THE CHRISTIAN SOLDIER -- WINTER 2025

          We are admonished throughout the New Testament not only to "believe the gospel", but also to "obey the gospel", and to "preach the gospel". But what exactly is the gospel? It is a vital question, because we cannot believe, obey, and preach the gospel, unless we first have a solid understanding of what exactly it is. 

          The word gospel comes from the Greek word “kerygma” which means “good news”, the focus being on that word "news". It refers to a brand new development that is worth telling about. The word gospel does not refer to the entire Bible or even to the entire New Testament, but it refers specifically to the good news that the Messiah for whom mankind had waited so long had indeed come to earth and for our sins was crucified, was buried, and rose again on the third day, having conquered death, hell, and the grave. Although it seems atrocious and heartbreaking, it is good news.  

          I Corinthians 15:1-4 clearly defines what the gospel means: “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, wherein ye stand; [2]By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  [3]For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how 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:”

         I have confidence that you believe the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that you believe He was the son of God, born of a virgin. I know you believe that He died for our sins. I know that you believe He was buried and that He rose again from the dead. I know that you believe the gospel; NOW If you believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, I want to tell you how to obey what you have believed. Let’s talk about what it means to OBEY the GOSPEL.

          I Peter 2:21 says “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:”

         As followers of Jesus Christ, we are instructed to watch the example that He has left us, and follow in His footsteps. He is our example. This corresponds to the words of Jesus “I am the way, the truth, and the life” and “I am the door.”  He didn’t come to show us the way—He is  the way. He didn’t come to tell us the truth—He is the truth. He didn't come to give us life—He is life. He didn’t come to show us the door—He is the door. He is our example and we should follow in His footsteps.

          As our example, when He took up HIS cross, where did He go? Death. Burial. Resurrection. 

         So . . . what exactly am I saying? Do I mean to say that we also have to be crucified, be buried, and rise from the dead? YES! I know that seems impossible on the surface, and I know it sounds strange, but that is exactly what it means to obey the gospel. You must be crucified. You must be buried. And you must rise again from the dead. 

 

Romans 6:1-13 says “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? [2]God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? [3]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: [6]Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. [7]For he that is dead is freed from sin. [8]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. [11]Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. [12]Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. [13]Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”

 

          We obey the gospel of Jesus Christ by repenting, which is a type of death; by being water baptized into Jesus Christ which is a type of burial, and by being baptized with the Holy Ghost, which is a type of resurrection. If you have not done these things, you have not obeyed the gospel. Yes, you may love Jesus; Yes, you may have encountered Him; Yes, you may have had an experience; Yes, you may feel joy and peace; But if you have not done these three things, you have not obeyed the gospel. If you are not preaching these three things, you are not preaching the gospel.  I don’t want to stop short of what He has for me.

 

STEP ONE: YOU HAVE TO DIE:

That doesn’t sound very pleasant, I know, but it is necessary; and it is scriptural. 

           John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Now, of course, we know that Jesus demonstrated this quite literally. He literally laid down his life for our sake. But obviously, this means more than just your heartbeat, but includes all kinds of sacrifices. Paul said in Galatians 2:20 “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.” My life includes much more than just my heartbeat, but to die means to put aside my dreams, my time, my money, my convenience, and my safety if those things come between me and God. And that is echoed throughout scripture: Paul, speaking of the Christian life in I Corinthians 15:21 said “I die daily.” And if you and I want to walk in the way, we also have to die. 

 

First we have to die to sin. 

Romans 6:6-7 “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. [7]For he that is dead is freed from sin.”

 

I Peter 2:24 “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness:”

 

         But repentance is more than just dying to sin. We must also die to self. We live in a selfish generation. How we spend our money, how we spend our time, even how we conduct our relationships is entirely focused on ourselves: our own comfort, our own safety, our own feelings, and our own appetite. And we have to get rid of that. We have to die to ourselves and put others first.   Jesus can’t be Lord of your life if you are already occupying that throne. He said "my glory will I not give to another"—and that includes you. 

