Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years (Revelation 20:6).
Today's Morsel: Have you partaken of that first resurrection yet? You see, some people say that you do not need to be baptized in Jesus name to be saved. But have they missed the point? Simon Peter, the one given the keys to the kingdom, wrote, "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 3:21). Notice, if we were to remove the phrase in parenthesis, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) this scripture would read: "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." Comments or words placed in a sentence in parenthesis are usually for emphasis or clarification. The apostle Paul wrote to the church at Rome: "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:1-11). Baptism in Jesus Name is our burial with Him into His death. And when you come up out of that watery grave, you are to walk in newness of life. You died to the world and you buried the old man and his sinful nature. Therefore, you are to be a blessed and holy people and your next death will have no power over you. But on the other hand, if you have not been baptized in Jesus name, that old sinful nature still has control over you and your second death will have power over you as well, as sin cannot enter there. Easter is the best time of the year to bring your life into compliance and a strong relationship with Jesus. And it begins the same way it did on the Day of Pentecost when they said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call" (Acts 2:37-39). Have you partaken of the first resurrection? Until you do, sin is going to have control over you.
Sing: To be like Jesus! To be like Jesus! On earth I long, to be like Him. All through life's journey, from earth to glory, I only ask to be like Him.
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