What It Means
Immersion into a watery "grave" is a deep spiritual symbolism which signifies the actual, LITERAL BURYING of the old self — YOU — the way you HAVE BEEN, and the resurrection of a NEW YOU — now conquered by God, surrendered to God, meekly and humbly CHILD-like in your obedience and TRUST in Him as your Living Savior.
"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 [the former "you"] might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin" (Rom. 6:3-6).
Paul explained this principle further when he said, "For I was alive without the law once [without a knowledge of the law]: but when the commandment came [to his consciousness — so he became aware of what sin was] sin revived [he was able to see clearly that he was a great sinner] AND I DIED!" (Rom. 7:9). Paul said, "For sin, taking occasion by the commandment [being brought to light for what it was by the laws of God] deceived me, and by it SLEW me. Wherefore [because God's Law had shown him he was a sinner] the law is HOLY, and the commandment HOLY, and JUST, and good!" (Rom. 7:11-12)
A Change of Mind
The Apostle Paul was a true Christian. He had the Spirit of God, which is promised to everyone who will literally lay down his life, and surrender the self-will, performing the ordinance of baptism, and coming to God's throne of grace as a meek child. Paul said, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me" (Gal. 2:20).
After REPENTING, and being baptized, which symbolizes the BURYING of the old carnal self, which was formerly HOSTILE toward God — the Holy Spirit is then implanted within your mind, and CHANGES your mind. Jesus Christ begins to motivate your thoughts, guide and direct your every action —LIVE His LIFE over again, WITHIN YOU!
And He does it through the power of God's Holy Spirit!
This is a great mystery to most human beings — and yet, the Spirit of God MUST enter our CARNAL minds to change those minds, and make them yielding, humble, and obedient to God, where they had been hostile, antagonistic, resentful, and bitter toward our Creator!
The receiving of God's Spirit to change human nature is the receiving of an outside POWER — a begettal which makes us His sons!
A Changed Attitude
If you are a true Christian, you will not be able to blindly follow the customs and practices of this society any further. Instead, you will begin asking, "What is God's will, what does God say about it?" And you will begin to SEARCH THE BIBLE TO GET TO KNOW the will of God.
Your outlook and attitude will gradually become Christ-like. You will begin saying, with Christ, "Nevertheless not my will, but THY will, be done!"
Where you formerly "went along with the crowd" in social activities, in customs of dress, in business practices, you will then begin to question the ways of the crowd. You will want to first ascertain what God's will is concerning these ways of life!
THAT IS THE DEFINITION OF A CHRISTIAN!
A Christian is a person who LIVES BY EVERY WORD OF GOD!
"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4). So said your Savior! But are most professing Christians really LIVING by every WORD of God?
Not so! Most professing Christians do not even know a small portion of what the Word of God says! It is because they don't STUDY the Bible, and begin to drink in of the Word of God that they gullibly swallow and accept whatever others say and believe!
What It Means to You
A Christian, then, is CONQUERED by God. His carnal will is broken! He realizes he has SINNED! Sin is any action that is contrary to the LAWS of God (I John 3:4). He then CRIES OUT to God and asks for forgiveness for those sins, and a lifting of the death penalty, which every sin brings (Rom. 6:23). He accepts God's promise of forgiveness, on faith, by accepting the sacrifice of Christ, accepting Jesus' death in place of his own. The Christian then takes the ordinance of baptism which shows God he really means it.
He expects God to stand back of His promise to give him the Holy Spirit, as a result of the REPENTANCE and the baptism which God demands.
THEN — AND NEVER UNTIL THEN — WILL YOU BECOME A TRUE CHRISTIAN.
Finally, you will begin to practice as a HABIT, the very life of Christ. "He that saith, 'I know him,' and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him" (I John 2:4). "He that saith he abideth in him [is a Christian] ought himself also so to walk [LIVE], even as He [Christ] walked" (I John 2:6).
The true Christian, who has REALLY repented, will LIVE as Christ lived! He will keep the LAWS of God, being obedient to God in every way, and becoming a recipient of the great HAPPINESS and tremendous BLESSINGS that come with that obedience!
"For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps" (I Peter 2:21).
CHECK UP on yourself!
Study these scriptures in your own Bible. Many of you THINK you are already "saved" and that you are already good Christians! But "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" (I Cor. 10:12).
Remember, to "examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is IN you, except ye be reprobates?" (II Cor. 13:5).
Serve Christ — OBEY Christ — LIVE as Christ lived, FOLLOW Christ, IMITATE CHRIST!
THAT IS WHAT IT MEANS to give yourself to Him!
Self-Sacrifice
All the practical side of religion is summed up in the exhortation of Paul, that we present our bodies a living sacrifice to God. Anciently, a man brought a lamb and presented it to God, laid it on the altar to be consumed by God's fire. In like manner we are to present our bodies. The first thing is not to be a worker, a preacher, a saver of souls; the very first thing in a Christian life is to present one's self — to God, to lay one's self on the altar. We need to understand this. It is easier to talk and work for Christ than to give ourselves to Him. It is easier to offer God a few activities than to surrender our lives to Him.
But the heart must be first, else even the largest gifts and services are not acceptable.
"Tis not thy work the Master needs, but thee, The obedient spirit, the believing heart."
"A living sacrifice." A sacrifice is something really given to God, to be His altogether and forever. We cannot take it back. One could not lay a lamb on God's altar, and a minute or two afterward run up and take it off. We cannot be God's today, and our own tomorrow. If we become His at all, in a sacrifice which He accepts, we are His always.
Baptizing Counsel
If YOU are one who really feels you have come to know what real repentance is — and you want to repent, you really WANT TO OBEY GOD — then here is GOOD NEWS!
One way we are prepared to serve YOU that many of you may not realize is this: As a part of the ADULT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM, we now have TRAINED MEN — graduates of AMBASSADOR COLLEGE — available in all parts of the United States, ready to counsel with you PERSONALLY — to answer questions — to help you with any spiritual problems — even to baptize any who are ready for it.
I think that because we say in literature — and you hear on radio — "there is no follow-up — no one will call on you" — many may have MISUNDERSTOOD. What we mean to say to the public is that there will be no follow-up trying to sell them something — we have NOTHING TO SELL. And that giving us their name and address for requested literature, or a subscription (free — already paid) to The PLAIN TRUTH does not mean someone will come knocking uninvited on their door.
We WON'T send anyone to see you, UNWANTED. Not unless you REQUEST IT! BUT, if you would like one of our trained men, graduates of AMBASSADOR COLLEGE, to call and counsel with you about any problems, answer any questions — even explain anything in the Bible, there is such a man NEAR YOU! So PLEASE feel free to invite such a visit. That's what they are there for. And of course you know they have nothing to sell. They won't ask you for money. They won't plead with you — or even urge you to "be converted" or baptized, nor to join anything. Of course, if you WANT and request help in finding God and letting Christ REALLY come into your heart and life, they are fully qualified to HELP. But they will not try to shove anything on you. They are qualified to EXPLAIN the Bible if you ask but never will they argue. Actually most of them are consecrated and ordained ministers. They, and we here at Headquarters of this great Work want only to HELP — to SERVE. We count it a PRIVILEGE to do so.
But remember — if you're not sure, then read this article again.