Mat 3:11-12; Resurrected and Alive Now. What a Life!

Class Outline:

                                              Wednesday January 10, 2024

 

Idea 1 (MAT 3:11-12): Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit in order to gather His grain into the barn (KOH).

 

MAT 3:11-12

"As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 "His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

 

Idea (ROM 6:1-7): God baptized us with the Holy Spirit into the death and resurrection of Christ so that we would live righteously. 

 

People work during the day to live (for a living) so that they can give themselves things that fill them with death at night (day, night, sober, drunk, light darkness). 

 

1TH 5:5-6

you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.

Why is it important to live righteously? 

Righteousness is the way of the new life which God went to great lengths to give us. 

 

Christ said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” That way is the path of righteousness - the character or quality of being right or just.

 

The greatest act of the righteousness of God for us what the death of Christ and our salvation through faith in Him (ROM 3:25-26).

 

Righteousness is a part of God’s holiness (justice and righteousness). If we’re honest we are fearful of God’s holiness.

 

REV 22:12

“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done [as are his works].”

 

The key to a life of good works (righteousness) is loving to do them, which will come to you when you comprehend the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  

 

What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

Entrance into Christ and into His death.

 

ROM 6:3

Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?

 

Implication:

We died to sin.

We become convinced that we should not continue in sin.

 

ROM 6:1-3

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?

 

MAR 15:44-45

Pilate wondered if He was dead by this time, and summoning the centurion, he questioned him as to whether He was already dead. 45 And ascertaining this from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.

 

Christ was proven to be dead and so was buried. Our burial with Him is proof that our old nature has been fully crucified.

 

JOH 19:32-35

So the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first man and of the other who was crucified with Him; 33 but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. 35 And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe.

 

The baptism of the Holy Spirit enters you into His death and burial.

 

ROM 6:3-4

Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death,

 

Implications:

Burial is proof of finality of death.

Nothing of the old self was saved.

 

Even that, however, was not enough for God; not enough for His desire for you.

 

ROM 6:4

Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

 

If we died with Him, were buried with Him, and are raised with Him - we should walk (live out our lives) in newness of Christ’s life.

 

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a doctrine with such impact that it should not surprise us that Satan has heavily attacked it.

 

“The astonishing thing, however, is that a subject of such

momentous importance, with such far-reaching effects upon

Christian position and practice, should suffer so woefully at

the hands of both its enemies and friends.” [Merrill Unger]

 

“Since by the Spirit’s baptism the greatest transformations are wrought in behalf of the believer, it is to be expected that Satan, the enemy of God, will do all within his power to distract, misdirect, and confuse investigation respecting this specific ministry of the Holy Spirit.

This harm Satan has been permitted to do. Not only is there need that all the false conceptions be corrected which have reached the masses of unsuspecting people, but special attention is demanded on the part of those who would be instructed lest they themselves fail to comprehend the precise truth which the doctrine embraces. No further explanation than the influence of Satan is needed for the otherwise inexplicable disarrangement and ignorance of, together with a corresponding prejudice toward, this specific doctrine. It is the strategic point at which Satan can accomplish most in obliterating the effect of the present truth. This nullifying of the truth is seen in at least three most important fields of doctrine, namely, the believer’s positions and standing in Christ, his eternal security, and the ground of the only effective motive for a God-honoring daily life.” [L. S. Chafer]

 

ROM 6:4

Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that (hina) as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

 

Why raised through “glory?”

Jesus does the ultimate act that glorifies the Father (JOH 12:28).

 

Implications: 

Living righteously is not automatic, but highly motivated. 

 

Christianity is a brand-new life with Him.

(Rom 8; 12-15; COL 3:12-4:5)

 

Rise to the challenge. Stop thinking that the old flesh and world are going to provide your needs. They never did before and now you’ve been crucified to them - dead to sin! Only foolish Christians attempt to live two lives with two masters.

 

Every tree that doesn’t bear fruit is cut down - instead of the fruit of the Spirit there is Jam 2 death. 

JAM 2:26

faith without works is dead.

 

Why should I be righteous?

You went into the tomb with Him and were raised with Him - you are to live like Him. You have no other option. He will not allow you another, for He loves you too much.