Baptized Into Christ

Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

So much confusion has been wrought by misapplying the meaning of "baptized" in this and other verses in scripture. A basic rule of interpretation instructs us to give priority to the most basic and obvious meaning of a word rather than to give it a spiritual application. This phrase "baptized into Christ" has been skewed by many religions. One interpretation is that we are baptized in water "into" Christ, meaning that we are saved through the operation of baptism. Another interpretation is that we are baptized "into" Christ in a spiritual way; that is, we are saved by our being baptized (dipped) with Christ, not in a literal way in water, but by being buried with Christ when he was buried and resurrected when he was resurrected. But this not only puts salvation in the wrong place in time, but it uses a Protestant-invented theory that has been used against immersion for baptism [see Graves-Ditzler Debate, et al].

To be "baptized into Christ" means to be baptized in water (which is the basic and obvious meaning of the word baptize) in relationship to Christ; that is, we are baptized in water because Christ died, was buried, and resurrected. Baptism is a wonderful picture, a type, a figure of the very act of the Gospel, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:1-4; 1 Peter 3:21).

This baptism in water is a prerequisite to being a member of a local church, and the churches of Galatia were all local assemblies -- 1 Cor. 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether [we be] Jews or Gentiles, whether [we be] bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. We are baptized in water in relationship to one body, which is a local church.

Now in being baptized into Christ, we have put on Christ, which means that we have identified ourselves with Christ as our Savior and Lord publicly, as when putting on a uniform. He is the head of each local church, and he instructs us through his word by the work of the Holy Spirit. We should all, then, surrender to his leading and submit to his orders. We put on Christ by being a member of a Bible-centered local church and working through that church to bring honor to God and his Son, Jesus Christ.

So, before thee, Lord, empty hands we bring.
Fill them with your perfect will.
As members of your local church,
Our sullen hearts your Spirit fill.
--//--

Children of God By Faith

Galatians 3:26

The simplicity of this passage should allow no doubt in the mind of any reader that salvation is by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8-9). For those who desire to append baptism or the works of the law, this terse and forceful statement should suffice to quell the slightest belief to the contrary.

God has made the Gospel plain in his word, and the requirement of those who are born again is only that they believe. Now, for those who would say that this is too easy, the reminder remains that this faith is not a carnal or human faith but one that is given by the grace of God. The popular verses of Eph. 2:8-9 let us know that faith is a gift, and also Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith . . . . Also, the Bible teaches us in Heb. 10:39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Yes, we are the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, but we must understand that the carnal mind cannot attain to this divine adoption of the children of God. Rom. 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

There is no salvation until there is a genuine giving of life to the sinner. This regeneration is the power of God using the Gospel to bring a lost sinner to His saving knowledge. What a true and blessed relationship this is between the sinner and God! The sinner's faith is genuine, and God's grace is genuine; but both must be intact and exercised before true salvation can be had.

Christ Jesus, then, is the object of this faith, for this faith is "in Christ Jesus." With our faith locked in to Jesus Christ, we can be assured that this object will not fail us and that we will be saved unto the uttermost (Heb. 7:25).

Soul's salvation, grand and sweet
Procured through faith at Jesus' feet
Drawn up from our Savior's love
Accomplished in His realm above.

Sovereign Savior, giver of life
Stand with God where grace is rife.
Settle His cause, accuse no more
Faith procured by Calvary's sore.

From The Mountain Top

By Pastor Dr. Ronnie Wolfe
Funeral Poem For Stan Garrison
October 8, 2011 – Shelbyville, Kentucky


From the top of the mountain I look below
To see life’s journey to and fro.
I notice there a cruel thing
As the west winds blow and the sparrows sing.

When comes forth life from the mother’s womb,
So quickly follows the cold, cold tomb.
How short this life with its ups and downs
As goes its way like circus clowns.

I grieve as I see my comrades pass
But I thrill when they leave this world first class.
They leave this world from the broken sod
To a city whose builder and maker is God.

And wait there anxious to see our face
Who’ve been redeemed by amazing grace.
And great reunion we’ll enjoy
And to our God rich hymns employ.

From the mountain top I look on high
To that great hope beyond the sky
And look to Christ, my greatest end
And there unite with this my friend.

