Title: We were baptized
Contents
6:5 Those who are united with Christ
Those who have received forgiveness of sins through Christ's death on the cross will have hope through Christ's resurrection.
When 'Polycarp' was about to be martyred at the age of 90, the executioner told him that if he denied Jesus even now, he would make him safe. But 'Polycarp' said, 'In my ninety years of life, there was never a time when the Lord did not love me, so I cannot reject the Lord.'
In general, to be associated with something means to be completely one with it. Therefore, depending on what a person is associated with, his life and death are different. Those who unite with evil companions lead a life that defiles their good deeds (1 Corinthians 15:33), and those united with idols suffer for the rest of their lives and are eventually rejected by God (Hos. 4:17). Therefore, believers must forsake the things of the world and unite only with the good and faithful Christ.
How should a baptized person live?
1. We are united to Christ through the cross.
If you look at the words of the text, it is said that by imitating the death of Christ, the saints have become united with Christ (verse 5).
1) You must first deny yourself in order to be united with Christ.
The first meaning of the cross is self-denial.
When Christ came into the world, he was despised, humiliated, and put to shame.
And he was put to death on the cross. Because Christ completely denied Himself. Therefore, those who wish to be united to Christ must first deny themselves. This is imitating the cross of Christ.
2) You must sacrifice for others.
Christ sacrificed for sinners, for the suffering, for the sick, for the oppressed and marginalized. Therefore, in order to imitate the cross of Christ and be united with him, we must sacrifice ourselves for our weak neighbors and for righteousness and truth.
2. Union with Christ through His Resurrection.
To imitate the death of Christ is the way of suffering and trial, but through the resurrection they will receive the reward of glory that is united with Christ. Resurrection is the restoration of glory and restoration of God's original form. Therefore, to be united with Christ in imitation of the resurrection is the way of salvation and the way of true life. In this way, God has opened the way of true life to those who are united with Christ. Therefore, as those who were baptized, we must live a new life. We must live with the hope of resurrection.
3. Become a minister of the gospel to evangelize.
Those who are united with Christ by imitation of Christ's death and resurrection become ministers of the gospel.
What we must do as God's servants by being baptized
It is to spread the 'Gospel' to the world and cause those who hear it to repent.
So we need to baptize everyone in the world and make them ministers of the gospel too.
It is the duty and mission of us who were baptized to preach and evangelize.
May 27th is the Sunday of all mobilization evangelism feast!
Let's all evangelize me, one person, you one person
Take time to pray earnestly for the evangelism target you have decided on.