Dying with Jesus
Devotions with Pastor Jason Lim

You have probably heard about water baptisms. They are joyful celebrations where a believer publicly declares their new life in Jesus Christ by being immersed in water. But a greater kind of baptism is revealed when Apostle Paul writes: "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?" (Romans 6:3)

The word 'baptized' here does not refer to water baptism. It speaks instead of the incredible spiritual reality that took place on the day we received Christ as Saviour. The spiritual reality of being immersed, joined and united to Jesus in an inseparable union. The mystery of this union is that we are joined into Jesus' death. But what does this mean? 

When Jesus died for me, He saved me from the penalty of sin. I was to be punished in hell forever, but Jesus took the punishment on my behalf and became my substitute. However, not only did Jesus die for me, but I also died with Him. I am so united with Jesus that when He died, I died with him and was baptized into His death. Although Jesus died some 2000 years ago, I died with him. My old self is nailed together with Jesus to the cross. I am now set free from bondage to sin. 

Christian living begins with the understanding that I died with Christ. He has thus set me free from the authority of sin, for I have died to the authority of sin. Moreover, because I am united also in His new life, I will have new desires and a new delight in the Word of God. The grace of God thus sets me free, not to live as I please, but to live as God pleases.