Baptism—Put Off the Old Man and Put On the New

David W Palmer

(Matthew 28:19–20 NKJV) “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, {20} teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you …”

The four gospels each contain unique aspects of Jesus’s commission to his graduating class of apprentices. Both Matthew and Mark mention baptism. We can see from this how crucial it is; the willingness to submit to baptism demonstrates faith in Jesus and his right to rule us; it is the foremost outcome of confessing him as Lord. Therefore, it is an essential aspect of salvation—where baptism is practical and available. (For example, a person confined to bed or on death row may not be able to receive full immersion, but their willingness even to be sprinkled at that time may reflect the same heart as someone else submitting to full immersion.)

Obedience to baptism may come before complete understanding of all it stands for; but thankfully, the faith and understanding that come later can be applied retroactively to the previous obedient act of baptism. So, let’s look today at some more of the truths about baptism that were revealed by the Holy Spirit—well after Jesus commanded obedience to it:

(Galatians 3:27 NKJV) “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

Yesterday, we looked at putting off the “old man” through identifying with Jesus’s death in baptism. In this passage, we see the next step: “have put on Christ!” Putting off the old nature is the first step; but to let Christ live through you fully, you have to put on the new nature—completely. Amazingly, if you have taken the first step of obedience by being baptized, this verse is saying that you have put on Christ. Now, beyond this first step of putting him on through obedience to baptism, we need to apply the same principle to every area of our lives:

(Ephesians 4:22–24 NKJV) “That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, {23} and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, {24} and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”

God created this “new man” with his holiness and righteousness built in. He is a product of God’s miracle power; the Holy Spirit says, “If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17 NKJV). This means that when we identify with Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection in baptism, God raises us to life with Jesus through a resurrection from our death “in him.” 

However, the person he resurrects with Jesus is not the same one who died; he is a brand new creation. When we have committed to God that we will no longer give expression to our old nature, he gives us a new one to express—a new person that he created just like himself:

(Romans 8:29 APE) And those … he also fashioned in the likeness of the image of his Son .…

Renewing Our Mind to Our New Nature

(Colossians 3:9–10 NKJV) “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, {10} and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.”

The key is to remember this amazing truth: we don’t have to improve ourselves by strenuous self-effort; we can now simply put off the old nature and put on the new one. Applying this truth is the best way to deal with temptation etc. Instead of wrestling with the old nature’s weakness, sin-tendency, or lusts; simply put him off, and put on the new nature/man! This is part of renewing your mind to the truth of God’s new creation. Hence, the phrase in the above verse: “renewed in knowledge.” This fits perfectly with the statement in verse 23 below:

(Ephesians 4:22–24 NKJV) That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, {23} and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, {24} and t

Baptism—Identifying with Jesus’s Death, Burial, and Resurrection

David W Palmer

(Matthew 28:19–20 NKJV) “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, {20} teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you …”

When Jesus gave this commission to his apostles—about making disciples and baptizing them—the full revelation of baptism’s meaning hadn’t been released. That came later as the Holy Spirit revealed it to Paul. Meanwhile, people submitted to baptism simply because Jesus said they should—obedience before understanding. Decades later, the apostle Paul recorded the revelation he received from heaven; it gives deeper meaning and understanding to baptism—the first commanded act of obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ:

(Romans 6:1–5 NKJV) “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? {2} Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? {3} Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? {4} Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. {5} For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.”

Public Baptism identifies us with four key aspects of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ: his death, burial, resurrection, and being seen of witnesses:

(1 Corinthians 15:1–5 NKJV) “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, {2} by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you; unless you believed in vain. {3} For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, {4} and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, {5} and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.”

1. Baptized into his death

(Romans 6:3 NKJV) “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?”

Baptism is a means of identifying with Jesus’s death. The reason for this is that by being baptized, we are committing ourselves to turning completely from our old life. So much so, that our old life will be dead. That is, our old sinful nature will no longer have any expression through our physical body.

This “death,” however, is not automatic. We do not annihilate the sinful nature out of existence at our baptism, (so that we will never have to deal with it again). On the contrary, death in the Bible doesn’t mean annihilation; it refers to separation from the means of expression. For example: 

(James 2:26 NKJV) “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

In this Scripture, we can see that death occurs when the spirit is separated from the body. This renders the spirit unable to express himself in the physical realm. Death to our old sinful nature is the same; it occurs when the old man can no longer express himself through our body. This happens when we deny him any more opportunities to do his will through us. We can only achieve this with God’s help, of course—by putting faith in his promise that Jesus crucified us with himself, and that he has raised us to newness of life in him:

(Romans 6:6 NKJV) “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.”