The Law Is Our Schoolmaster

Galatians 3:24-25

The schoolmaster, or tutor, in its proper use and administration is only temporary; for every child grows to maturity and then goes on without a schoolmaster to carry on the more mature ventures and qualities of life. Therefore, the law of Moses was also a temporary restraint to the Jews that they would know righteousness and holiness only through signs, symbols, types, and ordinances.

The Jews, in their former position before Christ came, performed the commandments of the law, both ceremonial and moral, in order to be refrained from the conduct and attitudes of the Gentiles. They were God's chosen people, and they were to be separate.

They, however, did not understand the mystery of the Gospel until Jesus, their Messiah, had come and done his duty as High Priest, taught them verbally, and sent the Holy Spirit to lead them into all truth. When the Messiah came, he was to fulfill all the ceremonial law and meet the demands of the moral law. When, in his redemptive work on Calvary, Jesus brought to nothing the need for the law to be a schoolmaster, it was "done away" (See 2 Cor. 3:7, 11, 14).

Christ's fulfilling the law manifested that our justification is not by the law but completely by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8-9). The schoolmaster simply brought men up to the point where Christ was to be given as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins: the law pointed to Christ all along the way until Christ fulfilled the law. Then the law was no longer a necessary witness, but Christ himself became our witness through the Holy Spirit.

Before faith comes, we are all under the schoolmaster; for the law is the only instrument that we have to restrain our actions and to produce any level of guilt in our conscience. But after faith comes, we are no longer under the schoolmaster (the law) because of Christ: Heb 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.

Thus, by faith we are the children of God and not by the law. Acts 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

In Memory

By Pastor Dr. Ronnie Wolfe, 5-27-2010

A nation built by death and tears
Has come to lax throughout the years
And, cumbered with so many things,
Listens not as the sparrow sings.

She dances in the dark of night,
Entertains her friends till light,
Sleeps till noon in light of day,
And throws her memories far away.

Remembers not the battle cry,
The swords, the planes in the warrior sky,
Nor thinks of men who gave their lives,
The wounds on which this country thrives.

Look back again, my country fair
At noble men out there somewhere,
Who gave it all for thee to live,
For younger ones their lives to give.

Now sits a country tilting free
Upon the fulcrum all can see.
Which way to turn to set us free?
Forget not “sea to shining sea.”

Free From The Law, Oh Happy Condition

Galatians 3:23

Before Faith Came

Instead of Christ, the object of our faith, and instead of the doctrine of faith, as is mentioned by John Gill, this is saving faith in my opinion. Everyone, whosoever he may be who is saved by the grace of God was sometime in the past without faith, had no hope, and was without God in the world (Eph. 2:12). Each one of us had to wait until faith came to us, for faith is the object of God's grace, the result of his great love for us, a divine fruit of the Spirit of God (Gal. 5:22). Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

We Were Kept Under The Law

In ancient times slaves were used in the daytime sometimes to turn the mill, but they were not free. At night they were put down into a pit, and a grinding stone was put over the pit to prevent their escape. They continued to be slaves until they were redeemed or set free from their slavery. Also, as a soldier, the slaves were guarded from escape, keeping each slave on guard against a resistance to the law of his owner. So, the law of God kept watch over us before faith came to us. We were guarded and made responsible for each and every law issued forth by God and were due condemnation for each error made against the law.

Shut Up Unto The Faith Which Should Afterwards Be Revealed

But the law cannot condemn a man who has been set free from the condemnation of the law. The law has no more control over him, but his Redeemer is his lawyer, his teacher, his comforter, and his Master. To every believer this faith was to be revealed. This faith came after the law had condemned us and had shut us up; but Christ broke through the chains of the law and gave us faith by measure (Romans 12:3).

Jesus Christ has set us free; we are no longer under the law but under grace (Romans 6:14-15). Jesus Christ was made "under the law" (Gal. 4:4) so that he might redeem us who were under the law (Gal. 4:5). Therefore, we are free from the law, "oh happy condition." Being led by the Spirit of God, we are not under the law, guarded by it, or condemned by it (See Gal. 5:18; Romans 8:1).

No on Post

I am sorry that I have not been on post lately. I have been busy preparing for two classes to be taught online this fall for Antioch Baptist College. I will be teaching Ecclesiology and Anthropology this fall. If you are interested in taking the classes, please respond to this post. I hope soon to continue on the book of Galatians. Thanks, everyone, for reading.