          And that death is more than just dying to sin and dying to self; but it also means dying to the world. We have to separate ourselves from the world and from its influences and from its logic. Not just a temporary separation, but a permanent one--the same kind of permanent separation that happens in death. That is how Paul describes it in Galatians 6:14: “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” 

 

I John 2:15-17 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  [16]For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  [17] And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

 

          Once you are dead to sin and dead to self and dead to the world, you are ready for the next step: What do you do with a dead man? You bury him; and you bury him as soon as possible; and you bury him completely underneath the dirt, and you put the right name on the grave. Of course, we are talking about water baptism by immersion in the name of Jesus Christ. 

 

STEP TWO: YOU HAVE TO BE BAPTIZED IN JESUS' NAME: 

Baptism is a type of burial. 

 

Romans 6:3-4 “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:”

 

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

 

           And just as in these scriptures have called it baptism "into Christ", and baptism "with Christ" and baptism "into His death"—who else’s name would you call out in baptism? You would not put a stranger’s name on a grave, but you would put the name of the one who died. And Jesus is the one who died. Therefore we call out the name of Jesus in baptism.

 

Colossians 3:17 “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

 

Baptism is both word and deed.

 

Acts 4:12 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” 

 

I Peter 3:21 says “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:”

 

          And so, if "baptism doth also now save us" and Jesus is the only name by which we can be saved—who else’s name would you call in baptism?

          Of course, we can also look to the book of Acts to see what the Apostles were actually doing to converts (and we should be doing the exact same thing!) Every person in the New Testament church was baptized in Jesus name. 

           It is also evident from scripture and from the meaning of the word “baptize” that we should go completely under the water. "Baptize" is translated from the Greek work Baptizo-to dip, to submerge. When Phillip baptized the Ethiopian Eunuch, they went "down into the water". When Jesus Christ was baptized, he came "up out of the water". John was baptizing in Anon "because there was much water there". These and many other scriptures indicate that it takes a lot of water to baptize someone. 

           And this also follows along with the type that Paul established. We don’t bury someone by throwing dirt at them. We cover them up completely. And we do it as soon as possible. 

 

STEP THREE: YOU HAVE TO BE BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY GHOST: And now if death is typical of repentance, and burial is typical of baptism, then surely resurrection is typical of the baptism of the Holy Ghost. 

 

Romans 6:4-5 “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 8:10-11 “And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. [11]But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”

 

          When a new believer is fully repentant and has made up his mind not to be a slave to sin any longer, he is ready to be baptized with the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is God Himself. And to be baptized with the Holy Ghost simply means to be filled to overflowing with God's Spirit. He comes to live on the inside of us to guide us and help us overcome the curse of sin.  

 

I Corinthians 6:19 "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?" 

 

         When a repentant person is ready to seek the baptism of the Holy Ghost, he will lift up his hands and begin to worship the Lord with all of his heart and mind. There is nothing like getting lost in worship! It does not always happen instantly. It depends on the person, his desire for God, and if he is still hold back a full surrender to God. 

           When a person is baptized with the Holy Ghost, he will begin to speak in other tonuges as the Spirit guides  him. We see this happening on the Day of Pentecost and throughout the New Testament as the apostels spread the gospel.  

I Corinthians 14:22 "Wherefore tongues are for a sign . . ." 

           There are many wonderful benefits of having the Holy Ghost. We are infused with joy, peace, and longsuffering (Galatians 5:22-23); The Holy Ghost helps us to understand the truth (John 14:26); We are given power to overcome sin (Galatians 5:16); We are sealed in salvation by the Holy Ghost (Ephesians 1:13-14); We are given power to be witnesses to the truth (Acts 1:8); We will be resurrected in the rapture through the Spirit (Romans 8:11);  

          The baptism of the Holy Ghost is the promise of God manifested, "that [we] might have life, and that [we] might have it more abundantly." John 10:10 There is no question, then, why the baptism of the Holy Ghost would be likened to being risen with Him in newness of life! 

 

          And so let us remember, and let us teach others also the path of salvation: that when we become believers we must follow up with obedience by being crucified with Christ in repentance, buried with Him in water baptism, and resurrected with Him by the baptism of the Holy Ghost.