(Galatians 2:20 NKJV) “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

2. Buried with him

(Rom 6:4 NKJV)

(Col 2:12 NKJV)

Baptism—Obedience to a New Government

David W Palmer

(Matthew 28:19–20 NKJV) “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, {20} teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you …”

We have already seen that Jesus—the living, anointed Word of God—has all authority. The word is where the authority is, and that is why Jesus immediately said to go and teach the word, or make disciples with it. Then he says to baptize them, “Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” Jesus gave us many commands and directives. For example:

• You must be born again
• Turn the other cheek
• Go the extra mile
• Pray in secret
• Love one another
• Bear fruit that remains
• Enter through the narrow gate, etc.

Along with this list, we simply cannot ignore Jesus’s instructions about baptism, as echoed by Peter:

(Mark 16:16 NKJV) “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”

(Acts 2:38 NKJV) “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Peter’s first instruction to new believers was, “Repent.” Repentance is a radical change of thinking in the depth of your being that leads to a change of actions. When we meet the Lord Jesus and put our entire trust in him, we are literally entrusting ourselves to a new Lord—a different governor or government. Prior to this, we were under Satan’s kingdom—even though we may have thought we were under our own kingdom:

(Colossians 1:12–13 NKJV) “Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. {13} He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.”

Why is baptism so important in relation to this change of government? Among other things, because it’s the first acid test of who now is in control of your life. If you immediately obey Jesus’s command to be baptized, you have made the first step into a life of submission to Jesus as your Lord. After all, obedience to him is a prerequisite for eternal salvation:

(Hebrews 5:9 NKJV) And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.

We note that Satan—and therefore those under his control—refuses to confess Jesus as his (their) Lord:

(1 Corinthians 12:3 NKJV) Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

Peter took Jesus’s instruction about commanding new disciples to be baptized very seriously; he applied it at the first opportunity he had—the day of Pentecost:

(Acts 2:38 NLT) Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Peter was very direct: “Each of you must repent … turn to God … be baptized.” When you repent of going your own way, and when you believe in Jesus to the extent that you willingly trust him enough to obey him wholeheartedly, then baptism is the act of submission that outwardly shows it. 

Peter clearly links baptism with repentance, submission, and forgiveness. In other words, it is only as you receive Jesus as Lord by believing his authoritative word, confessing him, and submitting to him that you change government and your sin is dealt with (Heb. 5:9). Therefore, we can truly see that baptism in obedience to Jesus is a “baptism of repentance.” It is a symbol of turning from the old life of sin that is independent from him, to a life of complete faith in him. This is because it is the first step of obedience to the Lordship of Jesus.

When Ananias instructed Paul to be baptized, he put it in different words:

(Acts 22:16 NKJV) “And now why are you wait

Gospel Stages - David W Palmer

Steps in Getting to Know Jesus

The Triumph of Truth to Complete and Eternal Sovereignty

David W Palmer

(Matthew 28:18–19 MKJV) And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority is given to Me in Heaven and in earth. {19} Therefore go and teach all nations …”

After Jesus rose from the dead, he commissioned his apprentices to teach his truth to, and to make disciples of, all nations. This is Matthew’s account of their (our) commission in fulfilling his mandate to restore all of created reality to right relationship with God.

During the 3½ years of his pre-cross ministry, Jesus had focused only on the small region around geographical Israel. But Father’s mission for him—through his trainees and delegates—is to reach the whole world, and to subdue it to God’s kingdom reign:

(1 Corinthians 15:25, 28 NLT) For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. ... {28} Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere.

Jesus’s ministry revolutionized the area in which he walked. But after his resurrection, he wanted the sphere of his influence to go worldwide until everything is subdued to his rule. What is his rule like?

(John 18:33, 36 NKJV) Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” ... {36} Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

In this exchange, Jesus clearly confessed that he was a king; he used the phrase, “My kingdom.” However, he also revealed that he wasn’t the normal earthly kind of king that Pilate was familiar with: “If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight.” Jesus’s kingdom is not of this world or its weapons. He went on to explain the nature of his kingdom and its warfare:

(John 18:37 NKJV) Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

Jesus’s kingdom rules over those people who are submitted to the truth. After all, he said earlier that he is “the truth” along with “the life” and “the way” (John 14:6). Kings of Bible times were primarily the leaders of a military who could protect their subjects, defend their realm, and procure provision. Jesus’s emphasis on “the truth” implied that he could do all of this through his “voice.” 

