "in the name of Jesus" as a prayer formula, and it is not that.

Many people are baptized in Sunday church services using a prayer formula "in the name of Jesus" or "in the name of the Father, name of the Son, name of the Spirit", but they have never called upon the name of Jesus or believed in Him, therefore they have not been baptized.


What does "in the name of Jesus" mean?

We get the answer if we consider that Jesus came and lived i"n the Father's name":
John 5:43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

And Jesus worked in the Father's name:
John 10:25-30
25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[a]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

Working in the Father's name meant listening to His voice.. knowing and following the Father, and being one with the Father.

To be, ask or do anything "in the name of Jesus" means to be one with Christ (1 Cor 6:17), live in Christ and Christ live in us (John 15:4, Gal 2:20) and to live because of Christ (John 6:57).

It means to have our living, doing, thinking, saying, in Christ.. for our life to be in Christ, and for Christ's life to be in us.

The answer to our prayers or success of our baptism does not depend upon using "the name of Jesus" in a prayer or not, it depends on whether we are one with Christ, asking according to His will (1 John 5:14-15).

"in the name of Jesus" is not to add "in Jesus' name" at the end of prayers, like a formula. The sons of Sceva used the name of Jesus in this way to cast out devils and came off second best (Acts 19:14).
 
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