It’s been said by many before that as Christians,we should be careful not to get our theology from songs. Very true statement — there are plenty of songs out there that take scriptural principles way out of context and by singing them, the listener THINKS that it is Biblical. While there are certainly some bad songs out there, some of them are VERY good!
On June 28th of 2012, I celebrated 14 years of salvation. I will never forget the Sunday night that I pulled my father aside as a 12-year-old boy and explained to him that I was in need of a Savior. Lovingly, he knelt down with me at his bed and shared with me the blessing of Christ! As I reflect back on that day, one song (with great scriptural meat) flooded my mind.
In 1910, a preacher by the name of John Wilbur Chapman penned the words to a song that in my opinion, portrays the full scope of the finished work of Christ: Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me). Granted, Casting Crowns rendition is a little more catchy, but they use the exact same words:
Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever:
One day He’s coming—O glorious day!
What a chorus! To full understand the depth of what is being said, I want to compare those lyrics with a famous passage of scripture that is often misread. In Romans 6, we receive from Paul the significance of the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of our Lord with the assurance of ETERNAL SECURITY as a bonus!
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 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. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: (Romans 6:3-5)
First off, let’s understand that just because you see the word “Baptism”, it doesn’t mean that it is referring to water (Baptism of Fire, Spirit, Suffering, etc). What baptism DOES equal is IDENTIFICATION or ONENESS. For example, remember in 1 Corinthians 10, that Israel was “baptized” or identified unto Moses. With that being said, let’s again look at Romans and the first line of the chorus:
… dying, He saved me;
that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
To be saved, you must be IDENTIFIED with and be ONE with Christ’s death. It is essential that we understand that Jesus had ZERO sin to die for, and that HIS death was what WE deserved.
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
… Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death:
To comprehend the magnitude of that statement! After the crucifixion, the body of Christ, LADEN WITH THE SINS OF THE WORLD, was buried. Our sin was buried WITH HIM! But the best part is the next phrase:
Rising, He justified freely forever:
… 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.
Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. (Romans 6:8-10)
WOW! Realize that Jesus died ONCE for sin — He is not dying again. If you are identified with His death, that means YOU DIE ONCE! If you are ONE with Christ, YOU will be raised from the dead to live with Him forever. What an assurance!
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