Without doubt, he demonstrated this adequately in the 3½ years of his pre-cross ministry: by using his voice to release God’s living word he fed the multitudes; he rescued them from enemy invasion by expelling demons and healing sicknesses; and he trained and equipped them to defend themselves through his preaching and teaching of the truth, etc.

This implies that all of the warfare surrounding Jesus’s kingdom is a war centered on the truth. His enemies try to subvert his kingdom rule with the weapons of propaganda, deception, and false accusation. Through the apostle Paul, the Holy Spirit spoke of this war:

(2 Corinthians 10:3–5 NKJV) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. {4} For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, {5} casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

This is why teaching the truth in the authority of the resurrected living Word is so crucial. All authority is in the truth (spoken in love). When we teach and make disciples with the truth, no weapon formed against us can prevail:

(Isaiah 54:17 NKJV)

All Authority Is in the Living Word; Go and Teach Him

David W Palmer

(Matthew 28:18–19 MKJV) And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority is given to Me in Heaven and in earth. {19} Therefore go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

If we condense this verse a little, we see Jesus’s meaning: “All authority is given to me (the Living Anointed Word of God) … therefore go and teach …” Jesus is the living word; he has all the authority that exists. He is far above presidents, demons, physical laws, and all opposition. No weapon formed against him shall prosper. No wonder Jesus tells us to go and teach the word; his word comes to life on earth when we teach, preach, prophesy, confess, obey, and/or pray what he quickens to our spirits. When the word is alive, that’s where the authority is.

Different translations use the phrase, “make disciples,” where this one has the word “teach.” The Greek word behind this means: to disciple, that is, to enroll as a scholar. 

To help us in the process of bringing the whole of created being back under God’s kingdom, Jesus first told us of his achievement in getting “all authority” into the hands of the living Word. Then he said to go and preach it (Mark 16:15) so that those who hear, receive, and believe the gospel can receive the authority to become God’s children:

(John 1:12 APE) But those that received him, to them he gave authority to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his Name.

Peter confirms that it is the authority of the living Word that produces the new birth:

(1 Peter 1:23 NKJV) Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.

Next, Jesus wants us to “enrol” God’s newly born children as scholars. In other words, he wants us to recruit them into a discipleship program like the one into which he enlisted his original twelve followers. Jesus likens this discipleship/learning process to the way farm animals learn; an experienced one and a new one were “yoked” together in a very close pairing or relationship:

(Matthew 11:29–30 DKJV) “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am meek and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. {30} For my yoke is good, useful and kind, and my burden is light [and easy to carry].”

Jesus wants us to focus this discipleship on learning about him, the living Word of God: learning in the classroom and on-the-job, learning to be like Jesus, learning to minister like him, and learning to walk in the Spirit—obeying his illogical instructions. The apostle Paul understood this:

(1 Corinthians 11:1 NKJV) Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

We sometimes feel that Jesus delegated his “all authority” to us when he said, “Go therefore and teach.” But when we look at the rest of our new covenant, we realize that this cannot be exactly what he meant. For example, through the apostle Paul the Holy Spirit said:

(Colossians 3:3 WEB) “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

The emphasis of the New Testament is that we died with Jesus, and a new creation came into being with him at his resurrection. By faith, we receive and appropriate that new creation when we receive the new birth. However, when we surrender completely to the lordship of Jesus and the leading of the Holy Spirit, it renders our own life “hidden”; our life is completely lost in him. Paul explains it best:

(Galatians 2:20 NLT) “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me …”

What Jesus did delegate to us—and this is what makes the “blessing” so powerful—is the right to access the revelation of his word and to speak it. Jesus’s death and resurrection opened the way for those of us who are dead to the old self and alive in him to access God’s throne. Here, we receive fresh revelation or illumination of the writ:

(1 Corinthians 2:9–10 NKJV)

All Authority Is in the Living Word; Give Him Your Priority

David W Palmer

(Matthew 28:18–19 MKJV) And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority is given to Me in Heaven and in earth. {19} Therefore go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus, the living Word of God, died. We note that he died in a very confronting place:

(John 19:17–18 NKJV) And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is where they crucified Him … 

When the living word is forced to go into the place of our skull—representing human intellect and reasoning—he always comes carrying his cross; he knows he will be crucified there. When we receive the all-authoritative living Word into our hearts, we need to love and respect him. Sometimes, when we are sure it’s a word from God, we obey first, understand later. Our role is not to analyze him, scrutinize him, put him on trial, and take him to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to compare and contrast him with natural laws, human logic, or social rules. This process will always kill him. 

