Obeying the Gospel through New Testament Salvation.

DEATH   -   BURIAL   -   RESURRECTION

DEATH - REPENTANCE

The Bible tells us in II Corinthians 7:10 that Godly sorrow (or sincere sorrow) for our sin leads us to salvation. Titus 2:11 tells us that the grace of God was shown to us when He provided the opportunity (or invitation) for us to be saved. But like any gracious invitation, we must accept God's grace by acting upon it through our faith. Obviously, believing that Jesus Christ died for us is the first step, but repentance is how we begin to exercise that faith; in other words, how we put our faith into action. True repentance goes beyond simply being sorry for our sins. Repentance is a genuine decision to turn away from sin and give our lives completely to Jesus Christ. Galatians 2:20 tells us that once we do that, we are "crucified with Christ," as our old lifestyle is put to death and the new life in Jesus is born. Before we can be spiritually "born again," we must first die to our old life. Repentance is how we are obedient  to the gospel as we identify and participate in the death of Jesus Christ.

BURIAL - BAPTISM

 There are many examples of people being baptized in the New Testament.  It makes sense after we read in Acts 2:38 that Peter commanded people to, "be baptized, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins" after they asked him how they could be saved.  Peter was simply passing on the command that Jesus taught him when He said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." Like a physical burial in the ground, we also must be spiritually "buried," in this case, by water, or by immersion. The word "baptize" literally means, "to be fully dipped, planted, or covered." We are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ because Acts 4:12 tells us that "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name, under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Every example we find in the New Testament of someone being baptized was done in Jesus' name. The benefit promised by water baptism is the remission of our sins. Like the disease of cancer, our sins go into remission, completely being eradicated from our lives. Jesus said in John 3:5 that we must be born again if we are to enter the kingdom of God. When we are baptized, we are spiritually "born of water" and begin our new life with a clean slate. After Jesus' death, He was buried. When we are baptized, we obey the gospel as we identify and participate in His burial. That's why the Bible says in Colossians 2:12 that we are "buried with Him in baptism."

RESURRECTION - HOLY GHOST

Old Testament prophets foretold that God would one day pour out His Spirit upon all people. The fulfillment of that prophesy came to pass on what's referred to as the Day of Pentecost. Acts 2:1-4 describes this supernatural miracle that took place as people were filled with God's Spirit for the very first time ever. The promise of His Spirit is still being fulfilled today just like in the book of Acts! People still receive the Holy Ghost accompanied by the sign of speaking in other tongues (or, a language unknown to the one speaking). Again, it should be no surprise because Jesus promised in Mark 16:17 that one sign of believers would be that they would "speak in new tongues." Jesus also told His disciples just prior to the Day of Pentecost that they would "receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you." Romans 8:11 tells us that the Spirit of God that raised Jesus' dead body from the grave is the same Spirit that can dwell in us today. It's that power that resurrects our old, dead life of sin and transforms it into one of righteousness, peace and joy. When we receive the Holy Ghost, we complete our born again experience by being "born of Spirit," as Jesus commanded in John 3:5. By receiving the Holy Ghost, we obey the gospel as we identify and participate in the resurrection of Jesus!