KNOW YE NOT?* Baptized Into Christ *

KNOW YE NOT?*
*By Pastor Marvin Duncan*

* *
*Part 1. - The Book Of Romans *
*Part 1 of 2*
*
There are many things the apostle Paul would have the members of the
Body of Christ know and in our last study we saw some of the things he
would not have us to be ignorant of concerning this dispensation of the
Grace of God. Today, I would like for us to consider a phrase used by
the Apostle Paul to call attention to something that is very important
for all of God's redeemed of this dispensation to know. That phrase is,
"KNOW YE NOT." As Paul presented the message of the Mystery to the
different Gentile congregations, he expected them to grasp everything he
taught about God's program for today. Yet, after Paul left these
different areas, he received word that some of the Saints had not fully
understood what he had taught, or they had neglected to put into
practice some area of teaching that was necessary if these Saints were
to walk well pleasing to our Lord. When writing to these congregations
after hearing of their failure to live up to the teachings he had given
them, Paul brings up these different doctrinal points by challenging his
readers with the phrase, "KNOW YE NOT." He then proceeds to repeat the
doctrine they were failing to put into practice in their personal lives.

In the Book of Romans we have three subjects that are introduced with
the phrase, "KNOW YE NOT." Let us look at these passages and see if we
can gain a fuller insight into Paul's teachings concerning the message
of the Mystery which had been "HID IN GOD" (Ephesians 3:9) and "KEPT
SECRET, SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN" (Romans 16:25).

*
*Baptized Into Christ *
*
Not only did the Saints of Paul's day lack a good understanding of the
doctrine of baptism, many today are confused about what Paul taught in
Romans 6:3, when he wrote:

"KNOW YE NOT, THAT SO MANY OF US AS WERE BAPTIZED INTO JESUS CHRIST WERE
BAPTIZED INTO HIS DEATH?"

There are many Christians today who believe a water ceremony is being
spoken of in this Romans 6:3 passage. Paul would not be talking about a
water ceremony here because he had already taught that Water Baptism was
not to be practiced in this dispensation of the Grace of God (First
Corinthians 1:17). Water Baptism was given to the nation of Israel as a
ceremony that identified the recipient into the Priesthood. In as much
as there is no priesthood for the Body of Christ, there is no water
ceremony to be practiced today in this dispensation of the Grace of God.

A majority of the problems surrounding the subject of BAPTISM would be
answered if we recognized the fact that BAPTISM is a Greek word that has
been inserted in our English text. If we are to understand what the
writers of Scripture meant when they spoke of Baptism, let us use the
English word, IDENTIFY or IDENTIFICATION, when we see this Greek word in
our English text. In every place where the subject of Baptism is spoken
of, we will find some kind of identification being referred to. This can
be seen in Romans 6:3 if we use our English word, IDENTIFIED, in place
of the Greek word, BAPTIZED. In this passage, Paul is talking about our
oneness with Christ. The doctrine that had been missed by these Roman
Saints was the fact that when Christ died on Calvary's Cross, God saw
every believer as having died with Him there. It is this identification
with Christ that gives us the power to overcome Sin. Not only were we
identified with Christ in His death, we were also identified into His
burial and His resurrection. This is why Paul encourages the Saints to
live the resurrected life right now. (Romans 6:3-6).

Paul wanted these Saints at Rome (and all the members of the Body of
Christ) to know that we already have the victory over sin. Because of
our having died with Christ, Sin no longer has any claim upon us. Sin
cannot dictate to, or exercise control over, a dead person. This is
Paul's point in this Romans six passage. Since every believer died with
Christ, and because of this death Sin has no claim upon, or power over,
those who are IN CHRIST, why is it that so many Christians are not free
from sin in their lives? The answer is simple. These Saints whose lives
are weakened by sin have never understood the teaching of Romans 6:3.
They do not know that Sin no longer has any authority over their lives.
They have never put into practice the truth of Romans 13:14, where Paul
said:

"PUT YE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND MAKE NOT PROVISION FOR THE FLESH,
TO FULFILL THE LUSTS THEREOF."

Because most Saints do not know that Sin is powerless due to our death
WITH CHRIST, they ALLOW Sin to work in their lives. They even make
allowances for sin in their lives by saying, "I can't help doing the
things I do because this is the way God made me." This statement is just
an excuse to satisfy the desires of the flesh and blame God for their
actions.