Thank God, that even though the living Word may be killed off at times in the place of our skull, he alone has the power of resurrection. However, when he comes back to us alive and in full resurrection authority, like Mary and the disciples, we may not recognize him. So, we need to be sensitive to him and aware of what traits to watch for. From these, we can know if it’s really him: his familiar and friendly voice, his hands and his feet, etc.

Have you received a word from God that was killed off when brought to the place of the skull by you or others—a lost dream, a discarded vision, a ridiculed hope, or a defeated desire? If so, get ready to meet that word again in all of his glorious majesty and authority; he alone has resurrection power that absolutely no person, demon, or stony hard barrier can stop. And when resurrected, he says, “‘All authority is given to me in heaven and on earth, go therefore and teach,’ preach, confess, pray, shout, and whatever else you can do to release my authority into the world.”

When I renew my mind to this amazing truth, I am ready to put my faith in the authoritative word rather than to ask Jesus to do again what he has already done. For example, when Jesus said, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven,” I renew my mind with this truth: the living Word will give me every and all the keys that I need to unlock what is tied up, and to tie down what is running out of control (Mat. 16:19). I then focus on the word—reading it, studying it, listening to it preached, praying it, confessing it, and thanking God for it—until it comes alive in me. Then I release the living Word in commands, prayers, faith confessions, and praise, to accomplish what needs to be done.

(Jeremiah 1:12 MKJV) And Jehovah said to me, “You have seen well; for I will watch over My Word to perform it.”

When God speaks to us—that is, when the word comes alive to us—he has obligated himself to enact it and make it come to pass. Our role is to do as Mary did; sit at Jesus feet and drink in what he says. Jesus said that this is the “one thing” that is “needed”:

(Luke 10:39–42 NKJV) And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word ... “one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Seeing that the living Word has all authority, no wonder Jesus said that the pursuit of it as the “one thing” that is needed. He emphasized this in two of his key parables—the pearl of great price, and the treasure hidden in a field:

(Matthew 13:44–46 NKJV) “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. {45} Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, {46} who, when he had found one p

All Authority in Heaven and on Earth

Encounter, Enter, and Worship; Then Go on Your Assignment

David W Palmer

(Matthew 28:16 NKJV) Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.

When Jesus first appeared to the women, he said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me” (Mat. 28:10 NKJV). This instruction must have been relayed to the eleven remaining disciples, as Matthew records that they obeyed and went.

Obeying and going is crucial. When the women went in obedience to do what the angels told them, they encountered the resurrected Lord Jesus:

(Matthew 28:9 NKJV) And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.

Two other of Jesus’s disciples were simply “going” to Emmaus; but as they went, they began talking about Jesus and the events surrounding his crucifixion. Suddenly, they too encountered the resurrected Lord Jesus:

(Luke 24:13–15 NLT) That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. {14} As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. {15} As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them.

When all the disciples obeyed and went to Galilee—to the exact mountain Jesus had instructed them—they too saw him; they worshipped him. As we are going with the gospel in obedience to the specific instructions God gives us, we too will encounter the resurrected Lord Jesus. Our appropriate response is to worship him:

(Matthew 28:17 NKJV) When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.

“They worshiped him.” This is good and appropriate; but what does it mean when it says, “Some doubted.” Perhaps the Message translation clarifies this for us:

(Matthew 28:16–17 MSG) Meanwhile, the eleven disciples were on their way to Galilee, headed for the mountain Jesus had set for their reunion. The moment they saw him they worshiped him. Some, though, held back, not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally.

The text is not perfectly clear whether the “some” means some of the eleven, or whether it simply means some other observers. But we certainly see that despite a personal encounter with the resurrected Lord Jesus, not all are fully convinced. Even when some see and know that Jesus is alive—and even when they have had direct and personal encounters with him—that doesn’t mean that they will instantly and willingly surrender all to him. Such is the reality of our own free-will and double-mindedness; we can all be caught deciding between humbly and completely surrendering ourselves to Jesus, versus a fear-led, pride-filled holding of ourselves back. Like Lucifer and Adam—both of whom had had unmistakable and full encounters with the living God—some people still refuse to risk “themselves completely,” despite personal and supernatural encounters with the risen Lord.

What about you? Have you completely and fully surrendered yourself as a true worshipper? Remember, at the outset of his ministry, Jesus declared the following truth about worship:

(Matthew 4:10 NKJV) Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”

The enemy’s strategy in this has been clearly exposed in Scripture. He always tells us that trusting God completely is too risky. His influence cajoles us that it’s much safer to take matters into our own hands than to trust your whole life to God. In effect the Tempter says, “Make your own decisions about your future based on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; provide for yourself; look after your own health, etc.”